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Basin Description The Dr'l Creek Basin ~s long and narrow with its upper reaches in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains and its lower reaches extending onto the agricultural plains immediately north of Fort Collins (Figure 1). The basin is in east central Larimer County with portions of the lower basin extending into Fort Collins. I I , . , , .' I; i Historically, tl1e Dry Creek Basin has been in agricultural land use. Over the past 30 years, the basin has been experienoing development in the lower reach below U. S. Highway 287. The develoOMent in SOMe cascs has Obliterated the historic Dry Creek channel, particularly in reaches near College Avenue. Co~~ercial and light industrial development is rapidl'l expanding in the basin reach near the confluence with the Cache la poudre River, in the area surrounding the Valley Airpark. The area immediately downstream of College Avenue is currcntl'l experiencing residential development, and resiJential development is also expected in areas immediately north of U. S. Highway 287, extending as far as six miles up the basin. Above this area, the basin should remain in agricultural use in the foreseeable future. STUDY AREA The basin encompasses a drainage area of a~proximately 65 square miles with basin elevations ranging from 7,000 feet MSL in the foot- hills to 4,900 feet MSL near Fort Collins. The average basin slope is approximately 2% in a southeasterly direction. Eleven major irrigation canills and 13 major, storage reservoirs are ra:::t of an I>xtensive in:i""tion neb.'ork within the basin (Figllre :n. !I , , , , The Dry Creek stream channel is tributary to the Cache la poudre River i~~diately east of Fort Collins. The cha~nel gonerally hilS a well defined, Meandering low flow section, and a wide, gently sloped overbank area. In the reach belOW the Eaton Ditch, h0w~ver, the channel has been obliterated by development over mll"h of its len',jth. The Dry Creek channel has many tributaries along its length with the major ones, P,Il:k Creek and Spring Gulch, joining Dry creek in the upper third of the basin. As the basin develops, increased local drainage will lead to larger and more frequent flows along the Dry Creek channel. This will cause flooding proble~s in areas where the old Dry Creek channel ~o longer exists, and will lead to increased problems of channel maintenance. I I Description of Study Reach The Dry Creek study reach i~ located in and near the northeast section of the City of Fort Collins. (Fiqure 2). ThE' study reach begins at the Dry Creek confluence with the Cache la poudre River and extends in a northwesterly direction to the western boundary of Section 26, T8~, R69W, immediately west of Terry Lake. Th~ channel is int~rcepted at two locations Ly major on-stream reservoirs, Douglas Reservoir and Park Creek Reservoir (Fiqure 2). Park Creek Reservoir is a fairly new U.S.B.R. ~tora;e reservoir 10- cated high in the upper basin on the Park Creek tributary tu Dry C~eek" The reservoir has a surface arca of approximately 190 acres, and a tribut.ary area of 3.8 SqUdre mil",,,. DQugl"" Reservoir i::: 10- ,.,ilt8d On Cry Creek in Cl9proxir:tately the middle of the b;;l.sin. Thi.s reservoir has a surf<'lce area of about 640 acres and a tributary nrainilg... area of 44.0 square m~les. The lower reach of Dry Creek passes through a largely developed eo~~~rciCll and light industrial area surrounding the Valley Airpark. In this reach, a well-defin"J. chann"l winds througr. the developed area with adequate capacity to convey minor local drainage. The overbank dreaS are extremely flat and wide. From the Valley hirpark to College Avenue, the reach is largely undeveloped wit.h <:he "x,",,,ption of the Alta Vista. Communit,". Dry - 8- -,-