Bear Creek Watershed Association The Bear Creek Watershed

Bear Creek Watershed Association The Bear Creek Watershed Association protects & restores water & environmental quality within the Bear Creek Watershed from the effects of land use. Bear Creek Association Newsletter 2014 -2015 Flood Recovery BCWA PINNACLE

2014 Estimates of Recreation Use Bear Creek Watershed � Recreational Users Bear Creek Park > 580, 000 � People Traveling to Mt. Evans > 177, 000 � Mt. Evans Wilderness lower access > 25, 000 � Users Denver Mountain Parks > 225, 000 � Jefferson County Open Space > 80, 000 � Users Evergreen Lake > 275, 000 � Attendees & Visitors Red Rocks/Morrison >1. 3 million � Bear Creek Park Swim Beach Use > 750 per weekend � Fishing > 65, 000 people per year BCWA Fact Sheet 35 Recreational Uses in BCW >50 Fact Sheet 36 Larger Mammals Fact Sheet 12 Fish Species Fact Sheet 37 Smaller Mammals BCW Total Species Common Sport Fish 16 Other Report Fish 14

Members & Participants Wastewater Discharger Counties Jefferson County Clear Creek County City and Towns City of Lakewood Town of Morrison Yes Water & Sanitation Districts Aspen Park Metropolitan District Yes Bear Creek Cabins Yes Brook Forest Inn Yes Conifer Sanitation Association Yes Conifer Metropolitan District Yes Evergreen Metropolitan District Yes Forrest Hills Metropolitan District Yes Genesee Water & Sanitation District Yes Geneva Glen Yes Jefferson County School District Yes Kittredge Water & Sanitation District Yes Singing River Ranch Yes The Fort Restaurant Yes Tiny Town Foundation, Inc. Yes West Jefferson County Metropolitan Yes District Other Member Denver Water Department Participant Agencies Denver Health/ Parks & Recreation Evergreen Trout Unlimited U. S. Army Corps of Engineers WQCD 2014 Participation Active Active Dues Paid, Not Active Active Dues Not Paid, Not Active Dues Paid, Not Active Attended

BCWA 2015 Watershed Plan Online Decision Support Program � Electronic Watershed Plan (10. 8 GB) � 35 Policies 51 Fact Sheets 18 Data Masters 34 Informational Maps 20 -yrs of Rulemaking & Standards 21 Program Documents >75 linked reports & documents 18 Wastewater Management Summaries + Other Informational, Methods, Program Guidance, Technical Series, Special Studies, Annual Monitoring Plans ◦ Photo Library (>18 GB) ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Quarterly Newsletter (>300) � Increased NPS education � Membership special programs �

Sampling Begins at the Top

Monitoring Program Elements Water quality monitoring program 87 Sites (some monitored since 1991) 5 Bear Creek Reservoir monitoring profiles Evergreen Lake profiles Physical, Chemistry & Biology Year round temperature monitoring of Bear Creek and Turkey Creek >2, 750, 000 measurements Monitor total phosphorus, dissolved phosphorus, nitrate+nitrite, total ammonia, total nitrogen, TIN, oxygen, specific conductance, temp, carbon, p. H, bacteria, phytoplankton, zooplankton, chlorophyll, Secchi, TSS Special Studies Fishery surveys at 12 sites Macroinvertebrate collections Habitat Flow studies BMP Effectiveness Stormwater data collection E. Coli Septic Systems Contributions Lake Sediments

Reservoir/ Lake Studies � Bear Creek Reservoir ◦ Inflow Turkey Creek ◦ Inflow Bear Creek ◦ Outflow site 45 (input Barr/Milton Watershed � Evergreen Lake � Summit Lake � Water Supply Reservoirs

Summit Lake & Upper Bear Creek � Data demonstrates pollution source(s) causing elevated nutrient loads (>75 years), low p. H conditions and reduced dissolved oxygen � Repaired new toilet vaults � Plume diminishing � Reduced Total Phosphorus 2014 avg 216 ug/l ◦ Peaked >4. 1 mg/l (>129 pounds per season) � Reduced Total Nitrogen 2014 avg 377 ug/l ◦ Peaked > 3. 1 mg/l (>118 pounds per season)

Coyote Gulch 2006 -2015 Trade Pounds = 92. 2 Total Phosphorus 25. 0 20. 0 15. 0 10. 0 5. 0 0. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Adaptive Management Program � Nonpoint source loading & tracking � Coyote Gulch - Trading � Septic Systems – Kerr & Cub � Tracking management practices � Zoning and planning reviews for BMPs � Local presentations, education programs � Flood restoration practices, � Assist land-owners � Assist invasive species programs � Green Infrastructure projects � Wildfire assessment � Source water protection � Tributary loading studies � Erosion Control Reviews � Online adaptive management

Annual Report � � WQCC Summary ◦ Status of Water Quality (Flood Recovery) ◦ Status of WQ Goals & Standards (Temperature) ◦ Phosphorus Trading Program (3 trade policies) Bear Creek Watershed Association Program Total Phosphorus Pounds/Season 3, 500 3, 000 2, 500 2, 000 1, 500 1, 000 500 0 Site 37 Site 58 Site 2 a Site 3 a Site 25 Site 8 a Site 9 Site 12 Seg 7 Seg 1 a Seg 3 Seg 1 e Site 13 a Site 14 a Site 34 Site 35 Site 50 Site 64 site 32 Site 18 Site 19 Seg 4 a Seg 5 Seg 6 a Seg 6 b

TN Data Total Nitrogen Pounds/ Season 30, 000 25, 000 20, 000 15, 000 10, 000 5, 000 0 Site 37 Site 58 Site 2 a Site 3 a Site 25 Site 8 a Site 9 Site 12 Seg 7 Seg 1 a Seg 3 Seg 1 e Site 13 a Site 14 a Site 34 Site 35 Site 50 Site 64 site 32 Site 18 Site 19 Seg 4 a Seg 5 Seg 6 a Seg 6 b

Bear Creek Reservoir & Park

2014 BCR Internal Load Problem Total Phosphorus Deposition in Bear Creek Reservoir 7, 000 6, 000 TP pounds/year 5, 000 4, 000 3, 000 2, 000 1, 000 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Total Phosphorus Loading 2014 Total Phosphorus Loading (Pounds) Total TP Load Turkey Creek Drainage 489 Bear Creek Drainage 3, 521 Discharged into Reservoir 4, 010 Site 45 Outflow BCR 1, 980 BCR Total Phosphorus Deposition 2, 031 PS NPS 7 482 1, 069 2, 452 1, 076 2, 934 %NPS 99% 56% 63%

Total Trout (Rainbow and Browns) Biomass Mainstem of Bear Creek 1000 900 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 1988 1989 1990 1991 1994 1997 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2014 Total Trout Biomass Bear Creek Biomass Pounds/acre Pounds/Acre 800 8, 000 7, 000 6, 000 5, 000 4, 000 3, 000 2, 000 1, 000 0 All Data per Year Complete sets (5 -sites) 1991 -1999 2, 382 2, 449 2000 -2003 2, 487 2, 659 2004 -2013 6, 768 5, 646 2014 After Flood 4, 152 2, 922

In the last 115 years, only 2 years with similar flow 1901 & 1944 Watershed Hydrology Estimated Bear Creek Reservoir Inflow (Acre-Ft/Year) 120, 000 100, 000 80, 000 60, 000 40, 000 20, 000 15 20 14 20 13 20 12 20 10 09 11 20 20 20 08 20 07 20 06 20 05 20 03 02 04 20 20 20 01 20 00 20 99 19 98 19 96 97 19 19 95 19 94 19 93 19 92 19 90 89 91 19 19 19 88 19 87 0 19 Acre-Feet Per Year 140, 000

Bear Creek Watershed 2015

BCW 2016