Fountain Creek Watershed Outreach in Pueblo, CO

          The 2nd year of Xcel Energy Foundation funding for Pueblo, 2023-2024

• To build on the outreach work in the previous year, the Xcel Energy Foundation funded a second year of education, school visits, Creek Week, Great American Cleanup day, Brewshed® Alliance events, and a bike tour to continue watershed awareness in the Pueblo community. The FCWD budget provided matching funds to make this year-long effort in the county viable. Independent contractor/outreach specialist Susan Finzel coordinated the program.

• There were expanded programs and excitement for the 10th Anniversary of Creek Week, October 2023.   150 Pueblo volunteers worked hard to collect and remove trash, litter, and heavy items along the creek corridor and even to the Arkansas River trail, removing 1,490 lbs. The creek bike trail, parks Nature Center and some school grounds all got thorough cleaning. “Girls Gone Fishin’! Derby was held at a local pond, where 38 girls learned about careers in natural resources from women in the field. Over 60 trout were caught and released.  A land stewardship project to remove invasive elms, tamarisk and spread native seed was completed at Confluence Park.

• A dedicated crew from the Pueblo Chemical-Agent Depot Project collected litter to fill the large letter “T” in the Litter Letter word of the year, ‘IMPACTFUL’.   At the 10th Celebration Party in late October, the City of Pueblo, Pueblo County and Keep Pueblo Beautiful received Legacy Awards for their years of support for Creek Week.

• Activity increased at Pueblo’s Brewshed Alliance member locations. Shamrock Brewery participated in and released FCWD’s first collaboratively brewed beer, Impactful IPA, which sold out in a short time. The Liquid Lecture series was staged on 3 occasions in Pueblo; December at Brues Alehouse to a standing-room only crowd to hear CSU-P biology professor speak about the “Twelve Birds of Christmas” in Colorado. Another full house was present at Walter’s Taproom to hear about “Wild Watershed Weather” from a National Weather Service Warning Coordinator in June. A final lecture was held July 18 at Shamrock Brewing, where participants heard about the outdoor work of the “Mile High Youth Corps” to remove invasive species. The 2024 Collaborative Brew was titled Flower Eater, a honey lavender pale ale, released in early July 2024.  Pints sold out quickly at Walter’s Brewery and Taproom in Pueblo.

•  Watershed education classes were expanded to high school and college age participants. Susan was a judge at District 60 STEM Fair, where three middle school students won the FCWD’s Environmental Stewardship Award for their projects on water quality.

•  Information tables were well received at these Pueblo events: Boys & Girls Club of Pueblo County “Camp-A-Palooza” Western Landscape Symposium; Sun, Soil, Water Summit; Pueblo County government’s Earth Day Fest; and, Better World Day at Villa Bella School

• Great American Cleanup in spring 2024 in Pueblo saw 266 volunteers collect and remove one ton of litter and trash and debris, The sun was shining the next day!  Scouts, college kids, county employees and schools turned out to do patrol, in celebration of Earth Day/Week.

• The Mile High Youth Corps took on an important job to remove invasive species in Pueblo, identifying and cutting out Siberian elms, Tamarisk, and Russian Olive trees that were chocking out native trees. They worked for two weeks in record Pueblo heat and benefited from education sessions on water quality and macroinvertebrates. They learned how the district was formed and the challenges of the future regarding increased flows and funding.

• An enthusiastic group of 28 government department heads, elected officials, water activists, and district partner agencies gathered on May 31 to participate in the “Ride the Watershed” bike tour through Pueblo.  Guest speakers along the route met riders to explain past engineering projects, discuss current issues and build stronger partnerships. The 8-mile route concluded with a catered lunch at Brues Alehouse, on Pueblo’s Riverwalk.  Based on the positive feedback, this event could be an annual program, rotating to different trail sections in the watershed.

CDPHE/EPA Mini Grant Provides Non-Point Source Pollution Awareness

The Fountain Creek Watershed District was awarded $5,000 to do a 2024 project to teach Pueblo partners and collaborators about the issue of run off pollution and take action along the Creek bike trail.  New trash receptacles with bilingual signage were installed by the City and County Parks and Recreation Departments at Confluence Park, El Centro Del Quinto Sol Rec Center, and two trailheads in the Belmont neighborhood area. Pet waste bag dispensers were also placed at key dog walking areas.  The FCWD budget provided matching funds to make this effort happen.