FLOOD08848

• Designation Number: 37
• County: Jefferson
• Community: Lakewood
• Stream Name: Sanderson Gulch, North Sanderson Gulch, Weir Gulch
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Major Drainageway Planning - Volume I - Sanderson Gulch and Weir Gulch
• Date: 8/1/1972
• Designation Date: 12/1/1974
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

,
I
I

PARKS, GOLF COURSES, A..'W OTHER OPEN LANDS

several parks, golf courses. and other open land exists in the
Sanderson-Weir Gulch Basins which have a definite bearing upon
drainage planning for the area. The following description of
such lands proceeds in an upstream direction along each of the
gulches.

WEIR GULCH

Barnum Park is located on either side of 6th Avenue and on the west
side of Federal Blvd. The portion of Barnum Park north of 6th
Avenue and West of Federal might be developed into a major storm
detention reservoir although it presently does not have sufficient
storage volume to have a significant effect on storm runoff peaks.
Barnum Lake is situated in the section of Barnum Park south of
6th Avenue.

Strip park development has taken place by the Denver Parks Depart-
~ent from 1st Avenue to hlameda Avenue along the gulch. This develop-
ment consists primarily of grassing the channel and installing
asphalt bike paths.
From Sheridan Blvd. to Ohio Avenue the gulch is primarily open,
although subdivided. From Harlan Street to Wadsworth Blvd. the
gulch is essentially free from development although a SUbdivision
plat has recently been filed under the name of Wadsworth Villa
for the area just west of Pierce Street.
The section of gulch between Wadsworth Blvd. and the alignment of
Carr Street is in the old Belmar Farms area and has not experienced
development. This section of gulch is under study by the Lakewood
Parks Department for a possible large regional park.
From the Carr Street alignment to Mississippi Avenue, the gulch
flows through an area of large lot residential development with the
centerline of the gulch being the back lot line of lots on either
side of the gulch. All development is removed from the gulch far
enough to be out of flood danger.

I

The area of Main Reservoir is still in ownership of the Agricultur-
al Ditch and Reservoir Co. and not subject to development at the
pre~ent time. It is hoped that this area may eventually become
a large park.

Both North and South Weir Gulches
subject to development as parks.
undergone any type of development
and poorly maintained conditions.

flow through dedicated areas
Neither of these areas have
and are in extremely eroded

-18-

SA.t"lDERSON Glo"LCH

The Denver Parks Department has pursued a course of acquisition of
properties along Sanderson Gulch for many years. The result is
that much of the channel alignment through Denver is situated in
strip park developments. From Lipan Street to Arkansas Avenue
the Parks Department has been successful in acquiring portions
of land, a full block at a time. The section from Arkansas Avenue
to Florida Avenue is mainly in private ownership although still
undeveloped. From Arkansas Avenue to zuni the gulch flows through
an entire block which has been acquired by the Parks Department but
no park development has taken place to date. Between Zuni and Feder-
al Blvd. the Parks Department owns only portions of land, none
of whiCh have been developed.
From Federal Blvd. to Sheridan Blvd. the Parks Department controls
a continuous strip of land varying in width from 60' up to a full
block. From Federal Blvd. to Tennyson Street the area has been
developed into a strip park with grassing of the channel side slopes
and installation of asphalt bike paths.

A large open undeveloped portion of Sanderson Gulch exists between
Clairfield Reservoir and Jewell Street. This area exhibits excel-
lent opportunities for park development in conjunction with a major
flood detention reservoir. Between Jewell Avenue and the Green
Gables entrance road is the Shwayder Pond area which is again open
and undeveloped. From the Green Gables entry road to Wadsworth
Blvd. the gulch flows through the Green Gables Country Club golf
course.

Jewell Park is located on Sanderson GulCh between Estes Street and
Garrison Street.

Approximately one-quarter mile we~t of Garrison Street is th~ K~n-
drick Reservoir Park Development belonging to the Foothills
Metropolitan Recreation and Park District. The Smith Reservoir
Area, although still in ownerShip of the Agricultural Ditch and
Reservoir Co.. has remained open and undeveloped.

lJORTH SANDERSON

The section of North Sanderson Gulch between its confluence with
Sanderson Gulch and Pierce Street is open and undeveloped land.

The only other open area on North Sanderson GulCh is the Green
Gables Park area located near Florida AVe. and Garrison St. This
park, approximately 10 acres in area, belongs to the Foothills
Metropolitan Recreation and Park District.

-1':1-