U.S. Senator Ken Salazar

Member: Agriculture, Energy, Veterans' Affairs, Ethics and Aging Committees

 

2300 15th Street, Suite 450 Denver, CO 80202 | 702 Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510

 

 

For Immediate Release

September 22, 2006

CONTACT:    Cody Wertz – Comm. Director

                        303-455-7600

Andrew Nannis  – Press Secretary

                        202-224-5852


  Sen. Salazar Unveils Fountain Creek Vision
“Now is the time for people to come together to create a Crown Jewel Project”

Manitou Springs & Pueblo, CO – At two press conferences along the banks of Fountain Creek today Senator Salazar unveiled his vision for Fountain Creek in a report intended to convey possibilities, stimulate discussion and help initiate a region-wide process to expand economic and recreational opportunities along Fountain Creek, including the creation of a new state park. Senator Salazar’s vision emphasizes regional cooperation between the communities of Fountain Creek, Pueblo and Colorado Springs and relies on months of work by Senator Salazar, interviews and research by his Pikes Peak and Arkansas Valley regional staff and the contributions of nearly one hundred stakeholders and agencies from six southern Colorado counties to implement the vision laid out in the report.

“For much of the past two hundred years our Nation has turned its backs on our rivers, creating fouled-up waterways and garbage dumps out of once pristine waters,” said Senator Salazar. We have only recently begun to turn our cities and communities back toward our rivers with great success, including in areas such as the South Platte River in Denver, the Colorado River in Grand Junction and the Yampa River in Northwest Colorado.”

Senator Salazar continued saying, “This report lays out a vision to revitalize Fountain Creek and connect the communities along its bank in a regional project. Now is the time for the entire region to work together to create a Crown Jewel that will bring unmatched recreational opportunities, create an environment for plants and wildlife to flourish, ensure that agricultural lands remain productive and address the flood control and water quality issues on Fountain Creek.”

Senator Salazar’s Fountain Creek Crown Jewel vision would broadly accomplish the following items:

  • Cleanup and Revitalize Fountain Creek;
  • Create a linear state park along the river corridor with two camping facilities, hundreds of miles of new trails, restored wildlife and natural habitat and new flat water recreation opportunities;
  • Protect farms and ranches along the creek and in the Lower Arkansas Valley;
  • Ensure a greenbelt separator between the communities of Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

The next step toward realizing a better future for Fountain Creek is to create a Fountain Creek Crown Jewel Task Force consisting of key Southern Colorado stakeholders to implement the vision laid out in this report.

The Fountain Creek Crown Jewel Project guidelines by Senator Salazar also convey possible scenarios and timelines for carrying out the project as well as a suggested list of partner agencies. A PDF copy of the proposal is available by clicking here.

# # #