WSP01569

• File Number: 8449.900
• Description: Bear Creek
• State: CO
• Basin: South Platte
• Date: 2/4/1972
• Author: USACOE
• Title: Final Environmental Statement for Bear Creek Flood Control Project
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: EIS

Creek and Turkey Creek to control the balance of the drainge entering
lower Bear Creek basin. Thus, a system of three dams would be needed.
However, this three-d~ system, which would cost more than the proposed
project, would not cont'rol as many square miles of the drainage area and
would cause more severe environmental impacts than the proposed project.
Environmental impacts would be the relocation of many miles of mountain
highways, relocations of homes, inundation of three mountain valleys,
loss of many miles of mountain streams, extensive reduction in streamside
vegetation and aesthetic values, destruction of fisheries on these creeks,
loss of outdoor recreation values, possible establishment of a cold water
fishery, and other possible impacts.

Other areas were investigated as sites for possible dam alignments.
A dam f'urther downstream would not be a realistic solution to flood
problems because this is the area which is subject to flood damage.
There are no suitable sites upstream between the proposed damsite and
the hogback near Morrison. The solutien selected is the construction of
a multiple-purpose lake at the junction of Bear Creek and Turkey Creek in
conjunction with the establishment of floodplain management. The
environmental impacts of the selected solution are di6cussed at length
in this statement.

VI. The relationship between local short-term uses of man's environment
and the maintenance and enhancement of long-term productivity.

The preservation of the natural ecology cannot be expected to continue
in thi6 area as continued urbanization would likely result in its depletion.
With the conversion of one-and-one-half miles of riverine habitat to a lake
environment, there is presented the opportunity to establish and maintain
a natural environment for man's long-term enjoyment.

Exploitation of mineral deposits on project land would cease with
project implementation. This would allOW" existing mining scars to be healed
and ground cover to be reestablished. However, similar mining activity
could resume outside the project area. This would keep net productivity
about the same, but the new scars would cause some environmental destruction
of their own.

Agricultural production, in the form of grazing and irrigated crops,
would be halted with project implementation. This would be termination
of one short term use of man '5 environment in favor of another, the project.

VII. Any irreversible and irretrievable commitments of_ resources which
would be involved in the proposed action should it be i~lemented.

The land which the spillway, embankments and lake would occupy
would be permanently altered. These lands could not be returned to their
pre-project state at a later date. Sand, gravel and clay resources within
the project would not normally be available for exploitation while the

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