El Paso County proclaims Sept. 27–Oct. 5 as Creek Week; Fountain Creek Watershed District urges volunteers

The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 23 unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing Creek Week 2025 and encouraged residents to take part in watershed cleanup activities scheduled Sept. 27–Oct. 5. The board voted 4–0 to adopt the proclamation during its regular meeting in Colorado Springs.

The proclamation recognizes the Fountain Creek Watershed as a regional recreational and agricultural resource and calls on residents, businesses and community groups to form “Creek Crews” to remove litter, reduce pollution and protect waterways. The proclamation text filed with the board states the event is the largest cleanup in Colorado and cites the cleanup’s role in reducing flooding risk and protecting drinking water and wildlife habitat.

Allie Shook of the Fountain Creek Watershed District briefed the board on the district’s outreach and restoration work and asked the public to volunteer. “We’ve engaged 25,000 volunteers in removing a 175 tons of trash,” Shook said. She described Creek Week as an accessible volunteer opportunity that includes preschool groups and seniors and noted that the district partners with local governments and organizations for training and equipment support.

Shook and commissioners described the watershed’s geographic scope and funding needs. Shook stated the Fountain Creek Watershed runs from Palmer Lake to Pueblo and “encompasses 927 square miles.” She said the district has identified about $1 billion in needed work across the watershed but does not have an established long-term funding source; the district has completed roughly $40 million in restoration on the main stem so far.

Commissioners noted local projects the district has supported. Shook said the district and the City of Fountain partnered on a recent Southmore Drive project that cost about $7,200,000 and required road closures during construction. Commissioner Gauri Applegate praised the district’s longstanding community engagement and asked residents to pick a cleanup date and location; Commissioner Lauren Nelson and others thanked the district for its partnership with county operations such as storage and crew-leader training at the county’s Bear Creek facilities.

The board approved the proclamation by voice roll call; Commissioners Bill Wysong, Lauren Nelson, Gauri Applegate and Chair Gary Geithner voted yes. The record shows Commissioner Holly Williams was excused from the meeting earlier.

County staff said three county-supported cleanups this year include work at the Bear Creek Dog Park and local nature centers. The Fountain Creek Watershed District announced Creek Week activities, resources for volunteers and locations when it spoke to the board.

For more information on how to participate, residents should contact the Fountain Creek Watershed District or the El Paso County website for Creek Week schedules and registration details.