Bear Creek Watershed Plan

With the support of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Groundwork Denver and its partners created a non point source watershed plan for urban Bear Creek in 2014. The primary goals of the plan include ongoing water quality sampling, partnership building, and community education and stewardship.

The segment of Bear Creek between Kipling Parkway and the confluence with the South Platte River was listed on Colorado's impaired waters list in 2008 because of high E. coli levels. E. coli is a bacterium that aids digestion in warm-blooded animals. Its presence in environmental waters indicates fecal contamination. Pathogenic bacteria, viruses and parasites can also be present where there is fecal contamination. Recreating in urban waters can pose public health risks when polluted water is ingested or enters the body through open cuts or wounds. Always wash your hands before eating or touching your face if you have come in contact with urban waters.

In the summer of 2016 Groundwork Denver recruited a team of eight dedicated high school students from Sheridan High School to support our ongoing water quality sampling efforts. To learn more about our Blue Team, visit our Youth page.