FLOOD07750

• Designation Number: 448
• County: Arapahoe
• Community: Unincorporated Arapahoe County
• Stream Name: Big Dry Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Flood Hazard Area Delineation - Big Dry Creek & Tributaries
• Date: 11/1/1996
• Designation Date: 3/1/1997
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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II. STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION

In the north central part of Section 23, the channel passes through an area of large private homesites. North

of Orchard Road, the channel continues through an open greenbelt area which is a part of the Green Oaks

Development. From Littleton Boulevard to Progress Park the channel meanders through a partly confined

corridor among numerous business, commercial, and residential sites. The channel is relatively unconfined

as it continues through Progress Park and across Belleview A venue into Belleview Park. As the channel exits

Belleview Park and Natural Area at South Windermere Street, it passes under two railroad bridges and the

south Santa Fe Drive bridge through a commercial-industrial area to the South Platte River.

The Big Dry Creek (ARAPCO) watershed lies largely within the southern and southwestern portion

of the Denver metropolitan area. The upper end of the watershed is located in Douglas County about five

and one-half miles south of the Arapahoe-Douglas County Line in Section 3 I, Township 6 South, Range 67

West of the 6th Principal Meridian. The confluence of Big Dry Creek with the South Platte River is located

west of Santa Fe Drive and north of Belleview A venue in the City of Englewood in the west half of Section

9, Township 5 South, Range 68 West of the 6th Principal Meridian.

The area of the watershed tributary to Big Dry Creek is approximately 19.5 square miles .<12,500

acres). The drainageway extends from Douglas County through Arapahoe County and the Cities of Littleton,

Greenwood Village, and Englewood. A number of changes have occurred in the watershed since 1975 when

the hydrology was first studied and reported (Reference 10). During this period the watershed has become

increasingly urbanized, particularly the headwaters area that was largely undeveloped in 1975. Major

drainageway features including bank protection, grade-control structures, crossing structures and detention

facilities have been constructed along the length of the major drainageway. Similar drainage features within

many sub-watersheds have also been constructed.

At the upper end of the watershed is the Wildcat Mountain Reserve, a conservation area that is to

remain undeveloped and covers approximately 31h square miles of the watershed. The McArthur Ranch

Subdivision is being developed into about 5 acre lots in Sections 20 and 21, T6S, R67W. The Big Dry Creek

channel passes through HigWands Ranch which consists of mixed residential uses with some commercial

development, and the Links Golf Course. Tbe drainageway itself has been retained primarily in its natural

state in dedicated open space.

The channel passes through the South Suburban golf course as it enters Arapahoe County. In this
area, the channel also retains much of its natural character. Continuing downstream, the channel meanders
througb an extensive greenbelt as it passes under South Colorado Boulevard and Dry Creek Road, and through
to Cherry Knolls Park in Section 25, T5S, R68W, and East Arapahoe Road. This greenbelt extends north
of East Arapahoe Road into Sections 23 and 24, T5S, R68W, through Julia De Koevend Park.

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