FLOOD06660

• County: Douglas
• County: El Paso
• County: Elbert
• Community: Franktown, Parker
• Stream Name: Cherry Creek Watershed
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Franktown Parker Tributaries fo Cherry Creek Watershed
• Date: 4/1/1960
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: USDA Soil Conservation Service
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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Erosion Damage

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The erosion rate on untreated areas varies from low to moderate
on rangeland and is moderate on cropland. A high percentage of the
untreated cropland is being progressively damaged by gully and sheet
erosion. Approximately 11 per cent of the watershed is privately-o~med
timber and brush land situated on the higher elevations and along the
steeper slopes. Parts of this area are being eroded as a result of poor
rorest ma2agement practices.

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Severe erosion is occurring along Cher~/ Creek and many of its
tributaries as a result of channel entrenchment and channel widening.
Channel trenching results in loss of land and causes a lowering of the
water table in sub-irrigated meadows. Lowering of the water table
results in a considerable reduction in yields from these meadows.

Fire Protection

In its original state a large portion of the watershed was covered
with timber and brush species. During the 1860's and 1870's, most of
the marketable timber was removed and large areas were cleared and
brought into cultivation under the homestead laws. Through the years,
the trend has been tOHard larger ranching units. This has allowed the
tinilier and brush areas to improve and a considerable amount of the
cultivated land to revert back or be replanted to grasses.

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There are about 80 square miles of forest and brush land in the
watershed and about 200 square miles of grasslands. The forest and
brush lands occupy the steeper, rockier sites with shallow soils.
Loss of cover in these areas results in high runoff and heavy sediment
production with resultant aggravation of dO;ffistream problems. More-
over, the stabilization of such areaS by natural re-vegetation is a
slo;! process and re-establishment of vegetation by artifical means is
very costly,

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Susceptibility of the area to fire is high. Fires starting on
grasslands must be controlled to prevent spread to the forest areas
and vice versa. A definite need exists for a fire prevention and
control program that will provide for the maintenance of adequate
cover conditions on the ;lri vate forest and brush lands.

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Problelns Relating to \later l1anagement

No individual lando,mer or group of landowners has indicated
interest in providing additional capacity in any of the floodwater-
retarding structures for irrigation, municipa~ and industrial uses or
for recreational and wilcHife purposes. \;Jater for irrigation ; s obt"incd
by direct diversion from stre&Js and from irrigation wells.