Fountain Creek Watershed Vision & Implementation Plan

Creating a vision to maintain and restore natural functions of creeks through the Fountain Creek Watershed

The Fountain and Monument Creek corridor is the lifeblood of Colorado Springs. The corridor’s rich natural resources sustained Native American tribes and attracted European settlers. General Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, realized the scenic and recreational value of the area and created a network of parkways that have been a defining element of Colorado Springs’ identity. Over time, the natural character and functions of the corridor have been altered and disconnected, the richness diminished, and the creek access made inaccessible.

Wenk Associates was approached by N.E.S Inc. landscape architects out of Colorado Springs, to collaborate on creating a new vision for the Fountain Creek watershed. The Fountain Creek Watershed Vision and Implementation Plan, made possible by a Lyda Hill Philanthropies grant, establishes a comprehensive vision and strategy to restore the creek’s environmental qualities, promote economic vitality, create a sense of place, and greatly enhance and expand the recreational opportunities that were so important to General Palmer’s original vision.

The plan focuses on segments of the Monument and Fountain Creeks adjacent to Downtown Colorado Springs and establishes an implementable vision by identifying typologies and opportunity zones, which respects the community’s values, responds to infrastructure needs, and leverages opportunities. Illustrative graphics for five opportunity sites along the corridor bring to life a vision for the Fountain Creek Watershed that creates excitement, fosters collaboration, and identifies public and private partnership opportunities. Strategies for implementation for the opportunity sites include descriptive narratives, project implementation costs, and a summary of potential partnership opportunities.