Characterization of Water Quality and Biology in the Fountain Creek Watershed
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By Colorado Water Science Center
January 1, 2016
Monument and Fountain Creeks and their respective watersheds, located in the Front Range of Colorado, serve as important drainages for surface runoff, waste-water treatment operations, and as a water supply for downstream agricultural needs. As population growth continues in these watersheds, more and more pressures are being applied to the receiving streams, especially Fountain Creek.
Communities downstream from Colorado Springs, from Fountain to Pueblo and as distant as La Junta, are concerned about water-quality impacts to Fountain Creek from urbanization. Elevated sediment, bacteria, and selenium loads affect municipal treatment processes, and biota. Increased flows in Fountain Creek, as a result of population growth in Colorado Springs, also alter stream morphology especially during periods of storm runoff.
Bank cutting and subsequent erosion introduce additional sediment in areas and scour the streambed in other areas. The impact to stream biota can be dramatic.
Water-resource managers in the Monument Creek and Fountain Creek watersheds understand the importance of this water resource and are dependent upon understanding water-quality and biota conditions.
OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this project are to provide biological monitoring and assessment of the biological communities (benthic macroinvertebrates and fish) in the Fountain Creek basin to fulfill the EPA stormwater permit requirement for the City of Colorado Springs.
Multimetric Index macroinvertebrate values from the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado 2005 to 2016.
These data have been collected as part of a cooperative project in between the U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Water Science Center, Colorado Springs Utility, and Colorado Springs Engineering. This project began in 2005 and has collected macroinvertebrate samples from Fountain Creek and its tributaries to monitor the biological condition of this watershed. Provided in this data release...
Datasets of ecological communities (invertebrates and fish), streamflow, habitat, and water quality to examine the presence of trends in ecological communities from the Fountain Creek basin, Colorado, USA, 2003-2016.
These data were used for an analysis as part of a long-term project monitoring the biological communities, habitat, and water quality of the Fountain Creek Basin. Biology, habitat, and water quality data have been collected at 10 sites starting in 2003. These data include annual samples of aquatic invertebrate communities, fish communities, water quality, and quantitative riverine...
Below are publications associated with this project.
Changes in biological communities of the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003–2016, in relation to antecedent streamflow, water quality, and habitat
The analysis described in this report is part of a longterm project monitoring the biological communities, habitat, and water quality of the Fountain Creek Basin. Biology, habitat, and water-quality data have been collected at 10 sites since 2003. These data include annual samples of aquatic invertebrate communities, fish communities, water quality, and quantitative riverine habitat...
Authors
James Roberts, James F. Bruce, Robert E. Zuellig
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods and two multimetric indexes, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010–2012
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, analyzed previously collected invertebrate data to determine the comparability among four sampling methods and two versions (2010 and 2017) of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index (MMI). For this study, annual macroinvertebrate samples were...
Authors
James F. Bruce, James Roberts, Robert E. Zuellig
Characterization of water quality and suspended sediment during cold-season flows, warm-season flows, and stormflows in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, 2007–2015
From 2007 through 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, conducted a study in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, to characterize surface-water quality and suspended-sediment conditions for three different streamflow regimes with an emphasis on characterizing water quality during storm runoff. Data collected during this...
Authors
Lisa D. Miller, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Robert W. Stogner, Sr., Krystal D. Brown
Barriers impede upstream spawning migration of flathead chub
Many native cyprinids are declining throughout the North American Great Plains. Some of these species require long reaches of contiguous, flowing riverine habitat for drifting eggs or larvae to develop, and their declining populations have been attributed to habitat fragmentation or barriers (e.g., dams, dewatered channels, and reservoirs) that restrict fish movement. Upstream dispersal...
Authors
David M. Walters, Robert E. Zuellig, Harry J. Crockett, James F. Bruce, Paul M. Lukacs, Ryan M. Fitzpatrick
Evaluation of fecal contamination by human and ruminant sources in upper Fountain Creek, Colorado, 2007-2008, by using multiple lines of evidence:
Fountain Creek is a high-gradient stream on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The headwaters of Fountain Creek drain Pikes Peak, a major destination for tourism. Fountain Creek is a drinking-water source for the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is used for irrigation, recreation, and other purposes between Colorado Springs and the confluence with the Arkansas...
Authors
Donald Stoeckel
Temporal change in biological community structure in the Fountain Creek basin, Colorado, 2001-2008
In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to better understand the relations between environmental characteristics and biological communities in the Fountain Creek basin in order to aide water-resource management and guide future monitoring activities. To accomplish this task, environmental (streamflow, habitat, and water...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Urban-Related Environmental Variables and Their Relation with Patterns in Biological Community Structure in the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003-2005
In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to evaluate the influence of urbanization on stream ecosystems. To accomplish this task, invertebrate, fish, stream discharge, habitat, water-chemistry, and land-use data were collected from 13 sites in the Fountain Creek basin from 2003 to 2005. The Hydrologic Index Tool was used to...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Erin E. Evans, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Characterization and analysis of temporal and spatial variations in habitat and macroinvertebrate community structure, Fountain Creek basin, Colorado Springs and vicinity, Colorado, 1998-2001
The Fountain Creek Basin in and around Colorado Springs, Colorado, is affected by various land- and water-use activities. Biological, hydrological, water-quality, and land-use data were collected at 10 sites in the Fountain Creek Basin from April 1998 through April 2001 to provide a baseline characterization of macroinvertebrate communities and habitat conditions for comparison in...
Authors
James F. Bruce
Monument and Fountain Creeks and their respective watersheds, located in the Front Range of Colorado, serve as important drainages for surface runoff, waste-water treatment operations, and as a water supply for downstream agricultural needs. As population growth continues in these watersheds, more and more pressures are being applied to the receiving streams, especially Fountain Creek.
Communities downstream from Colorado Springs, from Fountain to Pueblo and as distant as La Junta, are concerned about water-quality impacts to Fountain Creek from urbanization. Elevated sediment, bacteria, and selenium loads affect municipal treatment processes, and biota. Increased flows in Fountain Creek, as a result of population growth in Colorado Springs, also alter stream morphology especially during periods of storm runoff.
Bank cutting and subsequent erosion introduce additional sediment in areas and scour the streambed in other areas. The impact to stream biota can be dramatic.
Water-resource managers in the Monument Creek and Fountain Creek watersheds understand the importance of this water resource and are dependent upon understanding water-quality and biota conditions.
OBJECTIVES:
The objectives of this project are to provide biological monitoring and assessment of the biological communities (benthic macroinvertebrates and fish) in the Fountain Creek basin to fulfill the EPA stormwater permit requirement for the City of Colorado Springs.
Multimetric Index macroinvertebrate values from the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado 2005 to 2016.
These data have been collected as part of a cooperative project in between the U.S. Geological Survey Colorado Water Science Center, Colorado Springs Utility, and Colorado Springs Engineering. This project began in 2005 and has collected macroinvertebrate samples from Fountain Creek and its tributaries to monitor the biological condition of this watershed. Provided in this data release...
Datasets of ecological communities (invertebrates and fish), streamflow, habitat, and water quality to examine the presence of trends in ecological communities from the Fountain Creek basin, Colorado, USA, 2003-2016.
These data were used for an analysis as part of a long-term project monitoring the biological communities, habitat, and water quality of the Fountain Creek Basin. Biology, habitat, and water quality data have been collected at 10 sites starting in 2003. These data include annual samples of aquatic invertebrate communities, fish communities, water quality, and quantitative riverine...
Below are publications associated with this project.
Changes in biological communities of the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003–2016, in relation to antecedent streamflow, water quality, and habitat
The analysis described in this report is part of a longterm project monitoring the biological communities, habitat, and water quality of the Fountain Creek Basin. Biology, habitat, and water-quality data have been collected at 10 sites since 2003. These data include annual samples of aquatic invertebrate communities, fish communities, water quality, and quantitative riverine habitat...
Authors
James Roberts, James F. Bruce, Robert E. Zuellig
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods and two multimetric indexes, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010–2012
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, analyzed previously collected invertebrate data to determine the comparability among four sampling methods and two versions (2010 and 2017) of the Colorado Benthic Macroinvertebrate Multimetric Index (MMI). For this study, annual macroinvertebrate samples were...
Authors
James F. Bruce, James Roberts, Robert E. Zuellig
Characterization of water quality and suspended sediment during cold-season flows, warm-season flows, and stormflows in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, 2007–2015
From 2007 through 2015, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, conducted a study in the Fountain and Monument Creek watersheds, Colorado, to characterize surface-water quality and suspended-sediment conditions for three different streamflow regimes with an emphasis on characterizing water quality during storm runoff. Data collected during this...
Authors
Lisa D. Miller, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Comparability among four invertebrate sampling methods, Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2010-2012
The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering and Colorado Springs Utilities, designed a study to determine if sampling method and sample timing resulted in comparable samples and assessments of biological condition. To accomplish this task, annual invertebrate samples were collected concurrently using four sampling methods at 15 U.S. Geological Survey...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Robert W. Stogner, Sr., Krystal D. Brown
Barriers impede upstream spawning migration of flathead chub
Many native cyprinids are declining throughout the North American Great Plains. Some of these species require long reaches of contiguous, flowing riverine habitat for drifting eggs or larvae to develop, and their declining populations have been attributed to habitat fragmentation or barriers (e.g., dams, dewatered channels, and reservoirs) that restrict fish movement. Upstream dispersal...
Authors
David M. Walters, Robert E. Zuellig, Harry J. Crockett, James F. Bruce, Paul M. Lukacs, Ryan M. Fitzpatrick
Evaluation of fecal contamination by human and ruminant sources in upper Fountain Creek, Colorado, 2007-2008, by using multiple lines of evidence:
Fountain Creek is a high-gradient stream on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. The headwaters of Fountain Creek drain Pikes Peak, a major destination for tourism. Fountain Creek is a drinking-water source for the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and is used for irrigation, recreation, and other purposes between Colorado Springs and the confluence with the Arkansas...
Authors
Donald Stoeckel
Temporal change in biological community structure in the Fountain Creek basin, Colorado, 2001-2008
In 2001, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to better understand the relations between environmental characteristics and biological communities in the Fountain Creek basin in order to aide water-resource management and guide future monitoring activities. To accomplish this task, environmental (streamflow, habitat, and water...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Urban-Related Environmental Variables and Their Relation with Patterns in Biological Community Structure in the Fountain Creek Basin, Colorado, 2003-2005
In 2003, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Colorado Springs City Engineering, began a study to evaluate the influence of urbanization on stream ecosystems. To accomplish this task, invertebrate, fish, stream discharge, habitat, water-chemistry, and land-use data were collected from 13 sites in the Fountain Creek basin from 2003 to 2005. The Hydrologic Index Tool was used to...
Authors
Robert E. Zuellig, James F. Bruce, Erin E. Evans, Robert W. Stogner, Sr.
Characterization and analysis of temporal and spatial variations in habitat and macroinvertebrate community structure, Fountain Creek basin, Colorado Springs and vicinity, Colorado, 1998-2001
The Fountain Creek Basin in and around Colorado Springs, Colorado, is affected by various land- and water-use activities. Biological, hydrological, water-quality, and land-use data were collected at 10 sites in the Fountain Creek Basin from April 1998 through April 2001 to provide a baseline characterization of macroinvertebrate communities and habitat conditions for comparison in...
Authors
James F. Bruce