Flood control district needs money to fix Fountain Creek

A flood control group says it needs money to improve Fountain Creek.

This comes after property owners who live near the creek say it has been a frustrating two months.

The high water has been eating away properties, broken down buildings and caused road closures.

“All of the rains that we had in the last few months have washed so much land away on Fountain Creek,” Pueblo resident Steve Hancock said.

He said he has lost 10 acres so far this year.

“(It would cost) millions of dollars to change and make it the way it was,” Hancock said.

Mother Nature has also been a hassle for the Fountain Creek Watershed Flood Control and Greenway District.

The group said different organizations have worked on flood projects in the creek in order to mitigate the flows. The district also said some of the flood projects have washed away because of the high water.

The district said it doesn’t have any money for future flood projects. It’s waiting for the Southern Delivery System to turn on so that Colorado Springs Utilities can start paying $10 million each year for the next five years.

As for Hancock, he said all he can do is wait and hope that the creek doesn’t take anymore of his land.

The district hopes it can collect money from Colorado Springs Utilities for using the SDS by next summer.