FLOOD04641

• County: Denver
• Community: All
• Stream Name: All
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Proposed Hydrology for use in Hydraulic Analysis of FEMA Flood Studies and Restudies
• Date: 9/1/1989
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: Resource Consultants
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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SAND CREEK -=- :wEST FORK HYDROLOGY

7.1

Watershed Description

The Sand Creek West Fork Drainage Basin (SV) is located in
north central Colorado Springs as shown in Figure 7.1. It
borders the southern edge of Templeton Gap and the western
edges of Sand Creek Main Stem and Sand Creek Central Fork
basins.

The main channel arcs around the rising hills from the head
waters above Oro Blanco Drive along 4.3 miles of wide,
predominantly concrete lined channel to the confluence with the
main stem of Sand Creek. At 1.3 miles above the confluence to
Sand Creek (between Platte Avenue and Galley Road) a large
tributary adds flow to the main stem from a more recently
develop"d industrial/business sector.

Total area of the drainage basin is 2.5 square miles. The
upper portion of the basin is relatively steep with average
slopes of 6-8%. It Is nearly fully developed as a residential
sector with parks at schools providing the only large parcels
of open land. Near Academy Boulevard, the basIn consists of
more commercial and lIght industrial land use bordered by a
fringe of multi-family dwellings. rn the lower portion of the
basin, land use is still open with some commercial and light
industry located on the north and south sides of Platte Avenue.
Basin slopes are more moderate in the downstream sections with
an average of 1-2%.

Soils In this drainage have high to moderate infiltration rates
and are predominantly of "B" type in SCS classification. Two
concentrations of 110" soils and rock outcrops are located on
the eastern slopes of Palmer Park and on the ridge top just
north of the Chicago Rock Island and Pacific Rai.lroad and east
of Murray Boulevard. To a lesser extent is an area of "c"
soils southwest of this ridge.

There is little storm water sewering in this watershed. Runoff
makes its way to the channel predominantly via street and
gutter flow.

Two previous studies of the basin were available for review.
These Wl!re the FIS -City of Colorado SprIngs (Reference 6) and
the Sand Creek Master Drainage planning Studv .:. Qlll II
Coloradcl Sprinll {, El Paso County -=- Development of Alternate
Plans developed by Simons, Li and Associates Inc. (SLA) in
cooperation with Finn & Associates, Ltd. (Reference 17).

7.2 Previous Studies

In the FIS, the detailed study of Sand Creek did not include
the West Fork. As only an approximate study was done on this
tributary, no detailed hydrology was presented. Guidelines for

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