Post stormwater flows to downstream communities for use

Courtesy Photo | Storm drains and inlets are direct connections to the streams and rivers people rely on for drinking water, agriculture, fishing and other recreation activities.  

FORT CARSON, COLORADO, UNITED STATES

08.11.2026

Courtesy Story

Fort Carson Public Affairs Office

By Susan C. Galentine, Directorate of Public Works

Water rushing into storm drains during heavy rain events is a common sight for drivers, however, the only time commuters may notice it is when flooding occurs causing safety concerns. People see water entering storm drains and inlets along the road, but where does it flow after it enters the system?

Storm drains and inlets are direct connections to the streams and rivers people rely on for drinking water, agriculture, fishing and other recreation activities.

“Fort Carson’s stormwater system is not tied to the wastewater/sewer system, which is treated before it discharges into an off-post body of water,” said Andrew Rippe, Directorate of Public Works Stormwater Program manager. “It is a separate system that minimizes flooding by capturing water that runs off streets and parking lots and channels it directly into Fountain Creek.”

Fort Carson receives stormwater flow, which enters the post from the north-northwest and drains into one of four main watersheds on the installation: B-Ditch, Clover Ditch, Infantry Creek and Rock Creek, explained Rippe. The four watersheds, along with dozens of smaller tributaries all flow through Fort Carson and eventually discharge into Fountain Creek on the east side of the I-25 corridor. Stormwater leaving Fort Carson has direct impacts on communities to our south, such as the City of Fountain, Security/Widefield and recreational areas like Fountain Creek Regional Park.

Fountain Creek enters the larger Arkansas River in Pueblo County, combines with the Mississippi River and is ultimately released approximately 1,910 miles away into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Fort Carson’s stormwater system is regulated by the U.S. EPA through two permits, according to Rippe. One permit regulates municipal operations, including stormwater that runs off hard or impervious surfaces, such as roads and rooftops, and doesn’t absorb into the ground. The second permit regulates stormwater discharges from five industrial sites on and off Fort Carson. Both permits are in place to ensure that any water leaving Fort Carson is as clean and pollution free as possible for water users downstream.

While the stormwater is on the installation, community members can help prevent contamination of the water for future users — and avoid regulatory fines — by not allowing oil, vehicle maintenance products, trash, lawnmowing clippings, etc., from entering the stormwater system. When protecting stormwater, a good rule to follow is “only rain down the drain.”

• Date Taken: 08.11.2026
• Date Posted: 08.11.2026 10:45
• Story ID: 572086
• Location: FORT CARSON, COLORADO, US