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<br />they could, under less profoWld disturbances, gradual~ return to their <br />natural state. Upon project implementation a lake would be created at the <br />confluence of the tvo creeks, making eventual return to a natural state quite <br />Wllikely. <br /> <br />Many relocations would be involved as a result of project i~lementation. <br />Plate 2 shows two possible road relocations. The location of the highway <br />which skirts the southern edge of the proposed project was coordinated with <br />the project. This highway has been designated as U.S. Highway 285. The <br />other possible road relocation, State Highway 8, is planned to skirt the northern <br />boundary of the project. <br /> <br />Certain electrical and telephone lines would require relocation so <br />as not to interfere with the project. This is also true for a number <br />of gas mains. Several sections of irrigation canals would have to be <br />relocated since their current locations would interfere with proposed <br />alignments of the embankments and spillway. <br /> <br />The detrimental effects associated with the above-mentioned relocations <br />are the additional lands that will be required for rights-of-way. Also <br />to be included under detrimental effects are the scars le1't by the old <br />utility and road alignments. Time, money and material resources will be <br />required to repair these scars. <br /> <br />The other relocations involved include several private residences, <br />a number of farmsteads and a multiple-unit mobile home court, plus several <br />private small businesses located mainly on State Highwll<! 8. These relocations <br />adverse~ affect the physicosocial environment of the individuals involved <br />rather than the biological environment. Although this is a limited <br />portion of the total environmental picture, it is an important one. <br /> <br />Interstate 470, a multi-lane beltway designed to skirt the western <br />edge of the Denver metropolitan area, is currently under study for possible <br />location through the Bear Creek project area. One of the proposed alignments <br />is between the eastern edge of Mt. Glennon and the Soda Lakes. A major <br />highway adjacent to intensely-used recreation areas would subject these <br />areas to considerable noise and air pollution. <br /> <br />One of the main reasons for needing flood protection stems from <br />overdevelopment of, and encroachment on, the floodplain. The Bear Creek <br />floodplain, downstream from the proposed dwmsite, has been developed <br />extensive~ to the point that there are few remaining "vacant" lands. <br />"Development," based on the carrying capacity of the floodplain vi th respect <br />to population, had reached 60% of its projected maximum by the year 1970. <br />With a large degree of flood protection, which the Bear Creek project would <br />give, urban encroachment on the floodplain is predicted to intensify. This <br />would mean the remaining "vacMt" lands would be developed, with large <br />expensive, single-family dwe~:ings as is the current trend in this area, <br />if a sound program of floodplain zoning and management were not effected. <br /> <br />6 <br />