Pueblo County leaders have heard from residents who mostly favored a deal that would commit Colorado Springs to spend $460 million cleaning Fountain Creek.
And Colorado Springs council members have voted to support the deal. If finalized by Pueblo leaders, it would clear the way for Colorado Springs to switch on its to siphon up to 50 million gallons a day more Arkansas River water northward 50 miles from Pueblo Reservoir.
The deal also would give Pueblo $125,000 for an engineering study for a water supply project of its own: a possible dam along the creek to create another reservoir.
Pueblo has threatened legal action against Colorado Springs’ fouling of Fountain Creek with sediment-laden stormwater runoff.
The 27 or so residents at a forum this week included nine who spoke in favor of the draft deal. Two opposed it.
Pueblo County commissioners decided to seek legal advice and then vote on the deal on Monday — two days before Colorado Springs engineers plan to turn on their new siphoning system.
“Getting to this agreement has been an arduous journey,” Pueblo County Commissioner Buffie McFadyen said.
Colorado Springs’ failure to filter sediment and contaminants out of runoff, ruining Fountain Creek, “has been a decades-long problem,” McFadyen said. “It appears the city of Colorado Springs is actually recognizing its issues. I believe it is sincere.”
Pueblo’s idea of building a dam along a cleaner Fountain Creek “has been a suggestion by community members,” she said.
No location has been set. Opponents argue such a dam would become a massive sediment trap.
“Could it work? That’s what is so important about doing the engineering study,” McFadyen said.
Bruce Finley: 303-954-1700, bfinley@denverpost.com or @finleybruce
