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<br />Natural and ~neficiAl ~lood Plain Valu~s
<br />the flood plsins alon~ Boxelder Creek are iutensly cropped, Only the
<br />~ain channel has been left in a natural state, This narrow channel Is
<br />ve~etsted with a variety of forbs, grasses, sedges snd rushes, interspersed
<br />with cottonlltJods, willows ,,,,d dberian elm. The _sudering channel, paasinll;
<br />throughintenselycr<>ppedfarlllland,providesadiveraityinlandscape, This
<br />diversity enhances the visual aesthetics and wildlife habLtat values in the
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<br />RE1.ATEflFLOOOITIlfllES
<br />five floodwater retarrling reservoirs were constructed during the period
<br />1971 throuIlhl981, l'our are located in the baa in upstr..am frolll the uppor
<br />study limit, and the fifth is on Indian Creek which joins Boxelder Creek
<br />near th.. middle of the study area, see figure I. The structures were bullt
<br />urrder the Watershed Protection and Flood Frevention Aet (Public Law 560,
<br />83rdConllress). Aplanningdocument"WatershedllorkPlan.lloxelderCreek
<br />Watershed" is available $t the Soil Conservation Service Office in Denver.
<br />The plsnningfor this project considered ftood damages for before and after
<br />project conditions. The planning detail was not considered adequate,
<br />hoW<!ver, fotdevelopln,o;zoningordina.ncesandotherre!<ulation....asutes
<br />needed f"r rnana,o;i!l!< the flood pl.dn.
<br />Ad"lIIhreach studywas.....de by the Sol1Conaervatlon Serll1ce in 1980.
<br />The purpose of the study was to define the flood "one of a possible failure
<br />uf fl",)~wat..r rHardtng dam B-2 (~e" iigur.. I), wbieh i~ a part of the
<br />Watershed project pr~viuusly dtscussed. The report shows the potent tal d~m
<br />breach flood boundary from structure &-2 (about R miies upstream of
<br />Wellington) to the sO\lthern boundary of the Town of Wellington.
<br />A rna"te. draina~eway planning ~tudy was made by ~imons, Li &
<br />A.~sociates, [ne. in 1981. The study encompassed cooper sloul(h and the reach
<br />d Boxelder Creek d",mstrealll fro," the tuwer Hudy limit of this flood plain
<br />management study, Hydrologic inforlllation from the Simuns ~ Ll Report waa
<br />u$ed tn this study.
<br />
<br />area.
<br />
<br />AlthouSl;h narrow, the channel corridor provides a travehlay and cover
<br />for wildlife. It isusedprimarilyby"'uledeer,ringnecked phe,1sanu,
<br />",ourningdoves, cottontalls and SOme Tl\lgratory w"terfowl. Cropland in the
<br />flood plain supply a food source for wildlife in the area.
<br />A small irrilo\ati"n rClo\ulating reservoir is located next to Boxeld er
<br />Creek approximately one-half mile below ~ellington, Other small areas of
<br />open water occur in the Soxelder Creek channel, While not within the study
<br />"r"a, there are numerous irrigarion supply tcservdrs thro"p;hout the general
<br />area, These reservoirs are used extensively by migratory waterfowl and
<br />residentCansdagee$e,
<br />Of particular interest to wildlife and sportsmen groups is the 1,242
<br />acre Wellington State ~ildlife Area located "long the Indian Creek flood
<br />pl>lin southeaat of Wellington, Coinrado, This 1aapredomtnantlywct area
<br />where ground "ater h furced to the surface by tighter soils and shallow
<br />depths to ~hde. Cover and food plots have been !'<It in fur waterfowl and
<br />g1lIlle b1rds. The ;,'ellin!':ton Wildlife Arc.a provid<'s good pheasant, duck and
<br />rahb1t hunting durin.'; thoseseaaons. Sportsn",,,,,,,,d othcrs "ay be use the
<br />arc" at "ny time for hikin~, hunting, btrd ",ate-hing ur othr di"HS1o"s. !'cJ
<br />p<"\rktng or c"",pinl( h permitted wtchin the area,
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