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SCOPE OF THE REPORT
This is the first State-of-the-Watershed Report for the Clear Creek watershed.
It provides a snapshot of major water quality and water quantity resources of
the basin. Future reports will expand the water resource reporting, as well as
include information on open space, parks, trails, habitat, wildlife and other
related resources.
CONTENTS
Overview of the Clear Creek Watershed	2
Clear Creek as a Drinking Water Source	3
Fish in Clear Creek	6
Limiting Factors	7
Nutrients	7
Metals	9
Toxicity	 13
Habitat	 14
Regulatory Tools	 15
Watershed Improvement Projects	 18
Stream Information for Geographic Areas	 19
Main Stem to West Fork	 19
South Fork	22
West Fork			24
Chicago Creek	26
Fall River	28
Main Stem from West Fork to North Fork	29
North Fork	31
Main Stem from North Fork through Canyon	33
Main Stem from Golden to South Platte	35
What's Ahead	37
Acknowledgments	39
Tables and Maps	41
State of the
Watershed
REPORT - 1997
Clear Creek, Colorado
TABLES
Table 1
Clear Creek Watershed

Forum Roster
Table 2
Project 2000 List
Table 3
Adopt-a-Gage Sponsors
Table 4
Clear Creek Water Rights

Priority List
Table 5
Decreed In-Stream Flows
Table 6
Recommended In-Stream Flows
Table 7
Ditch Management and

Utilization Table
Table 8
Reservoirs and Owners
Table 9
Clear Creek Stream

Segments and Use Classifications
MAPS

Map 1
Land Use/Land Cover
Map 2
Monitoring Stations and Gages
Map 3
Decreed In-Stream Flows
Map 4
Public Water Supply Systems
Map 5
Fish Monitoring Stations
Map 6
Toxicity Testing Results
Map 7
Habitat Analysis Results
Map 8
Water Quality Standards

Stream Reaches
Map 9
Regulated Facilities
Map 10
Watershed Improvement Projects
Map 11
Upper Main Stem Clear Creek

West Fork
Map 12
Main Stem Clear Creek
Chicago Creek
Map 13
North Fork
Map 14
Clear Creek Canyon
Map 15
Main Stem Clear Creek
from Golden to South Platte
1

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. OVERV EW OF HE
CLEAR CREEK
WATERSHED
Clear Creek's headwaters begin amidst the 14,000 foot
peaks of Colorado along the Continental Divide near
the Loveland Ski Area. Between the mountains and
the plains, it flows through a handful of mountain
communities and a majestic, undeveloped canyon in
the foothills. It then becomes an urban stream pro-
viding scenery, trails, and habitat for wildlife as it flows
through the north Denver metropolitan area on its
way to join the South Platte River. Clear Creek is
noted for its scenic grandeur, a rich mining heritage,
limited-stakes gaming, and whitewater recreation. It
is also an important source of water for a variety of
uses such as agriculture, drinking water, and industry.
Clear Creek is a stream with major water quality prob-
lems related to metals and concerns related to nutri-
ents. The water quality problems are derived from
natural sources, historic mining, municipal and in-
dustrial uses, and land use practices.
WATERSHED: A watershed consists of two elements: a
water body and the adjacent landfrom which water drains
into that water body. In terms of water quality, the stream
and the land are inseparable; water draining off the land
carries with it the effects of nature and human activities.
The Clear Creek watershed is often characterized as
the upper basin and the lower basin. The upper basin
consists of mountainous and foothills areas and en-
compasses two-thirds of the watershed. The lower
basin is urbanized. Standley Lake is an important el-
ement of the Clear Creek watershed although it is lo-
cated outside of the watershed. Water from Clear
Creek is diverted into Standley Lake which supplies
drinking water to several communities in the north
Denver metropolitan area.
Communities
The counties and communities of the watershed are
shown on Map 1, contained in Chapter X of this re-
port. They include five counties and a dozen towns
and cities. They range from picturesque mountain
towns like Georgetown to gaming boom towns like
Black Hawk and Central City to Golden, home of
the Colorado School of Mines, to growing suburban
areas like Arvada and Wheat Ridge. The Standley Lake
cities, which tap Clear Creek water primarily for out-
of-basin use, include Northglenn, Thornton, and
Westminster. The largest land manager in the water-
shed is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Forest Service. Fully one-third of the basin lies within
the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest and is administered by the Clear
Creek Ranger District. Other public lands are managed by the U.S. De-
partment of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the
State of Colorado Land Board. In 1995 the BLM lands in Clear Creek
County were turned over to the county for disposition.
The Clear Creek watershed community has been described as a "cul-
ture of cooperation." It wasn't always that way. As recently as 1987,
relationships between local community and business interests and the
governmental agencies were strongly adversarial. Local interests felt
that the state and federal regulatory presence was heavy-handed and
they reacted angrily. This marked the low ebb of these relationships.
The turnaround in the relationship started with an honest attempt to
listen and learn about each other's values - first, on the part of the
regulatory community, such as the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment (CDPHE), and second, on the part of local people.
Regulators learned to appreciate local values and wisdom—the special
relationship with and knowledge of the land, the importance of per-
sonal relationships, and the unique rhythm and heritage of each com-
munity. At the same time, local people learned to appreciate what
regulators could contribute: the technical knowledge and resources to
address highly complex water quality issues.
Subsequently, through organizations like the Clear Creek Watershed
Forum, the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association, and the Upper
Clear Creek Wathershed Advisory Group, relationships have been
strengthened and a workable watershed effort has evolved. The groups
bring together diverse watershed interests and create an atmosphere of
cooperation.
The Clear Creek Watershed Forum is an informal organization which
transcends the boundaries of any one agency, community, industry, or
organization within the watershed. The role of the Forum is to bring
people together from throughout the watershed to share information
and to develop cooperative water quality improvement strategies and
projects. The agenda of the Forum is locally-controlled by a Planning
Committee made up of representatives from throughout the water-
shed. A roster of Forum participants is provided in Table 1, located in
Chapter X of this report.
The Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association, which mostly repre-
sents dischargers in Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties, is a formal or-
ganization and part of the Denver Regional Council of Governments'
regional planning effort. The Upper Clear Creek Watershed Advisor)'
Group was formed to provide technical input on EPA and CDPHE
cleanup projects. These groups spearheaded many efforts to improve
cooperation in the basin. As an example of the cooperative spirit,
stakeholders developed a list of 47 proposed watershed projects in 1993.
So far 26 of these projects have been completed. To highlight just a
few, they include the McClelland tailings cleanup, stream restoration
through Idaho Springs, a joint stream monitoring program, and the
publication and adoption of a "best management practices" (BMP)
manual. The Project 2000 list, a list of projects expected to be com-
pleted by the year 2000, has now been developed. (See Table 2.)

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II. CLEAR CREEK AS A
DRINKING WATER SOURCE
The watershed approach has fostered a remarkable spirit of cooperation and
the use of common sense in addressing issues of water quality. The area of
water quantity and supply, however, is much more competitive. Water from the
Clear Creek watershed has been put to many uses over the last 137 years. His-
torically, it has been used for mining, agriculture, drinking water supplies, and
industry such as flour mills, breweries, and manufacturing. Today, it provides
drinking water for nearly 350,000 people and recreational opportunities for
rafters, kayakers, fishermen, and gold panners. Clear Creek serves industrial
purposes such as breweries and electrical production. The demand for Clear
Creek water makes it one of the most over-appropriated streams in Colorado.
The discharge of Clear Creek has traditionally been measured by the U.S. Geo-
logical Survey at the Golden stream gage. The average peak flow is 1,255 cubic
feet per second (cfs) and the average low flow is 28 cfs. About 75 percent of the
annual flow is from snow melt and occurs in May, June and July. During late
summer and winter, certain segments of Clear Creek are essentially dry.
There are 18 stream flow gages on Clear
Creek. Their locations are shown on Map 2
in Chapter X of this report. Funding for the
operation of the gages comes through a suc-
cessful "Adopt-a-Gage" program. (See Table
3 for a list of gage sponsors.)
CUBIC FOOT PER SECOND (CFS): The rate
of stream flow equal to one cubic foot (7.5 gal-
lons) of water every second. One cfs flowing for
one day residts in a volume of water equal to
about two acre-feet.
ACRE-FOOT: The volume of water required to
cover one acre ofland to a depth ofone foot. An
acre-foot is equal to about 325,825 gallons or
the water required by two families of four for
one year.
Groundwater Characteristics
Groundwater is integral to the water quan-
tity story of Clear Creek. In the headwaters
portion of the watershed, groundwater accu-
mulates in fractured rock and in alluvial de-
posits adjacent to Clear Creek. Metals from
100000
90000
80000
70000
El 994 11995 D1996
60000¦ •
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natural and mining-related sources impact both
groundwater and surface water as Clear Creek flows
through the mineralized belt which crosses Clear Creek
and Gilpin Counties. Extensive alluvial deposits of
groundwater, as well as the deep aquifers of the Den-
ver Basin, exist in the lower portion of the watershed.
GROUNDWATER: Subsurface water which accumu-
lates in underlying geologic formations as well as in frac-
tured rock and alluvial (sand and gravel) deposits near
stream beds. Groundwater and surface water are inter-
connected, in places readily flowing one to the other. In
other places, this transfer of water may take more than
100years. Areas of groundwater accumulation are called
"aquifers "and can be tapped with wells for drinking wa-
ter and other uses.
Water Rights
The ability to use water from Clear Creek is deter-
mined by water rights. Water rights have a quantity
and a priority date associated with them. There is
generally adequate water in Clear Creek to satisfy all
water rights during high flow. During low flow peri-
ods, when there is not enough water to satisfy all de-
mands, the water users with the first or most senior
water rights have first priority for water use.
Water rights are classified as direct flow water rights
or storage rights. Direct flow rights generally run from
April 1 through October 31 of any given year and
involve taking water and using it immediately for ac-
tivities such as irrigation. Storage rights, which gen-
erally run from October 31 through April 1, involve
taking water and storing it in a reservoir for future
use.
WATER RIGHTS: The concept of Western water rights
originated during the California gold rush. To keep peace
among competing mining camps, a system was developed
so that the miner who was the first to use the water had
claim to that water. The second miner was next in line
and so forth. This system was brought to Colorado dur-
ing this state's mining boom and it became known as the
Colorado Doctrine or the First-in-Time, First-in-Right
Doctrine. This system of water rights became the law in
1876 when Colorado achieved statehood.
In Colorado, a water right is a property right. The
right can be sold or inherited. Water rights are gener-
ally measured in cfs or acre-feet. The current market
rate for an acre-foot of high quality Clear Creek wa-
ter with a senior water right is $8000 to $9000. The
first water rights on Clear Creek were established in
1860.
HOW DOES A CALL WORK?: When a senior water right is exercised, it
is termed a "call"—for the simple reason that it is usually initiated with a
telephone call to the water commissioner. Here's how the water commis-
sioner works. Assume that water is being diverted to water rights holders
with decrees dated 1860 and 1880. If someone with an 1870 decree puts
in a call, the water commissioner will make sure that someone drives out
to the field and physically shuts off the headgate of the 1880 water right
holder and opens the headgate of the 1870 water right holder. Because
there can be dozens of water rights holders and diversion structures on a
stream, the call system can be quite complex.
The seasonal pattern of water rights for Clear Creek tends to be dis-
tributed as follows:
During late summer and early fall—moderate flow—the controlling
calls are from local water rights holders, e.g., those with 1860s and
1870s decrees such as the Church Ditch, Colorado Agricultural Ditch,
and Farmers' High Line Canal which divert water to local communi-
ties and industry.
During spring—high flow—there can be calls from further down the
South Platte River system because there is enough water to satisfy lo-
cal senior water rights holders, e.g., those with 1860s decrees, as well
as junior water rights holders, e.g., those with 1870s and 1880s de-
crees.
During winter —low flow—the calls on Clear Creek are controlled
by storage decrees such as the Croke Canal, which diverts water to
Standley Lake, and calls from the South Platte.
Table 4, provided in Chapter X of this report, shows the Clear Creek
water rights and priority list for the lower basin.
In-stream Floy RigKTs^^J
Generally the most junior and smallest water rights are for in-stream
flows. In-stream flow is the amount of water needed to "preserve the
natural environment [and aquatic life] to a reasonable degree." For
the past 20 years this has been generally interpreted as the flow neces-
sary to sustain cold water fisheries, such as trout. Currently, this focus
is being broadened to include warm water fisheries, e.g., smallmouth
bass, black bullhead, and channel catfish, as well as endangered spe-
cies. An in-stream flow appropriation gives the Colorado Water Con-
servation Board a water right. Calls from senior water rights holders
can still deplete water from segments with in-stream flow rights; how-
ever, a more junior water right holder cannot encroach upon in-stream
flow appropriations.
In-stream flow appropriations for selected stream segments start with
flow recommendations, based on field analysis, from the Colorado
Division of Wildlife (CDOW). CDOW provides recommendations
to the Conservation Board which evaluates them against various crite-
ria. If the Conservation Board agrees with CDOW's recommenda-
tions, they forward them to Colorado District Court, generally re-
ferred to as Water Court, for a decree which establishes an in-stream
flow appropriation.
4
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Tables provided in Chapter X of this report document those segments in Clear
Creek which have decreed in-stream flow appropriations (Table 5) and where
CDOW has made in-stream flow recommendations (Table 6). Map 3 displays
the decreed minimum in-stream flows for Clear Creek.
Clear Creek Water"
Nowhere is the issue of water use highlighted more dramatically than by the
network of canals and ditches which take water from Clear Creek and trans-
port it to the various lower basin users. Table 7, included in Chapter X, lists
the ditches and their management companies and major shareholders. Water
from Clear Creek is used for a variety of purposes: aquatic life, recreation,
water supply and agriculture. It is used both in-basin and trans-basin.
In-basin water use consists of water taken from Clear Creek for use within the
watershed. About 40 percent of Clear Creek's annual flow is used in-basin.
Trans-basin use involves diverting water from Clear Creek and transporting it
through canals to another watershed. About 40 percent of Clear Creek's an-
nual flow is used outside of the basin. Whereas some of the water used in-basin
returns to Clear Creek, none of the trans-basin water is returned to Clear Creek.
About 20 percent of Clear Creek water flows through to the South Platte River
due to calls or lack of storage on Clear Creek.
Water Storage
Because of the variance in high and low flows and the time of year when water
is in greatest demand, dams and reservoirs have been built in the Clear Creek
watershed to capture some of the spring runoff for use during drier months of
the year. There are a number of water storage facilities in the watershed, as well
as outside of the basin, which receive water from Clear Creek. These are listed
in Table 8, included in Chapter X of this report.
TRANS-MOUNTAIN DIVERSIONS
There are several trans-mountain diversions which flow through the Clear
Creek watershed:
Gumlick and Vasquez Tunnels: These tunnels are part of the City of Denver's
water system. Water from the Williams Fork in Grand County comes into the
Clear Creek watershed through the Gumlick Tunnel, formerly known as the
Jones Pass tunnel, near the Henderson Mine. Water is immediately diverted
from the Gumlick Tunnel out of the watershed through the Vasquez Tunnel.
From there, the water takes a roundabout route through Vasquez Creek (in the
Fraser River system), Moffat Tunnel, South Boulder Creek, and Ralston Creek
(in the Clear Creek watershed), to Ralston Reservoir. Water from Ralston
Reservoir is then transferred to the Moffat Plant in Lakewood for treatment
and distribution.
Vidler Tunnel: The Vidler Tunnel is owned by Water Resources Company,
Inc. The Vidler transports water from Dillon Reservoir into the Clear Creek
watershed near Argentine Pass above Georgetown. From there it flows down
Leavenworth Creek to South Clear Creek to the main stem of Clear Creek.
Water is then diverted into the appropriate downstream canal depending on
who has contracted to receive the water.
Berthoud Pass Ditch: The Berthoud Pass
Ditch is owned by the City of Northglenn.
It transports water from Current Creek (in
the Fraser River system) to Hoop Creek (in
the Clear Creek watershed). Water is then
diverted downstream at the Church Ditch-
which leads to Standley Lake.
WATER SUPPLIERS
Dozens of businesses, industrial facilities,
towns and cities rely on Clear Creek, or on
groundwater aquifers in the watershed, for all
or a portion of their water supply. Locations
of some of these water supplies are shown on
Map 4 in Chapter X. Major water users, from
the top of the watershed down, who tap pri-
marily surface water sources include:
—	Town of Silver Plume
—	Town of Georgetown
—	Town of Empire
—	City of Idaho Springs
—	City of Central
—	City of Black Hawk
—	City of Golden
—	Coors Brewing Company
—	City of Arvada
—	Consolidated Mutual Water Company
(City of Wheat Ridge, etc.)
—	Public Service Company
—	City of Northglenn
—	City of Thornton
—	City of Westminster
Major water users, from the top of the
watershed down, who tap groundwater
sources include:
—	campgrounds in the Clear Creek Ranger
District of the Arapaho &
Roosevelt National Forest
—	facilities in Golden Gate State Park
—	St. Mary's Glacier Water & Sanitation
District
—	Gilpin County Justice Center
—	trailer parks
—	campsites
—	restaurants
—	lodges
—	schools
—	private home owners
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. F SH AND 0 HER
AQUATIC LIFE
IN CLEAR CREEK
Clear Creek is a very complex and dynamic ecosystem,
composed of an interconnecting community of biologi-
cal organisms and their habitats. The health of these
organisms and their habitats is of concern in the Clear
Creek watershed. The fish and their food sources are
not healthy in some tributaries and in most areas of the
main stem of Clear Creek.
CDOW has been studying the health of Clear Creek for
many years. CDOW has eight established monitoring
stations on Clear Creek from Georgetown to west of
Golden. (See Map 5.) Using data collected at these
stations, CDOW is documenting changes in the aquatic
community of Clear Creek. In the late 1940 s, CDOW
began stocking trout in Clear Creek. Stocking efforts
continue to this day.
WHAT IS A MACRO INVERTEBRATE?! CDOW is not just interested,
in the types and numbers offish in Clear Creek. CDOW, along with
CDPHE and EPA, monitors what the fish eat — a group of aquatic
species called macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates are represented
by various types of organisms including stoneflies, caddisflies, mayflies,
true flies, beetles, leeches, and worms. Since macroinvertebrates are
sensitive to certain environmental conditions, such as pollution in the
water, they can be used to indicate the health of a river.
The trout species found by CDOW within the watershed include rain-
bow, brown, brook, and cutthroat trout. Brown trout are the domi-
nant species in most Clear Creek stream reaches. The longnose sucker,
a fish which is native to Clear Creek, is also found in the watershed.
Rainbow trout are stocked by CDOW in several sections of the creek.
The federally-protected, greenback cutthroat trout is found in some
headwater areas of the watershed.
Results of the 1995 and 1996 sampling program indicate that metal
contamination continues to impact the aquatic community of Clear
Creek. The largest reduction in numbers of fish and macroinvertebrates
occurs in the stream reach downstream of the Argo Tunnel. The aquatic
community of Clear Creek from just downstream of the West Fork to
Spring Gulch is considered by CDOW to be the best reference reach
in the study area.
Below
Below West
Below Spring
Below Fall
Riverside
Below Argo
Below 1-70 &
Above
Georgetown
Fork
Gulch
River
Park
Tunnel
US 6
Tunnel
Reservoir





Interchange
Number 1
FISH IN CLEAR
CREEK
1995 & 1996
This graph summarizes just a
small portion of the fishery data
collected on Qear Creek over the
years by the Colorado Division of
Wildlife, fish me collected in
the fall of 1995 and 1996, low-
flow seasons, and also in the
spring o1 1996, during higher
flow. During each monitoring
event, two collection passes were
made at each sampling site us-
ing on electro-fishing unit. Brown
trout was the dominant species
throughout the main stem of
Qear Creek. The health of the
fishery can be determined, in
part, by the number of fish per
acre of stream and also by their
weight and age. The number of
fish in Clear Creek shows a
marked decline in the down-
stream direction. This is in part a
result of the increasing levels of
metals in the stream. Poor habi-
tat is also a factor. The fish moni-
toring data will provide valuable
baseline information as conditions
in the river improve as a result of
the many ongoing cleanups.
6
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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Biological Monitoring Program.
prepared by John Woodling, CDOW, January
1997.
Clear Creek Basin - The Effects of Mining on
Water Quality and the Aquatic Ecosystem.
prepared by CDOW, March 1991.
Clear Creek Phase II Remedial Investigation
Report, prepared by Camp, Dresser, and
McKee for the Colorado Department of Public
Health and the Environment, September 21,
1990.
Chemical and Physical Assessment of North
Clear Creek During July 1994. prepared by
Water Science for the Environmental Protec-
tion Agency, May 1995.
Chemical. Physical. & Biological Assessment
of Clear Creek and Selected Tributaries in the
Clear Creek Basin During Fall 1995.
prepared by Water Science for the Environmental
Protection Agency, September 1996.
IV. LIMITING FACTORS
Nutrients
~
Phosphorus and nitrogen are essential nutrients for plant growth. Above cer-
tain levels, however, these nutrients lead to the growth of algae in lakes. This,
in turn, may create unpleasant taste and odors in drinking water, promote the
growth of nuisance weeds or floating scum, and reduce the oxygen level in the
lakes. This process is called "eutrophication." Because of concerns about
eutrophication, the users of Standley Lake are interested in reducing the amount
of nutrients that come into the lake.
Over the last three years, Clear Creek watershed stakeholders have made a
concerted effort to understand how much and where nutrients are entering
Clear Creek and Standley Lake. More than 20 organizations have signed the
Clear Creek Watershed Agreement which commits them to monitoring Clear
Creek, Standley Lake, and the "Tributary Basin" which feeds into Standley
Lake. The organizations are also committed to reducing the amount of nutri-
ents entering the watershed through such means as additional treatment at
wastewater treatment plants, controlling septic systems, requiring BMPs at con-
struction sites, in-lake treatment, and public education about the use of phos-
phate detergents.
The 1996 Annual Report of the Clear Creek Watershed Agreement summa-
rizes data from three years of nutrient monitoring in Clear Creek, Standley
Lake, and the Tributary Basin. The data were collected through a monitoring
program conducted by the Upper Clear Creek
Watershed Association and the Standley Lake
Cities. Each time the organizations monitor
Clear Creek, they provide water to EPA for
metal analysis as an additional component of
the monitoring program. The monitoring be-
gan in 1994 and continues today. Map 2
shows the location of the monitoring stations.
Additional nutrient data are shown later in
this report in Chapter VII, the chapter fo-
cusing on geographic areas of the Clear Creek
watershed.
The Standley Lake Cities have developed a
watershed management model to assist them
in predicting sources and quantities of nu-
trients entering Standley Lake. In addition,
the Denver Regional Council of Governments
has developed a water quality model of Clear
Creek to better understand how nutrients be-
have in the river.
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PHOSPHORUS IN
THE MAIN STEM
OF CLEAR CREEK
This graph show some of
the data available on phos-
phorus in Clear Creek. The
data sel is from the joint
monitoring program of the
Upper Clear Creek Water-
shed Association and the
Standley Lake Cities. The
graph shows total phospho-
rus concentrations in the
main stem of Clear Creek
from the top of the water-
shed to the City of Golden
Bala are shown for two low
Bow times, October 1995
and 1996, and lor one high
flow time, June 1996.
There is no water quality
standard lor phosphorus m
Clear Creek. lug/L ¦ micro-
grams per liter)
- » 10/11/95 * 6/19/96 >—4—10/9/96
West Fork
Silver
Plume
Idaho
Springs
<	>
North
Fork
Golden
\
25	20	15
River mites from Golden
SOURCES OF NUTRIENTS: There are many possible sources of nutrients
in the Clear Creek basin. Much of the basin is covered by forested land
¦which is rich in nutrients. The nutrients are carried into the river during
rainstorms or with melting snow, especially in areas disturbed by road
cuts, logging, or other activities. Agricultural land that is fertilized and
irrigated is a source of nutrients, as are the fertilized green Lawns of our
homes. Municipal wastewater treatment plants are also sources of nutri-
ents. Over the last three years, the waste!water treatment plant operators
in the Clear Creek watershed have been improving their systems so that the
amount of nutrients released into Clear Creek is reduced. There are many
households in the Clear Creek watershed that are not connected to a mu-
nicipal sewer system but instead use septic systems, outhouses, or other on-
site facilities collectively known as individual sewage disposal systems. The
counties within the watershed are working to ensure that individual sew-
age disposal systems are installed correctly and working properly.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Watershed Agreement -1996Annual Report. 1996.
Upper Clear Creek Watershed OUAL2E Model. February 1994,
prepared for the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association by the
Denver Regional Council of Governments.
Clear Creek/Standley Lake Watershed Management Study. April 1994,
prepared by Camp, Dresser, and McKee for the Cities ofNorthglenn,
Thornton, and Westminster.
18
16
en
3
Q.
(t)
o
10-
STANDLEY LAKE
Recreation at its best.
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IV. LIMITING FACTORS (CONT.)
Metals
The discovery of gold in the Clear Creek watershed in May 1859 set off a gold
rush. Soon, mining fever spread throughout the area. Portions of the Clear Creek
watershed still experience the impacts of this historic mining activity. Mine tun-
nels, built to empty the working mines of water and to allow for hauling of ore,
continue to drain the historic mines. Often, the water is acidic and carries a host of
metals with it. Mine dumps — piles of waste rock discarded as the miners dug to
reach the gold veins — and mine tailings — material left over from milling of the
gold ore — dot the hillsides of the Clear Creek watershed. Like the water draining
from the old mine tunnels, the mine dumps and tailings piles are often acidic, and
contain high levels of metals which can seep into Clear Creek or be carried into it
by stormwater or snow melt. Metals can also be introduced into Clear Creek by
road cuts or other development in mineralized zones.
Many of the metals, especially zinc, copper, and cadmium, are toxic to fish and
other aquatic life of Clear Creek. Generally, people are less sensitive to metals than
fish. Manganese, however, has been a concern of the municipalities that use Clear
Creek for their drinking water. This is because the metal is present at high levels
within Clear Creek, and it is expensive and difficult to remove manganese from the
water. At high levels, manganese can be a health concern for people drinking the
water and, at intermediate levels, manganese can stain laundry and cause water to
taste poorly.
CDPHE and EPA have studied the impacts of
metals on Clear Creek and have pinpointed the
mine tunnels, mine dumps, and tailings piles
that are causing the greatest harm to the river.
Graphs provided in this section illustrate some
of this information. Efforts are under way by
CDPHE and EPA to clean up the major sources
of metals. These efforts and those of other or-
ganizations, such as the Colorado Division of
Minerals and Geology, are discussed later in this
report.
Metals data have been gathered since 1985
through the EPA and CDPHE Superfiind pro-
grams discussed in Chapter V, and since 1994
through the joint Upper Clear Creek Water-
shed Association, Standley Lake Cities, and EPA
monitoring program. EPA and CDPHE have
used these data to build a water quality model
to aid in the understanding ofhow metals move
and where they end up (the fate and transport)
in the Clear Creek system. The model can also
be used to predict the results of cleanup actions
that take place in the watershed.
O)
3
C
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o
c
o
o
a)
in
0
c
(0
a>
c
ra
T3
(D
>
o
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in
700
' Jun-89
Sep-89
-Oct-95
Mn Standard
50 ug/L
JL
Mn Standard 1000 ug/L
Silver West
Plume Fork

North
Fork
Idaho
Springs
Mri Standard 50 ug/L
Golden

25	20	15
River Miles From Golden
DISSOLVED
MANGANESE IN
THE MAIN STEM
OF CLEAR CREEK
Manganese levels in the
main stem of Clear Creek
generally increase from the
lop of the watershed to the
City of Colden. The major
sources of manganese in the
main stem are the West Fork
of Clear Creek and the Argo
Tunnel. The amount of man-
ganese reaching the main
stem of Clear Creek from the
IVesf Fork has dropped due
to efforts by Cyprus-Amax to
reduce the amount of man-
ganese coming from the
Henderson and historic Urad
mines. The state stream
standard for manganese is
usually exceeded down-
stream of the Argo mine tun-
nel. Data are from EPA and
CDPHE Superfund studies.
Manganese levels in-stream
are expected to drop in De-
cember 1997 when a treat-
ment plant at the Argo Tun-
nel begins operation.
9
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10
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11
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MANGANESE
Manganese is a metal which in nature is usually associated
with iron compounds which are abundant in the Clear Creek
basin geology. Manganese is an important nutrient in trace
amounts for both plants and animals. There is no primary
drinking water standard for manganese. Even so, humans,
especially infants, should not drink water containing manga-
nese levels, more than 800 micrograms per liter (ug/1), for an
extended length of time. This is because manganese at high
levels can cause damage to the central nervous system. A
more common concern with manganese is that even low lev-
els of the metal can discolor water, stain laundry, and cause
the water to have a bad taste resulting in a customer percep-
tion that the water is unsafe to drink. Levels of manganese in
water below 50 ug/1, the secondary drinking water standard,
should not have these problems.
ZINC
Zinc, along with other metals such as cadmium and copper,
is found in ample quantities in the minerals typical of the
Clear Creek area. Zinc is also present in Clear Creek itself.
Zinc has come to be used as the "indicator" of metals in Clear
Creek, because its presence in the basin is wide spread; it tends
to stay in the water rather than precipitating to the sediments;
it is often found along with the other metals; and it is easy to
analyze. Zinc is a necessary trace element for humans, but is
toxic to fish and other aquatic life. The State of Colorado has set water quality
standards for zinc in Clear Creek which are intended to protect aquatic life, but
at the same time recognize that certain parts of Clear Creek have been degraded
by zinc and other metals. The zinc standard for Clear Creek ranges from below
50 ug/1 in certain headwater stream reaches to 740 ug/1 in others.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Phase II Remedial Investigation Report. prepared by Camp, Dresser,
and McKee for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment,
September 21, 1990.
Contaminant Transport Modeling in the Mainstem of the Clear Creek Basin, pre-
pared by Walsh and Associates for the Environmental Protection Agency, September
30, 1992.
Chemical and Physical Assessment of North Clear Creek During My 1994. prepared
by Water Science for the Environmental Protection Agency, May 1995.
Chemical Physical & Biological Assessment of Clear Creek and SelectedTributaries
in the Clear Creek Basin During Fall 1995. prepared by Water Science for the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, September 1996.
- * - Jun-89
—~—Sep-89
—¦—Oct-95
= 3000 ¦
N
TJ 2000
A—,—		>-±
8	6	4
River Miles from Confluence
Silver Creek
Gregory Gulch
Zn Standard 740 ug/1
DISSOLVED ZINC
IN THE NORTH
FORK OF CLEAR
CREEK
line levels in the North Fork
of Clear Creek show a simi-
lar pattern to manganese.
The state stream standard is
frequently exceeded, espe-
cially below Black Hawk.
The Gregory Incline, Gre-
gory Calch, and the National
Tunnel in Black Hawk are o
lew ol several possible
sources of the tine. Dataare
from EPA and CDPHl
Superfund studies.
12
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IV. LIMITING
FACTORS (CONT)
Fish and other aquatic life, such as the insects on which the fish feed, are af-
fected by long-term exposure to low concentrations of metals. This is called
"chronic toxicity." Chronic toxicity can cause death or non-lethal effects such
as stunted growth, reduced reproduction, and physical deformities. Metals
such as zinc, cadmium, and copper exist in the water and sediment at chronic
toxicity levels in many locations in Clear Creek.
Whether or not a metal or combination of metals is toxic depends upon the
organism's tolerance to the metal. For example, brook trout are generally more
tolerant of zinc than brown trout, which in turn are more tolerant than rain-
bow trout. Water quality characteristics that affect toxicity include pH, hard-
ness, and the chemical form in which the metal is found. Hard water—water
that carries a lot of minerals such as calcium and magnesium—tends to reduce
the toxicity of metals to fish.
CDPHE and EPA have conducted several toxicity studies in Clear Creek. Map
6 summarizes some of that information.
CHRONIC TOXICITY VALUES FOR
DIFFERENT TROUT SPECIES
Chronic toxicity values depend upon both the metal and the aquatic species.
Metal	Rainbow Brown	Brook
Cadmium	0.7-1.5 2.0*	1.7-3.4
Copper	11.4-31.7 22.0-43.2 9.5-17.4
Zinc	47.0	225	532-1370
*acclimated trout
(Values are in ug/L)
Data from CDOW, 1991.
TOXICITY TESTING
Toxicity tests determine if water or sediment are toxic to fish and aquatic life.
Lab-grown test species, rather than living inhabitants of Clear Creek, are most
often used to determine toxicity levels. The water flea, fathead minnows, al-
gae, and the midge are commonly used test species. The test species are ex-
posed to water collected from Clear Creek. After a period of time, usually 24
or 48 hours, the number of species still living in the water are counted, giving
the scientist percent mortality. Percent mortality of 40% means that 4 out of
every 10 animals died. Another measure of toxicity is the lethal concentration
50, or LC50. This is the concentration of a pollutant in water that kills 50% of
the organisms. Other types of toxicity tests measure how well species repro-
duce or grow.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Basin - The Effects of Minim on
Water Quality and the Aquatic Ecosystem, pre-
pared by CDOW, March 1991.
Clear Creek Phase II Remedial Investigation
Report, prepared by Camp, Dresser, andMcKee
for the Colorado Department of Public Health
and the Environment, September 21, 1990.
Chemical. Physical. & Bio logical Assessment of
Clear Creek and Selected Tributaries in the Clear
Creek Basin During Fall 1995. prepared by Wa-
ter Science for the Environmental Protection
Agency, September 1996.
TOXIC WATERS
Testing survival rates of
aquatic species.
13
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DISSOLVED ZINC
CONCENTRATION
OVER THE YEAR
Zinc concentrations and the con-
centrations of other metals fluc-
tuate over any given year. The
seasonal fluctuation affects tox-
icity. This graph shows the fluc-
tuation in zinc lor data collecled
in 1995. line concentrations
are higher during spring runoff
when an extra measure of mine
tailings and waste rock material
is being washed into the river.
May 1995, was an exception-
ally high water month. Zinc lev-
els are also high during the low
flow months when there is not
o lot of clean dilution water
coming into Gear Creek. One
of the October 1995 sample
data sets was provided by the
IPA and CDPHE Superhmd pro-
gram. The rest of the data sets
are from the Upper Clear Creek
Watershed Association, Standley
Lake Cities, and EPA joint moni-
toring program.
1500
¦Feb-95
•May-95
¦Jul-95
Aug-95
Oct-95
EPA Oct 95
Golden
Idaho Springs
River Miles from Golden
IV. LIMITING
FACTORS (CONT)
Habitat
Water quality is not the only factor limiting the health
of Clear Creek. Aquatic habitat is also a concern. River
gradient, channel width, meanders, the number and size
of pools and riffles, bank cover provided by trees and
other vegetation, and stream-bank stability are just a few
measures of the quality of the aquatic habitat. In certain
reaches of the Clear Creek watershed, the aquatic habi-
tat has been impaired by, among other activities, historic
placer mining and channelization for highway construc-
tion, most notably for Interstate-70. Placer mining is
the removal of gold from the gravel and cobbles in and
next to the stream bed.
The river bed itself is important to the aquatic commu-
nity because many aquatic species live in the spaces be-
tween the river rocks and this is where trout lay their
eggs. In Clear Creek, wintertime highway maintenance
and erosion from mine tailings piles are a concern be-
cause sediment can fill the spaces between the rocks in
the river bed. Increased sedimentation may reduce the
number of aquatic species that can survive and also
smother trout eggs that are located in the river bed.
Map 7 depicts the results of a habitat analysis conducted by EPA and
CDPHE. The USDA Forest Services Geographic and Wildlife Survey
was used for the analysis. The North Fork of Clear Creek is the most
severely impacted part of the watershed in terms of aquatic habitat, while
portions of the upper main stem of Clear Creek and the West Fork of
Clear Creek have very good habitats. The study indicated that, in gen-
eral, the physical habitat of Clear Creek is sufficient to support more fish
and other aquatic life than it does at this time.
HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS ARE HAPPENING: There have been several
recent efforts to improve the aquatic habitat in Clear Creek. In general, these
improvements consist of adding pools and riffles to the river and planting
vegetation along the stream banks. The Coors Brewing Company has restored
a part of Clear Creek through the City of Golden. Near Dumont, at the
McClelland mine property, a stream restoration and mine tailings cleanup
effort was completed with the help of several participants including Coors
Brewing Company, Clear Creek County, CDOT, CDPHE, and EPA. The
City of Idaho Springs has restored and continues to restore Clear Creek through
that city. Coors Brewing Company, CDOT, and EPA have been partners in
the Idaho Springs effort, as well. The USDA Forest Service and CDOWhave
completed a stream habitat improvement project near the top ofthe watershed
at Bakerville. CDOW also has teamed with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser-
vice to build habitat improvement structures in Bard Creek on the West Fork
of Clear Creek.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Phase II Remedial Investigation Report, prepared by Camp,
Dresser, and McKee for the Colorado Department of Public Health and the
Environment, September 21, 1990.
14
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V. REGULATORY TOOLS
& OTHER PROGRAMS
There are a number of regulatory tools and programs used to address contami-
nants, such as metals and nutrients, which are limiting the health of the Clear
Creek watershed. These tools fall into two general categories: protection and
remediation. Protection of water quality and stream habitat is provided by
those laws or regulations which control current activities, while remediation is
provided by programs which address historic pollution sources.
n
r
Protecting Surface WateM^^*0
J
er
Certain laws, regulations, and programs are designed to protect surface water
by limiting or minimizing pollution sources. One of the most important of
these tools is the Clean Water Act. EPA has delegated the Clean Water Act
program to many of the 50 states, Colorado being one of them. The Colorado
Water Quality Control Commission, a governor-appointed board, oversees the
implementation of the Clean Water Act in Colorado. The Commission is
responsible for designating uses of the rivers and lakes in the state and setting
the standards necessary to protect those uses. The Water Quality Control Di-
vision of CDPHE is responsible for administering the program.

WATER QUALITY STANDARDS: The Colo-
rado Water Quality Control Commission has
established four classifications of uses for
Colorado's surface water. These are aquatic life,
domestic water supply, agriculture, and recre-
ational use. For the aquatic life classification,
the Commission has added a sub-designation,
Class 1 or Class 2. Streams and lakes with a
wide variety of aquatic species receive a Class 1
designation, while those rivers and lakes with
an impaired aquatic system receive a Class 2
designation. The Commission also will identify
whether the fishery is a cold water type charac-
terized by trout or a warm water type charac-
terized by species such as smallmouth bass.
The Commission will divide a river into stream
reaches and designate uses for each stream reach.
The Commission then sets water quality stan-
dards to protect the designated uses. Sometimes
the standards are simply a number, ivhile other
times the standards are based on a formula ivhich
has water quality hardness as a factor.
The Colorado Water Quality Control Com-
mission has divided Clear Creek into 19
stream reaches. These are shown on Map 8,
located in Chapter X of this report. The des-
ignated uses for each of those segments are
listed in Table 9, also included in Chapter X.
The Commission has established standards
for each stream reach.
Owners and operators of wastewater treat-
ment plants and industrial facilities are re-
quired to limit the amount of pollutants that
are discharged to surface water from point
sources through part of the Clean Water Act
called the National Pollutant Discharge Elimi-
nation System (NPDES). Point sources of
pollution, sometimes referred to as end-of-
pipe discharges, are those which originate
from a discrete source. Storm water discharges
from certain industrial facilities and from mu-
nicipal storm sewer systems serving popula-
tions of more than 100,000 people are also
regulated as point sources under the NPDES
program.
In Clear Creek, the major point source dis-
chargers are the municipal wastewater treat-
ment systems and two industrial facilities,
Coors Brewing Company in Golden and the
Henderson Mine, owned by Cyprus-Amax,
near Empire. Map 9 shows their locations.
All of these facilities have NPDES permits
from CDPHE.
15
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Inactive or abandoned draining mines contribute a sig-
nificant amount of metals to the Clear Creek watershed
every day. They pose a regulatory dilemma. The drain-
ing mines are point sources by regulatory definition and
would normally fall under the NPDES program, but, in
general, there are no viable "owners or operators" to whom
the State could issue NPDES discharge permits. For
this reason, cleanup of the water coming from these
mines, if it is to occur at all, is left to the remediation
programs discussed later in this chapter.
Non-point sources of pollution are those which origi-
nate from diffuse sources. Examples can include runoff
from highways, fertilized fields, and lawns on a city block
as long as the runoff is not directed into a discrete con-
veyance such as a pipe. Non-point sources of pollution
are not subject to control under the NPDES program.
Instead, regulation is left to local government.
Within the Clear Creek watershed, local governments
have made a concerted effort over the last three years
to reduce the amount of nutrients entering Clear Creek
from non-point sources and from storm water. The
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association has pre-
pared a BMP manual, and the guidelines contained
in the manual have been adopted by all member orga-
nizations and several non-member organizations.
Now, within the watershed, all disturbed areas of one
acre or more should have BMPs in place. Other ef-
forts include closing outhouses and upgrading septic
systems. Illicit dumping in storm drains is being pro-
hibited.
Protecting Wetlands and
Stream Habitat
The Clean Water Act Section 404 protects wetlands,
stream habitat, and riparian resources from the im-
pacts of activities such as placer mining, construction
in or near the stream bank, and the filling of wetlands
for development. In general, Section 404 requires that
a permit be obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers prior to the dredging or filling of wetlands,
streams, or riparian areas. Section 404 does not ad-
dress historic impacts to these areas.
Protecting Our Drinking Water
The Clear Creek watershed is a drinking water supply
for nearly 350,000 people. It is important to protect
and restore this significant resource. The Safe Drink-
ing Water Act sets standards for municipal drinking
water supplies, provides for inspections and enforce-
ment, and most recently provides grants to cities to
improve their water systems. Another part of the Safe Drinking Water
Act is the Source Water Protection program designed to enable com-
munities to protect their drinking water sources from contamination.
Under the Source Water Protection program, communities identify
the potential contamination sources of their drinking water supply
and then determine the best way to manage the contamination. In-
cluded in this program is the Wellhead Protection program. The aim
of the Wellhead Protection program is to protect groundwater wells,
which are sources of drinking water.
Remediation Programs
While most environmental laws are intended to control or limit pollu-
tion, there are some regulatory mechanisms and programs designed to
clean up historic problems. There are dozens of significant draining
mine tunnels, mine tailings piles, and waste rock dumps in the water-
shed. By regulatory definition these are point sources but, frequently,
there are no viable owners that can be required to clean up the pollu-
tion through the NPDES program. For this reason, these are the types
of projects tailor-made for the Comprehensive Environmental Re-
sponse, Compensation, and Liability Act, commonly called the
Superfund Law.
ORPHAN MINE SITES: The U.S. Geological Survey estimates there are
1,343 inactive or abandoned mines in the Clear Creek watershed. Only
the Spring Creek watershed in Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma has more.
(USGS Open-File Report #96-549)
The Superfund law was passed by Congress in 1980 to address aban-
doned hazardous waste sites. The law requires EPA to identify sites
across the nation needing to be cleaned up. The most contaminated
of these sites are placed on what is called the National Priorities List.
EPA will first seek to have those responsible for the polluted site pay
for the cleanup. If there is no responsible party, or the responsible
party is not financially viable, then EPA can pay for the cleanup using
money from a trust fund generated largely by a tax on chemical and
petroleum industries. In Colorado, CDPHE and EPA share responsi-
bility for implementing Superfund cleanups.
The Clear Creek/Central City Superfund Site was listed on the Na-
tional Priorities List in 1983. There are several completed or ongoing
projects associated with the Clear Creek Superfund Site, and these are
discussed in the next chapter, "Watershed Improvement Projects."
The Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology is also active in clean-
ing up mine tailings piles and waste rock dumps in the Clear Creek
watershed. The Division relies on its Inactive Mine Reclamation pro-
gram to complete much of this work. The Inactive Mine Reclamation
program is funded by a tax on the coal mining industry. In addition
to these monies, the Division frequently makes use of funding ob-
tained from the Clean Water Act Section 319 program, commonly
called the Non-Point Source program. There have been several "319"
projects in the Clear Creek watershed and these are discussed in the
next chapter, "Watershed Improvement Projects."
16
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Volunteer Cleanups and Innovative Cleanup Tools
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
This section highlights three efforts intended to fill gaps in regulations and
programs and expand the scope of cleanup activities in the watershed. The
three are EPA's Regional Geographic Initiative, volunteer efforts, and the Or-
phan Sites program.
Over the last several years, EPA has provided funding through what is now
called the Regional Geographic Initiative to organizations such as the Division
of Minerals and Geology, local municipalities, and nonprofit groups. The money
is used to accomplish watershed improvement projects where there are limited
means of getting the work done. For example, this funding source has been
used by Idaho Springs to restore Clear Creek stream habitat through the city.
The McClelland mine site, near Dumont, has been partially addressed through
a volunteer effort. The project was undertaken by a public-private partnership
of local businesses and governmental agencies; none of the parties involved had
liability associated with the site. The entities completed part of a proposed
project involving the capping and revegetation of an orphan tailings pile along-
side Clear Creek. Another part of the project, the installation of a passive
wetland treatment system to partially clean up the mine drainage from the
tunnel, was temporarily suspended because of potential liability concerns re-
lated to the so-called Good Samaritan Issue.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN ISSUE: Under the Clean Water Act, a volunteer—
called a Good Samaritan—who does not have liability at a site and who attempts
to partially improve the conditions at the site may be required to completely clean
up the discharge to meet standards. Although EPA and CDPHE are supportive of
these voluntary actions and are willing to address the Good Samaritan issue through
administrative reforms, the Clean Water Act provides the opportunity for third-
party lawsuits. Protection from third-party lawsuits can only be addressed through
legislative action.
ORPHAN SITES: An orphan is a source of pollution which cannot be regulated
under current laws or has no identifiable, responsible entity which can be located or
has the means to address the pollution source. Examples of orphan sites include
abandoned mine tailings piles, abandoned mine tunnel discharges, unstable road
cuts, and impaired habitat.
The Clear Creek watershed effort has an innovative project aimed at orphan
sites. In 1994, the National Geographic Society and The Conservation Fund
established the National Forum on Non-Point Source Pollution. The National
Forum recommended supplementing regulatory approaches with educational
programs, voluntary initiatives, and economic incentives. The National Fo-
rum initiated 25 demonstration projects to illustrate these various approaches.
One of the economic incentives projects was awarded by the National Forum
to the Clear Creek watershed: "Adopting Orphan Sites for Credit." Under the
orphan sites program an entity could adopt [and clean up] an orphan site to
earn credits which could be later applied for a desired benefit. A feasibility
study is underway and a demonstration project is being developed to test this
concept.
Possible Approaches to Evaluating and Imple-
menting Unlike Transactions, Orphan Sites Fea-
sibility Study, Phase III, Task 3, prepared by Hy-
drosphere for The Conservation Fund, March
1997. (Copies available from EPA.)
Approaches to Evaluating and Implementing
Transactions Involving Banking. Orphan Sites
Feasibility Study, Phase III, Task 4, prepared by
Hydrosphere for The Conservation Fund, Sep-
tember 1997. (Copies available from EPA.)
LOCAL CLEANUPS
Helping the efforts at
orphan sites. Improving
the end result.
17
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VI. WATERSHED
IMPROVEMENT
PROJECTS
There are over 100 draining, inactive or abandoned,
mine tunnels in the watershed. Altogether these tun-
nels are contributing an unknown but a likely signifi-
cant amount of metals to Clear Creek. Various orga-
nizations have tested many individual mine tunnels,
and it is generally known which ones are contributing
the largest amount of metals to the river. These are
the Burleigh Tunnel in Silver Plume, the Argo Tunnel
in Idaho Springs, and the Gregory Incline in Black
Hawk.
Probably the most effective way of dealing with water
from a mine is to build a conventional water treat-
ment plant. Plugging the draining tunnels or treating
the mine water with constructed wetlands have met
with only limited success in the Clear Creek basin and
elsewhere. There are two water treatment plants for
mine drainage in the watershed. Both will be opera-
tional this year and both will remove significant sources
of metals to Clear Creek.
One plant is located at the Henderson and historic
Urad mines. This plant was built by the owners of
the mines, Cyprus-Amax, to achieve compliance with
their NPDES permit. The other treatment plant was
built at the Argo Tunnel by CDPHE and EPA using
Superfund monies. CDPHE and EPA are consider-
ing whether or not to use Superfund monies to ad-
dress the Burleigh Tunnel, the Gregory Incline, and
other draining tunnels in the Clear Creek basin.
Cleaning up Abandoned
Mine Sites
Mine tailings piles and waste rock dumps are another
source of metals to Clear Creek. Nearly 20 of the
most significant mine tailings piles and waste rock
dumps in the Clear Creek watershed are being cleaned
up by EPA and CDPHE under the Superfund pro-
gram. (Their locations are shown on Map 9.) For
example, the Minnesota Mine tailings pile on Lion
Creek near Empire was cleaned up in 1996. This
cleanup was jointly funded by the USDA Forest Ser-
vice, EPA, and CDPHE.
Casino developers have cleaned up numerous Superfund designated
mine tailings piles or waste rock dumps in Black Hawk and Central
City. The developers are interested in doing the cleanups to provide
land for limited stakes gambling opportunities in the two gaming towns.
For example, in 1994, Bullwhackers cleaned up one of the most trouble-
some spots in Black Hawk, the Gregory Incline tailings, clearing way
for the construction of a casino and parking lot.
Several mine tailings piles and waste rock dumps which are not part of
the Superfund program have been addressed by the Colorado Divi-
sion of Minerals and Geology using the Divisions Inactive Mine Rec-
lamation program. Through this program, and with additional fund-
ing from the Non-Point Source program, the Division has completed
a cleanup of the Alice Mine at St. Mary's Glacier. Sometimes, the
Division relies on bond money collected from defunct mining opera-
tions. Bond money was used to reclaim two abandoned cyanide-heap
leaching facilities in Gilpin County, the Saratoga mine and the Solu-
tion Gold operation.
Map 10 shows the Clear Creek watershed improvement projects de-
scribed above and others either completed or nearly underway. The
Project 2000 List (Table 2) shows projects planned for the future.
Drinking Water Projects
A unique watershed improvement project is taking place to protect
the drinking water supply of some individuals in Clear Creek. Through
the Superfund program, CDPHE recently completed a 2-year effort
where private well owners living in highly mineralized portions of the
watershed could have their drinking water tested for possible presence
of metals. Approximately 60 ground water well owners volunteered
for the sampling program. Of those, five wells had levels of metals
that were a concern. Those well owners are currently receiving bottled
water, compliments of the Superfund program. CDPHE is evaluating
long-term solutions for the five wells such as connecting each home to
the nearest municipal drinking water system or providing in-home
treatment units.
Other drinking water-related projects in the Clear Creek watershed
concern spills from vehicles that travel along Interstate-70 and High-
way 6. Each year, a number of spills occur that could contaminate
water supplies. The U.S. Geological Survey, CDOT, and the Upper
Clear Creek Watershed Association have completed studies to deter-
mine how long it takes for a spill to travel from a point in the upper
watershed to Golden. This study will aid those who use Clear Creek
water in determining how much time they have to shut down their
water supply diversion structures. As an additional aid to the water
suppliers, EPA has purchased an emergency call-down system. Once
installed, the system will automatically alert users when a spill has
occurred in the watershed.
18
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TIME-OF-TRAVEL
IN CLEAR CREEK
The U.S. Geological Survey, the Coft-
rado Depirtment of Transportation,
and the Upper Clear Creek Water-
shed Asstciation have conducted
studies te determine how long it
takes for water in Clear Creek So
move from locations at the top ef
the watershed to the City of Goldee.
This graph shows the time it lakes
water to travel from Berthoud Falls
on the West Fork of Clear Creek to
Golden. During high flows, water
wiH move from Berthoud Falls lo
Golden iitless than tea hours. Dur-
ing low Haw, it takes nearly 30
hours. When a spill occurs in Clear
Creek, this information can be used
by downstream water suppliers to
calculate how long it will take f»r
the spill to reach water supply ib-
takes. These data me provided by
S.M. Cuftin of the IS. Geological
Suivey, Jme 1997.
Traveltime for Clear Creek, Berthoud Falls to Golden, CO*
Comparison of three dates
High flow leading edge (6/11/96)
High flow peak (6/11/96)
High flow trailing edge** (6/11/96)
Medium flow leading edge (8/13/96)
Medium flow peak (8/13/96)
Medium flow trailing edge** (8/13/96)
Low flow leading edge (9/30/96)
Low flow peak (9/30/96)
Low flow trailing edge** (9/30/96)
20"
Distance downstream of
•Data from S.M. Cuffin, U.S. Geological Survey, June, 1997 Berthoud Falls in miles
••Trailing edge endpoint was 10% of peak
VII.STREAM INFORMATION BY
GEOGRAPHIC REGION
The headwaters of Clear Creek are found along the Continental Divide near
Loveland Pass, the Eisenhower Tunnel, and Loveland Ski Area. The river flows
through the historic towns of Silver Plume and Georgetown then through
Georgetown Lake toward its confluence with the West Fork of Clear Creek.
Map 11 shows this area.
Above Silver Plume, Clear Creek is a pristine mountain stream. The river
begins to show the influence of historic mining near the Burleigh Tunnel in
Silver Plume. Downstream of Silver Plume, Clear Creek flows along Inter-
state-70 into Georgetown Lake. Not much is known about the effects of
Georgetown Lake on Clear Creek water quality. At times, however, there is
fairly poor water quality immediately downstream of the lake. The U.S. Geo-
logical Survey, EPA, CDPHE, and the Upper Clear Creek Watershed Associa-
tion are planning to study Georgetown Lake more closely in 1997 and 1998.
CDOW has found several fish species in this geographic region of Clear Creek
including rainbow, brook, brown, and Snake River cutthroat trout. The best
populations of brook and brown trout are found along the main stem of Clear
Creek from the confluence with the South Fork to the confluence with the
West Fork of Clear Creek. Catchable-size rainbows and fingerling Snake River
cutthroat are stocked by CDOW from Silver
Plume upstream to Bakerville. In coopera-
tion with the USDA Forest Service, CDOW
installed in-stream habitat improvement
structures near Bakerville to enhance fish sur-
vival, growth, and reproduction.
Small brook, brown, and cutthroat trout were
found in Georgetown Lake by CDOW in
1988 and 1989. This may indicate that these
types of trout are successfully reproducing in
the lake or in an upstream location since these
types of trout were not stocked in those years.
The boreal toad is a state-tnreatened species
and a USDA Forest Service species of special
concern. Two successful breeding areas for bo-
real toads are found west of Silver Flume along
the Interstate-70 corridor. Adul: and juve-
nile toads are found in this area; however,
specific population numbers are not known.
19
-------
100
90
80
70
O)
3
C
o
60
ra 50
c

o
c
o
o
450.0--
350.0 ¦ ¦
300.0 ¦ ¦
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200.0
100.0 • •
50.0 • •
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t
Mn Standard 1000 ug
li


d> d> o> di
-------
0> 0) 0) 0) Cf>
miniflininminio(ou3(o
9)0)0)0)0)0)0)0)0
0) 0) 0) 0) 0) 0)
21
-------
CHALLENGE: The Burleigh Tunnel, a mine drainage
tunnel for the historic mining district near Silver Plume,
introduces on average 43 pounds of zinc per day into
Clear Creek. Through the Superfundprogram, EPA and
CDPHE built a trial constructed wetland to determine
if a wetland would be effective in removing zinc and
other metals from the mine drainage. Despite initially
promising results, the wetland has failed to live up to
expectations. EPA and CDPHE are evaluating why the
system was not as efficient as expected. Possibilities in-
clude cold weather and maintenance problems. EPA and
CDPHE are considering what to do next with the
Burleigh Tunnel discharge.
EPA and CDPHE estimate that there are an additional
ten pounds of zinc per day entering Clear Creek from
groundwater in the vicinity of Silver Plume. This type of
non-point source pollution is very difficult to address and,
at this time, there are no plans by any organization to
investigate further.
South Fork of Clear Creek
The South Fork of Clear Creek is approximately eight
miles long and is located south and west of
Georgetown. The South Fork joins Clear Creek in
Georgetown. The South Fork has one major tribu-
tary, Leavenworth Creek. There are several lakes and
reservoirs on the South Fork. (See Map 11.)
The water quality in the South Fork is relatively good
compared with other Clear Creek tributaries.
Leavenworth Creek, however, has been impacted by
past mining activity close to the creek's headwaters
near Argentine Pass.
Catchable-size rainbows are periodically stocked by
CDOW in the South Fork from Clear Lake up to
Guanella Pass Campground. Upper Leavenworth Creek
does not support a strong population of fish, possibly
due to zinc toxicity from nearby mines. A good brook
trout fishery was found in lower Leavenworth Creek,
and this area was stocked with brook trout by CDOW
in 1990.
CHALLENGE: The Waldorf mine, situated on
Leavenworth Creek, would seemingly be a simple mine
site to clean up. From a construction standpoint, this is
true. What makes the cleanup of the Waldorf and other
similar orphan mine sites difficult is the complex net-
work of land ownership so prevalent in the Clear Creek
watershed and elsewhere in the state. Mining claims,
which are normally no larger than 300feet by 1500feet,
cover a good share ofthe watershed leaving behindpie-like slices of federal
land to be administered by the USDA Forest Service. The Waldorf mine
has a mix of unpatented mine claims, private land, and USDA Forest
Service-managed land. This complicates issues of access and responsibility
for cleanup.
THE WALDORF MINE
One of many old mining sites in the watershed.
22
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DISSOLVED ZINC AND
DISSOLVED MANGANESE
IN LEAVENWORTH CREEK
This graph shows data collected via the
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association
Standley Lake Cities, and EPA joint moni-
toring program. Data are for monitoring
station CC-10 shown on Mop II.
Leavenworth Creek is a tributary to Souft
Clear Creek. Stream flow data are avail-
able because there is a stream gage cm
Leavenworth Creek. The water m
Leavenworth Creek contains elevated lev-
els of zinc, but very little manganese. 4
possible source of the zinc is the Waldorf
Mine which is situated at the heodwaters of
Leavenworth Creek. The Colorado Water
Quality Control Commission has set a zinc
standard of 4S0 ug/L on Leavenworth
Creek to reflect the current impacted state
of the water. This monitoring station is lo-
cated in Stream Segment 42b for the Clear
Creek basin. Because of the water supply
designation lor this stream reach, the
stream standard for manganese is the same
as the secondary drinking water standard
of 50 ug/L
PHOSPHORUS IN
LEAVENWORTH
CREEK
This graph shows dissolved
and total phosphorus at
monitoring station CC-10,
which is located on
Leavenworth Creek. The
nutrient monitoring is being
conducted by the Upper
Clear Creek Watershed Asso-
ciation and the Standley
Lake Cities. There is oo state
stream standard for phos-
phorus on Leavenworth
Creek.
IZn-D ' iMn-Q -4—Streamflow
250 -
Mn Standard 50 ug/L
O)
D
C
Q)
O
c
o
o
150-
100-
CO
o
£
o
E
<0
0)
55
40
16-
14..
12«-
E Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus
10--
O)
3
(/>
D
O 8
r.
CL
0)
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6 • ¦
4 • •
2"
I I
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I I I I
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23
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West Fork of Clear Creek
The headwaters of the West Fork of Clear Creek are
located at Jones Pass near Berthoud Pass. The West
Fork is approximately 12 miles long. The West Fork
flows through the town of Empire on its way to its
confluence with Clear Creek. Map 11 shows this area.
The highest quality habitat in the Clear Creek water-
shed is in the West Fork. The boreal toad is found at
several locations in the West Fork drainage. Studies
conducted by CDOW have found cutthroat and brook
trout in the West Fork and the trout population is ex-
pected to increase as water quality in the West Fork
improves.
Bard Creek, a tributary of the West Fork, is a catch and
release greenback cutthroat trout stream. Greenback
cutthroats are a federally-threatened species. CDOW
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have completed
habitat improvements in Bard Creek to enhance the
survival and reproduction of the greenbacks. Green-
backs are very sensitive to zinc and the levels of zinc in
Bard Creek are high enough that the species does not reproduce there.
Special fishing regulations, fly and lure only, apply on Bard Creek. All
fish caught in Bard Creek must be released.
SUCCESS STORIES: The Henderson mine is one of just a few operating
molybdenum mines in the nation. The mine is located near the headwa-
ters of the West Fork of Clear Creek. In April 1997, Cyprus-Amax, own-
ers of the Henderson mine and the adjacent historic Urad mine, completed
construction of a multi-million-dollar water treatment plant to control the
metals coming from both of the mines. Dramatic improvements in the
water quality of the West Fork have already been observed.
The Minnesota Mine is located on Lion Creek north of the Town of Empire.
During rain storms, tailings material from the mine used to wash into Lion
Creek and, subsequently, into Empire and the West Fork of Clear Creek. In
1996, CDPHE, EPA, and the USD A Forest Servicefunded a tailings reclama-
tion project at the site. The agencies plan on building upon this partnership to
clean up other mine sites in the watershed.
The town of Empire completed the construction of an addition to their waste-
water treatment plant in January 1997. The upgrade provides nutrient re-
moval capabilities to the plant where there were none before. This work was
done in support of the effort underway by watershed stateholders to reduce nu-
trient-loading into Clear Creek.
~ Mn-D	BZn-D
f
Mn Standard 5000 ug/L
1200 -
O) 1000-
3
c
o
c
CD
o
c
o
o
800-
600 •
400-
200-
im,
II
1

Zn Standard 60 ug/L
I
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3	in	w	in	in
Cl Ol	O)	91	O)	(7)
? t S	€ | j	§
-------
DISSOLVED ZINC AND
DISSOLVED MANGA-
NESE IN THE WEST
FORK NEAR THE
CONFLUENCE WITH
CLEAR CREEK
This graph shows date collected via
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed As-
sociation, Stondley Lake Cities, and
EPA joint monitoring program. Data
are lor monitoring station CC-20
shown on Map II. Stream flow data
are available because there is a
stream gage here. This station is
downstream of the Berlhoud Falls sta-
tion (CC-IS) and the levels of zinc
and manganese in the rirer have
dropped. Manganese is the dominant
metal in the West Fork of this loca-
tion although the stream standard has
not been exceeded at any of the
monitoring events. Zinc has been at
or below the state stream standard
as well. Boil the manganese and the
zinc standards are determined by a
formula which depends upon hard-
ness. A hardness of 100 mg/L as
calcium carbonate was used to calcu-
late the manganese and zinc stan-
dard. This monitoring station is lo-
cated in Stream Segment #.5 for the
Clear Creek basin.
CH3Mn-D ¦¦Zn-D «¦*— Streamflow
a 300
*3
c
03
o
c
o
O
200
t
Mn Standard 5000 ug/L
PHOSPHORUS IN THE
WEST FORK
DOWNSTREAM OF
BERTHOUD FALLS
This graph shows dissolved and to-
tal phosphorus at monitoring station
CC-IS, which is located near
Berlhoud Falls on the West Fork. The
monitoring is being conductedby the
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Asso-
ciation and the Standley lake Cit-
ies. There is no state stream stan-
dard lor phosphorus on the West
Fork of Clear Creek.
25
-------
PHOSPHORUS IN THE
WEST FORK NEAR
THE CONFLUENCE
WITH CLEAR CREEK
This graph shows dissolved and to-
tal phosphorus at monitoring sta-
tion CC-20, which is located on the
West Fork of Clear Creek near the
confluence with Clear Creek. This
monitoring station is below the
Empire wastewater treatment
plant. The monitoring is being
conducted by the Upper Clear
Creek Watershed Association and
the Standley Lake Clies. There is
no slate stream standard for phos-
phorus on the West Fork of Clear
Creek.
80
70 «¦
O)
3
(ft
3
la
o
.c
a
en
o
50--
40- •
30--
20- ¦
10- ¦
~ Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus
¦
.n.n.n. .n.n.ii.n.n.ii.n.n
a a
H	H
I'M
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to CO CO CO
Chicago Creek
Chicago Creek is a 12-mile long tributary located
southwest of Idaho Springs. Chicago Creek joins Clear
Creek in Idaho Springs at the intersection of Inter-
state-70 and Highway 103. Highway 103 is the route
to the popular Mt. Evans.
(See Map 12.)
Chicago Creek is stocked with catchable rainbows
from its confluence with Clear Creek up to West Chi-
cago Creek. Other fish species found in this section
include brook and brown trout. West Chicago Creek
is stocked with catchable rainbows from the confluence
with Chicago Creek up to the West Chicago Creek
Campground. Brook trout also inhabit this stream.
Chicago Lakes, which comprise the headwaters of Chi-
cago Creek, have good populations of larger cutthroat
and rainbow trout. CDOW considers Chicago Creek
an important spawning area for the Clear Creek wa-
tershed.
Chicago Creek is the primary source of drinking water
for the City of Idaho Springs.
SUCCESS STORY: During heavy rainstorms, tailings
from the Black Eagle mill used to wash into Chicago
Creek. In 1994, Jack Pine Mining Company reclaimed the mill tailings.
The company removed the toe, or base, of the mill tailings pile which had
been sitting in Chicago Creek. A layer of rip-rap, consisting of large rocks,
was placed at the new toe. The steep slope ofthe tailings pile was flattened,
two ponds on top of the tailings pile were closed, and the tailings were
covered with soil and seeded. Today a nice stand of native grasses grows on
the reclaimed tailings. Now when it rains, the Black Eagle is no longer a
problem for Chicago Creek.
THE OLD TRACKS
Ore cart tracks
leadfrom the
Burleigh tunnel.
26
-------
30
25--
O)
3
C
O
CO 15"
Em
**
C
0)
o
c
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1	IMn-n
MZn-D
• Streamflow

Mn Standard 50 ug/L
a Him
Zn Standard 33 ug/L
Ol Ol 9) 0)
"5 9
£ £ P
O Q LL
- -200
• ¦ 175
• • 150
••125
H"
11 ¦ 11 ¦ 11 ¦ -0
225
(A
«*¦
o
s
o
100 g
s
CO
•75
• ¦ 50
DISSOLVED ZINC
AND DISSOLVED
MANGANESE IN
CHICAGO CREEK
This graph shows data collected via
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed
Association, Stondley Lake Cities,
and CPA joint monitoring
station CC-35 shown on Map 12.
Stream flow data are available be-
cause there is a stream gage on
Chicago Creek. This monitoring
station is located in Stream
Segment #/0 for the Gear Creek
basin. Because of the water sup-
ply designation for this stream
reach, the stream standard for
manganese is the same as the sec-
50
40--
35 ¦¦
30 • •
U)
3
C/>
3
0	25
£
a
1
o
.c 20
Q.
5--
~ Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus

H	H
a
n
I'lp
H	1-
H	^
an
inioiommmminco
0)0)0)01010)0)
S 2
O o
ID tO 10 CD
O) o> O) O) O) O) O)
PHOSPHORUS IN
CHICAGO CREEK
This graph shows dissolved and to-
tal phosphorus at monitoring sta-
tion CC-35, which is located on Chi-
cago Creek. The monitoring is be-
ing conducted by the Upper Clear
Creek Watershed Association and
the Stondley Lake Cities. There is
no stale stream standard for phos-
phorus on Chicago Creek.
27
-------
Fall River
Fall River flows about eight miles from its headwaters
to its confluence with Clear Creek. Silver Creek, which
has headwaters near St. Mary's Glacier, is one of Fall
River's larger tributaries. The former town of Alice
was located on Silver Creek. (See Map 13.) Fall River
has a naturally-reproducing brook and brown trout
population.
Fall River is one of the few places in the nation where a
river flows into a creek.
SUCCESS STORY AND A CHALLENGE: The Colorado Division of
Minerals and Geology has been working to improve the water quality in
Fall River and Silver Creek by addressing the mine contamination that
exists near St. Mary's Glacier and the former town of Alice. In 1988, the
Division filled in the dangerous "glory hole" in the area. A glory hole is a
very large vertical mine opening. This work virtually eliminated the acid
mine drainagefrom the glory hole. In 1996, using funding from the Non-
Point Source program, the Division addressed the mill tailings which were
scattered around the area, including under a trailer park at the site of
Alice and in Silver Creek itself. Water quality impacts from the mill tail-
ings were significantly reduced by the construction offrench drains around
the mill tailings. Initial sampling results indicate that thefrench drains
are working. One challenge remains. There is acid mine drainage that
typically flows during May and June from a mine opening. This opening
used to provide access to the glory hole. The mine drainage from this lower
access point has not been addressed by the Division due to Good Samari-
tan liability concerns discussed in Chapter V.
O)
3
(A
3
O
c.
Q.

O
c.
Q.
~ Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus
ii
+—
ct> cri cr> c>
jm
SL
£
PHOSPHORUS IN
FALL RIVER
This graph shows dissolved and total
phosphorus at monitoring station CC-30,
which is located on Fall River. The nutri-
ent monitoring is being conducted by the
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Associa-
tion and the Standley Lake Cities. There
is no state stream standard for phospho-
rus on Fall River.
28
-------
80
70-
60
^ 50
O)
3
C
O
CO 40
x_
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	4	>> c
®	S"	3	3
Li.	<	5	-J
o> d> o> c»
¦i 65 r; o i»
3 I o 8 £ < s
loininininmmmoto
0)0)00)0)0)0)0)0)
^ ¦ m n 1 n
CO CD 10 
-------
30
-------
The North Fork of Clear Creek joins Clear Creek about 11 miles west of Golden.
The North Fork is about 18 miles long and is bordered by Highway 119 for
part of its length. The creek intersects one of the most heavily mined areas in
the state. It flows by the historic mining towns of Black Hawk and Central
City. (See Map 13.)
Above Black Hawk, the North Fork of Clear Creek contains rainbow and brook
trout. Catchable-size rainbows are stocked by CDOW upstream of Black Hawk.
Fish do not survive downstream of Black Hawk due to metal pollution and
habitat destruction from historic mining.
CHALLENGE: The North Fork of Clear Creek is the most severely impacted por-
tion of the Clear Creek watershed. The water is very toxic to aquatic life and the
habitat has been degraded by historic mining. Three major sources of metals to the
North Fork are the Gregory Incline, Gregory Gulch, and the National Tunnel.
Predictive water quality modeling completed by CDPHE and EPA has shown that
even if these three sources were treated, the water quality in the North Fork would
improve only to a certain extent, due to metals from non-point source groundwater
and stream sediments. The source of the metals in the sediment is the numerous
mine tailings piles and waste rock dumps located throughout this drainage. Mate-
rial from these piles is washed into the North Fork during the sometimes violent
rain storms that occur here. Although several of the mine tailings piles and waste
rock dumps have been cleaned up under Superfund agreements with casino devel-
opers, many still remain. Unless this continuing influx of metals to the North Fork
is reduced, the water quality will remain in poor condition.
THE NORTH FORK
An area under
development pressure.
~ Mn-D BZn-D
8000 -
7000 -
6000
Oi
3
C 5000 -
o
(5
§ 4000
o
c
o
o
3000 ¦
2000 -
1000 !
Mn Standard 1000 ug/L

ri n
© (J) (j ©
1
I s
Zn Standard 740 ug/L

ik.

1
ir> in CD
I U i
i §
DISSOLVED ZINC AND
DISSOLVED MANGA-
NESE IN THE NORTH
FORK UPSTREAM
OF THE CENTRAL
CITY/BLACK HAWK
WASTEWATER
TREATMENT
This graph shows data collected via
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed As-
sociation, Standley Lake Cities, and
[PA joint monitoring program. Data
ore lor monitoring station CC-45
shown on Map 13. This station is up-
stream of the Central City/Black
Hawk wastewater treatment plant,
but downstream of many significant
metal sources such as the National
Tunnel, Gregory Gulch, and the Gre-
gory Incline. Of the stations included
in the monitoring program, this one
routinely has the highest levels of
metals. This monitoring station is /»-
cated in Stream Segment #\ 3 lor the
Clear Creek basin.
31
-------




in in in in
32
-------
PHOSPHORUS IN THE
NORTH FORK NEAR
THE CONFLUENCE
WITH THE CLEAR
CREEK
This graph shows dissolved and to-
tal phosphorus at monitoring sta-
tion CC-50, which is located on the
North Fork of Clear Creek near the
confluence with Clear Creek. The
monitoring is being conducted by
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed
Association and the Standley Lake
Cities. There is no slate stream
standard lor phosphorus on the
North Fork of Clear Creek.
300-
~ Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus
250 ¦ ¦
200--
U)
3

3
O 150
JZ
a

o
100"
50--
n.n.n.n
4-U-4	1 r—l | I
.Jl+j

in,
11
i n



in
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5
-J
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1	1 H | f~l | n | n | * I	1	1 n !
§ S
Main Stem from North Fork through Clear Creek Canyon
One of the most spectacular parts of the Clear Creek watershed is Clear Creek
canyon. The canyon was formed by Clear Creek, and interesting geology is
exposed along the canyon walls. The canyon provides much recreational use,
such as fishing, kayaking, rafting, wildlife watching, and gold panning. Hik-
ing the Beaver Brook trail is a popular activity. It also is common to see ice
climbers during the winter and hang gliders during the warmer months. Map
14, provided in Chapter X, shows the canyon area.
In the canyon area, Clear Creek still shows the effects of metals from historic
mining. Nonetheless, limited numbers of rainbow, brook, and brown trout are
found in the canyon, as are longnose suckers whose numbers increase down-
stream.
SUCCESS STORY: The Clear Creek Land Conservancy spearheaded an effort to
balance the differing values of preserving Clear Creek Canyon in its present form
and developing it. The Conservancy formed an advisory committee representing
the diverse interests. Despite the possible adversarial nature of the task, the group
was able to come up with a plan for protecting certain resource values in the canyon
and for guiding thoughtful development. The plan was later adopted by fefferson
County, which has since spent over six million dollars in open space acquisition in
the canyon.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Clear Creek Canyon Plan. prepared by the Design Workshop for the Clear Creek
Land Conservancy, August 1994.
33
SNOW COVERED
CANYON
The Clear Creek Canyon in
the chill of winter awaits the
spring rim ojf.
-------
DISSOLVED ZINC
AND DISSOLVED
MANGANESE IN
CLEAR CREEK
DOWNSTREAM OF
BEAVER BROOK AND
SODA CREEK
This graph shorn data collected via
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed
Association, Standley Lake Cities,
and EPA joint monitoring program.
Data are lor monitoring station CC-
55 shown on Map 14. Levels of
zinc and manganese at this loca-
tion tend to be above state stream
standards daring the winter
months. Stream standards were
also exceeded during the 1995
spring runoff. This monitoring sta-
tion is located in Stream Segment
#11 for the Clear Creek basin. Be-
cause of the water supply desig-
nation lor this stream reach, the
stream standard for manganese is
the same as the secondary drink-
ing water standard of 50 ug/L.
~ Mn-D
U)
3
C
0)
o
c
o
o
1200
1000
800
600
400
Mn Standard 50 ug/L
Zn Standard 300 ug/L
PHOSPHORUS IN
CLEAR CREEK
DOWNSTREAM OF
BEAVER BROOK AND
SODA CREEK
This graph shows dissolved and to-
tal phosphorus at monitoring sta-
tion CC-55, which is located on
Clear Creek downstream of Bea-
ver Brook. The monitoring is be-
ing conducted by the Upper Clear
Creek Watershed Association and
the Standley Lake Cities. There is
no state stream standard for phos-
phorus on Clear Creek.
Ui
3
 c -= oi B " -a
a 3	d X Q a>
5 -3 ^ < O q il
34
-------
Main Stemfi'om Golden to the
South Platte
It is in this area that Clear Creek becomes a river diverted into numerous ca-
nals. Map 15 depicts the system of canals that branch out from the river.
Three of these, Farmers Highline Canal, Church Ditch and Croke Canal di-
vert water from Clear Creek to Standley Lake, a popular recreational area. Clear
Creek here also becomes an urban river flowing through the cities of Golden,
Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and Denver before it joins the South Platte. The Clear
Creek trail runs nearly the entire length of Clear Creek from the South Platte
to Tunnel #1 on U.S. 6 west of Golden.
The Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge, one of only a few urban refuges in
the country, is located in this part of the Clear Creek watershed. The ponds in
the refuge are fed with Clear Creek water via the Croke Canal.
One of Clear Creek's major tributaries, Ralston Creek, joins Clear Creek in
this area. The headwaters of Ralston Creek are in Golden Gate Canyon State
Park. A portion of the park itself is located in the Clear Creek watershed.
CDOW has found that this section of Clear Creek is best characterized as a
warm water aquatic system with largemouth bass, green catfish, and creek chubs.
Numbers of these species are very limited, and
sizes are small, due to low water quality and
low and fluctuating water flow. Riparian habi-
tat is also limited in this area.
CHALLENGE: When chlorinated solvents be-
gan showing up in the private groundwater well
used by some homeowners and the Twins Inn
bar, there was cause for concern. EPA traced
the source of the solvents to a chemical transfer
station located near 56th and Sheridan Boule-
vard. Sloppy practices over the years led to the
contamination of the groundwater aquifer. EPA
is negotiating with companies responsible for the
problem to have the contamination on the prop-
erty cleaned up. In the meantime, EPA is treat-
ing the water from the contaminated well.
SUMMER TIME ACTIVITIES
As Clear Creek heads towards the Platte, the paved trails that
brace its shoreline bring an abundance of summer activities.
-------
PHOSPHORUS IN
CLEAR CREEK AT
GOLDEN
total phosphorus at monitoring
station CC-60, which is located at
the Golden gaging station. The
monitoring is being conducted by
the Upper Clear Creek Watershed
Association and the Standley Lake
Cities. There is no stale stream
standard for phosphorus on dear
Creek.
120 ¦ ¦
100- ¦
U)
3
O
£
a

o
80--
40- ¦
20 * ¦
~ Dissolved Phosphorus
¦ Total Phosphorus
a
,n,n,n,
n.n.n
i l.n.FI
I' ' I' ' I n I
a> 9- jS 3-3 3 n
u.<2-5*
-------
VIII. WHAT'S NEXT
1997 is an appropriate year to initiate the Clear Creek State-of-the-Watershed
series. As indicated in the Overview, 1987 marked the low ebb of relationships
between local interests and state and federal agencies; collaborative efforts were
at a standstill. Today, the situation is totally reversed. These relationships are
thriving and much has been accomplished in the intervening years as docu-
mented in this report.
The capstone of this progress is best symbolized by two measures of success.
The first measure is the stakeholder project list developed in 1993 which in-
cluded 47 environmental improvement projects. A recent review of this list
revealed that 26 projects had been completed, were under construction, or had
realized notable progress. Projects on the list ranged from a simple vision state-
ment to a watershed model to cleanups of some of the watershed's major sources
of pollution such as the Argo Tunnel. The second measure of success is im-
provement in water quality in places such as the West Fork demonstrating that
consistent and persistent efforts pay off.
The basis for this success is also two-fold. First was the willingness on the part
of stakeholders from throughout the watershed to go back to basics and build
strong relationships based on trust. The first Clear Creek Forum, for example,
was about values. Second, there was an early and vocal call to move beyond
information exchange to on-the-ground projects. It worked!
What's next? can be described in a word: momentum. Clear Creek has moved
from relationship building and information sharing to consensus-based, on-
the-ground action. The Project 2000 List has been developed to supersede the
1993 list. There is every reason to believe that many of these projects will be
completed—what's on the list seems to get done.
It is instructive to reflect on the watershed effort's social, technical, and eco-
nomic infrastructure which is the basis for continued momentum:
•	Solid stakeholder relationships and numerous forums to learn about and ad-
dress issues—the "culture of cooperation."
•	A broad base of expertise drawn from local communities, industry, and gov-
ernment agencies.
•	Good data and several watershed models to facilitate problem identification,
project selection, and to measure progress.
•	A general consensus as to the major problems and solutions in developing a
water quality improvement strategy—the "Project 2000 List."
•	Multiple resources ranging from voluntary public-private initiative to public
and private grants to Superfund efforts.
•	A desire to be good stewards of the beauty, the utility, and the special sense of
place of the Clear Creek watershed.
"What's next? can be described
in a word: momentum. Clear
Creek has moved from rela-
tionship building and
information sharing to consen-
sus-based, on-the-ground
action..."



«*«»<

37

-------
State of the
Watershed
REPORT - 1997
Clear Creek, Colorado
The following individuals edited, contributed, or
otherwise left their mark on this report:
Dana Allen, EPA
Don Anderson, formerly with ISSI
Anne Bieierle, Climax Molybdenum Co.
Bill Carlson, EPA
Sally CufFin, USGS
Kelly DiNatale, Westminster
Pam Dougherty, EPA
John Farrow, CDPHE
Mindy Gasaway, CDOW
Don Halffield, Public Service Co.
Karen Hamilton, EPA
Jim Herron, CDMG
Holly Huyck, Upper Clear Creek WAG
Doug Jamison, CDPHE
R.L. Jones, Upper Clear Creek WAG
Lori Martin, CDOW
Dan Mayo, Clear Creek Water Users Alliance
Greg O'Neill, USGS
Paul Rogers, EPA
Carol Russell, EPA
Gary Rust, ISSI
Tom Settle, City of Westminster
Sheila Scahill, EPA
Byron Shark, USDA Forest Service
Jay Skinner, CDOW
Tim Steele, Upper Clear Creek WAG
Don Stoutt, EPA
MattTarpey, ISSI
Danita Winegarden, ISSI
John Woodling, CDOW


IP
m
13

Colorado Department
of Public Health
and Environment
For more information about this
report, please contact:
Holly Fliniau
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Region 8
999 18th Street
Denver, CO 80202
(303) 312-6535
email: fliniau.holly@epamail.epa.gov
Carl Norbeck
Clear Creek Watershed Forum
4300 Cherry Creek Drive South
Denver, CO 80222
(303) 692-3513
email: carl.norbeck@state.co.us
Funds for this report were provided by
EPA Region 8. The report was
produced and distributed by EPA
Region 8 and CDPHE.
39
-------
State of the
Watershed
REPORT - 1997
Clear Creek, Colorado
Clear Creek Watershed
Forum Roster
Project 2000 List
Adopt-a-Gage Sponsors
Clear Creek Water Rights
Priority List
Decreed In-Stream Flows
Recommended In-Stream Flows
Ditch Management and Utilization Table
Reservoirs and Owners
Clear Creek Stream Segments
and Use Classifications
Chapter X
41
-------
TABLE 1
CLEAR CREEK WATERSHED FORUM ROSTER
Congressional:
John Swartout for Senator Wayne Allard
David Smith for Representative David
Skaggs
State Legislature:
Senator Sally Hopper
Senator Ed Perlmutter
Representative Moe Keller
Representative Tony Grampsas
Representative Bryan Sullivant
Counties:
Adams County
Clear Creek County
Gilpin County
Jefferson County
Cities:
City of Arvada
City of Black Hawk
City of Central
City and County of Denver
Town of Empire
City of Golden
Town of Georgetown
City of Idaho Springs
City of Northglenn
Town of Silver Plume
City of Thornton
City of Westminster
City of Wheat Ridge
Agencies:
Colorado Department of Natural Resources
-	Division of Minerals and Geology
-	Division of Wildlife
-	Water Conservation Board
Colorado Department of Public Health &
Environment
-	Hazardous Materials and Waste
Management
Division
-	Water Quality Control Division
Colorado Department of Transportation
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
-	Division of Local Government
Colorado Division of Minerals & Geology
Colorado Division of Wildlife
Colorado Water Quality Control Commission
Denver Regional Council of Governments
Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
Urban Drainage & Flood Control District
USDA Forest Service
-	Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
-	Clear Creek Ranger District
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
USDI Bureau of Land Management
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Geological Survey
Organizations/Companies:
Berkeley Neighborhood Association
BFI of Colorado
Black Hawk Casino Owners Association
Canyon Defense Coalition
Central City Casino Association
Clear Creek Land Conservancy
Clear Creek Rafting Company
Clear Creek Water Users Alliance
Climax Molybdenum Company
Colorado School of Mines
Conservation Services, Inc.
Cooley Gravel Company
Coors Brewing Company
Environmental Defense Fund
Golden Earth Days Council
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Idaho Springs Historical Society
Industrial Chemicals Corporation
ITEC Mineral Inc.
Jack Pine Mining Company
Mt. Vernon Country Club Metropolitan District
Oulette Ditch Company
Public Service Company
Southeast Arvada/Jeffco Property Owners
Association
Sundstrand Corporation
The Consolidated Mutual Water Company
The League of Women Voters
Trout Unlimited
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Advisory Group
Upper Clear Creek Watershed Association
Western Mobile, Inc.
Wheat Ridge United Neighborhoods
-------
TABLE 2
CLEAR CREEK WATERSHED
PROJECT 2000 LIST

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
LEAD
AGENCY
SECONDARY PARTNERS
1
Orphan Site Demonstration
Project


2
North Empire Creek
Reclamation
CDMG
Clear Creek County, EPA
3
Groundwater Contamination in
Idaho Springs atVirginia
Canyon
CDPHE
EPA Superfund
4
Upper Virginia Canyon
Reclamation
CDMG
Local agencies
5
Idaho Springs Big Five Stream
& Bank Restoration & Bike
Path
Idaho
Springs
EPA, CDOT
6
1-70 Erosion Problem
Assessment
CDOT

7
Waldorf Mine Clean-up
USFS
EPA, CDPHE, Clear Creek County
8
North Clear Creek Habitat
Restoration
CCF
EPA, CDOW, Casino Assoc.
9
McClelland Mine Drainage
Treatment
CDMG
EPA, CDPHE
10
ISDS Location and Failure
Evaluation
CCF
Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties, UCCWA
11
Last Two Segments of Clear
Creek Trail
Adams
County

12
Gregory Incline, National and
Quartz Hill Pipeline
CDPHE
EPA Superfund, Casinos
13
Rafting and Recreation Plan
CCF

14
Loveland Pass Hazardous Spill
Assessment
CDOT

15
Long Term Watershed Vision
CCF

16
Lower Basin Landfill
Identification /Clean-up


17
Rockford Tunnel Reclamation


18
Clear Creek Canyon
Acquisition
Jefferson
County
CCLC
-------

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
LEAD
AGENCY
SECONDARY PARTNERS
19
Clear Creek Habitat Restoration
CCF
CDOW
20
Urban and Stormwater
Assessment
DRCOG
Urban Drainage and Flood Control
21
Headwater Quality
Characterization

CDOW
22
Precipitation Characterization


23
Land Use Map Update
EPA
USFS, BLM
24
Emergency Response Plan
CDPHE
EPA, UCCWA, SLUG
25
Wetlands Identification
UCCWA
EPA
26
Water Quality and Quantity
Database
WAG
State Engineers Office, EPA
27
Pozo Reclamation
DMG

28
Georgetown Reservoir Study
USGS
EPA, CDPHE, UCCWA
29
Little Bear Mine Clean-up
USFS
Coors, EPA, CDPHE
30
Boat Chutes on 3 Low-head
Dams at 1-25 and 1-76
CCF
CDOT, Adams & Jefferson Counties,
Cities of Arvada and Wheat Ridge
31
Coordinated River Trails Plan
With Stream Bank/Riparian
Effort
CCF

32
Flood Control at Silver Plume


33
Argo Tailings Stabilization
CDPHE
EPA Superfund
34
Big Five Waste Rock
Reclamation
CDPHE
CDOT, EPA Superfund
35
Quartz Hill Tailings Clean-up
CDPHE
EPA Superfund
36
Boodle Mill Reclamation
CDPHE
EPA Superfund, BLM, Central City
37
Chase Gulch Tailings Clean-up
CDPHE
EPA Superfund
38
Gregory Gulch Flume Project
Central City
EPA, CDPHE, Casinos
39
Superfund Drinking Water
Project
CDPHE
EPA Superfund
40
Twins Inn Clean-up
EPA

41
Golden Gilpin Mill Site Clean-
up
CDPHE
EPA Superfund, CDMG
-------
TABLE 3
ADOPT-A-GAGE PROGRAM
GAGE NAME
PERIOD OF RECORD
ADOPTED BY
Loveland Ski Area
May 1995 to present
Loveland Ski Area
Bakerville (staff)
Oct. 1994 to present
Standley Lake Cities
South Clear Creek above Naylor
Creek
May 1996 to present
FHA
South Clear Creek above Lower
Cabin Creek Res.
Oct. 1994 to present
FHA
South Clear Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
FHA
Leavenworth Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
City of Black Hawk
UCCWA
Clear Creek above George-town
Reservoir
July 1997 to present
EPA
Clear Creek below George-town
Reservoir
July 1997 to present
EPA
Upper Clear Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
EPA
Berthoud Falls (staff)
Oct. 1994 to present
Climax Molybdenum Co.
Town of Empire
Hoop Creek
April 1997 to present
CDOT
West Fork Clear Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
City of Golden
Lawson
1946 to present
Standley Lake Cities
Fall River (staff)
Oct. 1994 to present
Central City
St. Mary's Water & San.
Chicago Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
City of Idaho Springs
Kermits
Oct. 1994 to present
City of Black Hawk
North Clear Creek above Chase
Gulch (staff)
Oct. 1994 to present
Gilpin County
North Clear Creek
Oct. 1994 to present
City of Black Hawk
Golden
Oct. 1974 to present
Clear Creek Water Users
Alliance
-------
TABLE 4

CLEAR CREEK WATER RIGHTS PRIORITY LIST



Approp.
Amount
Accum.

Priority
Date
(cfs)
Amount(
AGRICULTURAL DITCH





2
5-15-60**
1.640
1.640

4
5-19-60
0.675
2.315

5
5-31-60
3.830
6.145

7
6-14-60
1.120
7.265

13
5-14-61
0.098
7.363

14
6-02-61
1.120
8.483

15
6-11-61
0.390
8.873

21
6-01-62
0.150
9.023

44
5-16-65
0.163
9.186

61
11-21-74
101.540
110.726

67
3-24-83
48.460
159.186

75
3-27-88
55.000
214.186
BAYOU DITCH ASSOCIATION (Slough Ditch)



Wadsworth
1
2-25-60
3.034
3.034
Lees & Baugh
2
5-15-60
3.370
6.404
Swadley
13
5-14-61
4.683
11.087
Graves North
17
6-30-61
1.750
12.837
Slater
20
5-16-62
1.800
14.637
Swadley
21
6-01-62
4.650
19.287
Sayer & Lees
22
6-14-62
7.000
26.287
Sanderson & Slater
23
7-01-62
0.900
27.187
Wolff
24
7-05-62
3.060
30.247
Wolff North
25
7-05-62
2.000
32.247
Wadsworth & Graves
26
7-10-62
1.350
33.597
Graves South
28
5-21-63
3.000
36.597
Bluff
29
5-26-63
2.600
39.197
Juchen & Oulette
30
5-28-63
1.610
40-807
Slater & Moody
32
6-20-63
1.250
42.057
Rhodes Middle
33
8-01-63
3.000
45.057
Cort & Graves
35
5-01-64
6.000
51.057
Bluff
36
5-27-64
2.400
53.457
Wolff
38
6-14-64
3.780
57.237
Lane
39
6-20-64
11.000
68.237
Wolff
43
5-06-65
2.060
70.297
Swadley
44
5-16-65
3.202
73.499
Brown & Baugh
45
5-26-65
10.000
83.499
Graves North
46
6-13-65
1.860
85.359
Rhodes South
47
7-05-65
3.160
88.519
Wadsworth
48
11-02-65
8.882
97.401
North Side
50
4-30-67
2.000
99.401
Wadsworth & Graves
60
5-05-74
4.920
104.321
-------
Approp.
Priority	Date
Amount
(cfs)
Accum.
Amount(cfs)
CHURCH DITCH
21
6-01-62
0.900
0.900
40
2-28-65
41.430
42.330
44
5-16-65
1.250
43.580
62
11-18-77
18.260
61.840
65
11-15-78
18.850
80.690
66
11-20-81
32.340
113.030
72
3-16-86
100.120
213.150
74
3-16-86
88.270
301.420
CITY OF GOLDEN
5	5-31-60	3.420	3.420
10	4-30-61	1.450	4.870
12	5-13-61	4.660	9.530
13	5-14-61	0.844	10.374
21	6-1-62	0.920	11.294
CLEAR CREEK & PLATTE RIVER DITCH (Lower Clear Creek Ditch)
18
34
COLORADO AGRICULTURAL DITCH
11-01-61
11-05-63
49.500
0
49.500
Transfer see
Colo. Ag. Ditch
34
49
59
11-05-63
3-05-67
4-05-74
20.560
30.200
31.800
20.560
50.760
82.560
CORT, GRAVES AND HUGHES DITCH
10
4-30-61
2.930
2.930
CROKE CANAL
76
76A
3-04-1902
3-04-1902
944.000
1056.000
944.000
2000.000
FARMERS HIGH LINE CANAL
1
2-25-60
0.276
0.276
3
5-16-60
1.000
1.276
5
5-31-60
3.281
4.557
9
7-01-60
39.800
44.357
30
5-28-63
1.610
45.967
32
6-20-63
2.750
48.717
42
4-23-65
2.890
51.607
48
11-02-65
0.808
52.415
54
5-2


-------
Priority
4-70
57
68
69
FISHER DITCH
16
KERSHAW DITCH
.11
LEE, STEWARD & ESKINS DITCH
12
27
51
53
56
MILES AND ESKINS DITCH
15
RENO & JUCHEMS DITCH
13
21
42
ROCKY MOUNTAIN DITCH
19
37
41
58
64
WANNAMAKER DITCH
6
52
WELCH DITCH (Golden Ditch)
4
12
55
75A
Approp.	Amount	Accum.
Date	(cfs)	Amount(cfs)
0.330	52.745
4-01-72	154.00	206.745
4-01-86	191.00	397.745
4-23-95	335.86	733.605
6-29-61	35.000 35.000
5-02-61	11.440 11.440
5-13-61	2.7355	2.7355
4-17-63	2.180	4.9155
2-23-68	4.300	9.2155
3-31-69	19.770	28.9855
4-13-71	6.940	35.9255
6-11-61	3.610	3.610
4-14-61	0.375	0.375
6-01-62	2.380	2.755
4-23-65	2.890	5.645
5-01-62	9.210	9.210
5-31-64	7.300	16.570
3-31-65	47.130	63.640
3-15-72	113.660	177.300
3-16-78	12.700	190.000
6-01-60	8.000	8.000
11-05-68	13.000 21.000
5-19-60	0.225	0.225
5-13-61	1.300	1.525
2-11-71	26.000	27.525
6-02-1900	24.000	51.525
Source: Clear Creek Water Users Alliance
** All dates 1800s unless specifically noted.
-------
TABLE 5
DECREED IN-STREAM FLOWS
TRIBUTARY
SEGMENT (Appropriation Date)
LENGTH
(Miles)
CUBIC FEET PER SECOND
(cfs)
Bard Creek
headwaters to confluence w/ West
Fork (7/13/1984)
7
1.50
Beaver Brook
confluence N. Beaver Brook to
confluence w/ Soda Creek
(12/11/1987)
3.2
0.50(4/16-7/31)
0.25 (8/1-4/15
Beaver Brook
confluence w/ Soda Creek to
confluence w/ Clear Creek
(12/11/1987)
3.0
1.50 (4/16-7/31)
1.00 (8/1-4/15)
Chicago Creek
headwaters to inlet of Chicago
Creek Reservoir (3/14/1986)
2.4
1.50
Chicago Creek
downstream of Chicago Creek
Reservoir Dam to confluence w/
Clear Creek (3/14/1986)
3.0
2.00
Chicago Creek
confluence w/ W. Chicago Creek
to confluence w/ Clear Creek
(3/14/1986)
6.5
3.50
Clear Creek
(main stem)
headwaters to confluence w/ S.
Clear Creek (7/13/1984)
13.5
10.00
Fall River
unnamed tributary (located by
lat/long) to confluence w/ Clear
Creek (7/24/1995)
8.5
5.25 (5/1-9/30)
2.00 (10/1-4/30)
Herman Gulch
headwaters to confluence w/ Clear
Creek (7/13/1984)
3.5
2.00
Leavenworth Creek
headwaters to confluence w/ S.
Clear Creek (11/15/1984)
7.1
1.50
Little Bear Creek
headwaters to confluence w/ Soda
Creek (12/11/1987)
3.0
1.00
Mill Creek
outlet Bill Moore Lake to
confluence w/ Clear Creek
(11/6/1995)
6.9
4.75 (4/15-8/15)
3.25 (8/16-9/15)
1.00 (9/16-4/14)
North Clear Creek
confluence w/ Pine Creek to
confluence w/ Quartz Valley Gulch
(12/11/1987)
5.5
1.50
Ralston Creek
confluence w/ unnamed tributary
(located by lat/long) to confluence
w/ Deer Creek (9/5/1986)
7.6
0.50
-------
Soda Creek
confl w/ unnamed tributary
(located by lat/long) to confl w/
Beaver Brook (12/11/1987)
3.2
1.00
Soda Creek
confl w/ unnamed tributary to confl
w/ Clear Creek (12/11/1987)
3.2
1.00
S. Chicago Creek
headwaters to confl w/ Chicago
Creek (7/13/1984)
2.9
1.00
S. Clear Creek
confl w/ unnamed tributary
(located by lat/long) to inlet of
Lower Cabin Reservoir
(12/11/1987)
2.9
3.00
W. Chicago Creek
headwaters to confl w/ Chicago
Creek (7/13/1984)
7.0
1.50
W. Fork Clear Creek
headwaters to confl w/ Woods
Creek (7/13/1984)
4.3
7.00
W. Fork Clear Creek
confl w/ Woods Creek to confl w/
Clear Creek (12/11/1987)
9.1
11.00 (4/1-10/31)
5.00(11/1-3/31)
Woods Creek
headwaters to confl w/ lake
(located by lat/long) (7/13/1984)
2.2
1.00
Source: Colorado Water Conservation Board
-------
TABLE 6
RECOMMENDED IN-STREAM FLOWS
TRIBUTARY
SEGMENT
LENGTH
(Miles)
cfs
Clear Creek
outlet Georgetown Lake to confl
w/ West Fork
2.7
25.00 (4/15-10/31)
7.0(11/1-4/14)
Clear Creek
confl w/ West Fork to confl w/
Fall River
5.9
31.00 (4/15-10/31)
13(11/1-4/14)
Clear Creek
confl w/ Fall River to confl w/
Chicago Creek
2.2
35.00 (4/15-10/31)
17.00(11/1-4/14)
Clear Creek
confl w/ Chicago Creek to confl
\v/ North Fork
8.3
47.00 (4/15-10/31)
31.00(11/1-4/14)
Clear Creek
confl w/ North Fork to Stream
Gage at Golden
11.4
56.00 (4/15-10/31)
37.00(11/1-4/14)
Deer Creek
headwaters to confl w/ Ralston
Creek
2.3
1.00 (4/15-7/14)
0.50 (7/15-8/14)
0.30(8/15-4/14)
Nott Creek
headwaters to confl w/ Ralston
Creek
3.2
1.00(4/15-7.14)
0.50 (7/15-8/14)
0.20 (8/15-4/14)
Ralston Creek
Homestead Ditch to Ward Road
3.3
3.00 (5/1-8/31)
1.50 (9/1-4/30)
Ralston Creek
Ward Road to Old Wadsworth
Boulevard
3.8
4.00 (5/1-8/31)
1.00 (9/1-4/30)
Source: Colorado Division of Wildlife
-------
TABLE 7
DITCH MANAGEMENT & UTILIZATION TABLE
DITCH
MANAGED BY
MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS (% Interest)
Agricultural Ditch
Agricultural Ditch and Reservoir Company
Coors Brewing Company (14%)
Consolidated Mutual Water Company (37%)
Bayou Ditch Association (Slough
Ditch)
Bayou Ditch Association
City of Arvada (30%)
Coors Brewing Company (17%)
Church Ditch
Church Ditch Company
City of Arvada (15%)
City of Northglenn (16%)
City of Thornton (7%)
City of Westminster (47%)
City of Golden Diversion
City of Golden
City of Golden (100%)
Clear Creek & Platte River Ditch
(Lower Clear Creek Ditch)
Lower Clear Creek Ditch Company
City of Thornton (49%)
Colorado Agricultural Ditch
Colorado Agricultural Ditch Company
City of Thornton (41%)
Cort, Graves & Hughes Ditch
Rocco Pantano
City of Arvada (80%)
Croke Canal
Fanners Reservoir & Irrigation Company
City of Northglenn (20%)
City of Thornton (14%)
City of Westminster (39%)
-------
Farmers High Line Canal
Farmers High Line Canal and Reservoir
Company
City of Arvada (11%)
Coors Brewing Company (7%)
City of Thornton (16%)
City of Westminster (49%)
Fisher Ditch
Fisher Ditch Company
Public Service Company (56%)
City of Thornton (14%)
Kershaw Ditch
Kershaw Ditch Company
City of Westminster (76%)
Lee, Stewart & Eskins Ditch
Consolidated Mutual Water Company
Consolidated Mutual Water Company (41%)
Manhart Ditch
Manhart Ditch Company
City of Arvada (28%)
City of Westminster (39%)
Miles & Eskins Ditch
Coors Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company (100%)
Reno & Juchem Ditch
Juchem Ditch Company
City of Arvada (52%)
Rocky Mountain Ditch
Rocky Mountain Ditch Company
Coors Brewing Company (70%)
Wannamaker Ditch
Wannamaker Ditch Company
Coors Brewing Company (70%)
Welch Ditch (Golden Ditch)
Agricultural Ditch and Reservoir Company
Consolidated Mutual Water Company (56%)
Coors Brewing Company (6%)
Source: Clear Creek Water Users Alliance
-------
TABLE 8
RESERVOIRS AND OWNERS
RESERVOIR
STORAGE
OWNER

(acre-feet)

Braukman
102
Agricultural Ditch & Reservoir Company
Upper Chinns
100

Lower Chinns
102

Fall River
890

Loch Lomond
875

Lake Caroline
144

Reynolds
55

Braukman
102

Ice Lake
511

Hole-in-the-Ground
28
Central City
Chase Gulch
600

Arvada
5,800
City of Arvada
Pomona #2 & #3
80

Upper Urad
320
City of Golden
Lower Urad
252

Idaho Springs
215
City of Idaho Springs
Reynolds
55

Standley
42,380
Fanners Reservoir & Irrigation Company
Fairmont
979
Consolidated Mutual Water Company
Maple Grove
1,043

Duke Lake
295
Coors Brewing Company
Rolling
26

St. Mary's Lake
47

Churches
48
Denver Water Board
Upper Long Lake
1,500

Lower Long Lake
292

Ralston
13,200

Broad
92
Farmers High Line Canal & Reservoir Company
Hyatt
1,095

Leyden
1,152

Upper Beaver Brook
257
Lookout Mountain Water District
Lower Beaver Brook
30

Lookout Mountain
100

-------
Upper Cabin Creek
1,577
Public Service Company
Lower Cabin Creek
1,988

Clear Lake
590

Copeland Lake
73

Dewey
54

Green Lake
270

Murray
80

Silver Dollar Lake
440

Georgetown
292
Town of Georgetown
Murray
80

Hidden Lake (Mayham)
270
Mayham Reservoir Company
Tucker Lake
586
Dever View Reservoir & Irrigation Company
Jim Baker
900
City of Westminster
Source: DAMS Database
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TABLE 9
CLEAR CREEK STREAM SEGMENTS AND USE
CLASSIFICATIONS
Segment #
Segment Description
Use Classification
1
Main stem of Clear Creek, including all
tributaries, lake and reservoirs, from the
source to the 1-70 bridge above Silver Plume.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
2
Main stem of Clear Creek, including all
tributaries, lakes and reservoirs, from above Silver
Plume to the Argo Tunnel
discharge, except for specific listings in
Segments 3 through 10.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Agriculture
3a
Main stem of South Clear Creek, including
all tributaries, lakes and reservoirs, from
the source to the confluence with Clear Creek, except
for the specific listing in 3b
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
3b
Main stem of Leavenworth Creek from
source to confluence with South Clear
Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
4
Main stem of West Clear Creek from the
source to the confluence with Woods Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
5
Main stem of West Clear Creek from the
confluence with Woods Creek to the
confluence with Clear Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 2
Agriculture
6
All tributaries to West Clear Creek, including all lakes
and reservoirs, from the source to the confluence with
Clear Creek, except for specific listings in Segments 7
and 8.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
7
Main stem of Woods Creek from the outlet of Upper
Urad Reservoir to the confluence with West Clear
Creek
Aquatic Life Cold Water 2
Recreation 2
8
Main stem of Lion Creek from the source to the
confluence with West Clear Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 2
Recreation 2
9
Main stem to the Fall River, including all tributaries,
lakes and reservoirs, from the source to the confluence
with Clear Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
10
Main stem of Chicago Creek, including all tributaries,
lakes and reservoirs, from the source to the confluence
with Clear Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
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11
Main stem of Clear Creek from the Argo Tunnel
discharge to the Fanners Highline
Canal diversion in Golden.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
12
All tributaries to Clear Creek, including all lakes and
reservoirs, from the Argo Tunnel discharge to the
Farmers Highline Canal diversion in Golden, except
for specific listings in Segment 13.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 2
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
13
Main stem of North Clear Creek, including all
tributaries, lakes and reservoirs from the source to the
confluence with Clear Creek.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 2
Recreation 2
Agriculture
14
Main stem of Clear Creek from the Farmers Highline
Canal diversion in Golden to Youngfield Street in
Wheat Ridge.
Aquatic Life Warm Water 2
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
15
Main stem of Clear Creek from Youngfield Street in
Wheat Ridge to the confluence with the South Platte
River.
Aquatic Life Warm Water 1
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
16
All tributaries to Clear Creek from the Farmers
Highline Canal diversion in Golden to the confluence
with the South Platte River, except for specific listings
in Segments 17 and 18.
Aquatic Life Warm Water 2
Recreation 2
Agriculture
17
Main stem of Ralston Creek from the source to the
outlet of Arvada Reservoir, including Ralston
Reservoir, Upper Long Lake and Arvada Reservoir.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 2
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
18a
Main stem of Ralston Creek from the outlet of Arvada
Reservoir to the Croke Canal Diversion Structure on
Ralston Creek, and the main stem of Leyden Creek
from its source to the Farmers' Highline Canal
diversion structure of Leyden Creek.
Aquatic Life Warm Water 2
Recreation 2
Water Supply
Agriculture
18b
Main stem of Ralston Creek from the Croke Canal
Diversion structure to the confluence with Clear
Creek. All tributaries to Ralston Creek including all
lakes and reservoirs, from the source of Ralston Creek
to the confluence with Clear Creek except for specific
listings in Segments 17 and 18a.
Aquatic Life Warm Water 2
Recreation 2
Agriculture
19
All tributaries to Clear Creek, including lakes and
reservoirs, within the Mt. Evans Wilderness Area.
Aquatic Life Cold Water 1
Recreation 1
Water Supply
Agriculture
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State of the
Watershed
REPORT - 1997
Clear Creek, Colorado
Map 1
Land Use/Land Cover
Map 2
Monitoring Stations and Gages
Map 3
Decreed In-Stream Flows
Map 4
Public Water Supply Systems
Map 5
Fish Monitoring Stations
Map 6
Toxicity Testing Results
Map 7
Habitat Analysis Results
Map 8
Water Quality Standards
Stream Reaches
Map 9
Regulated Facilities
Map 10
Watershed Improvement Projects
Map 11
Upper Main Stem Clear Creek
West Fork
Map 12
Main Stem Clear Creek
Chicago Creek
Map 13
North Fork
Map 14
Clear Creek Canyon
Map 15
Main Stem Clear Creek
from Golden to South Platte
mi s w±m
MAPS
Chapter X
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PAGE NOT
AVAILABLE
DIGITALLY
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