4.2.6 Hydrology

The Cantonment Area of Fort Carson is located near the middle of the Fountain Creek watershed in central El Paso County.  The impact and training areas are located within tributaries of Fountain Creek and in the Turkey Creek/Upper Arkansas River watershed.  Fountain Creek is a perennial stream located within the Arkansas River Basin and generally flows southeasterly along the Front Range from the communities of Palmer Lake and Woodland Park, through Colorado Springs to the city of Pueblo.  The headwaters of most tributaries originating or flowing through Fort Carson are dominated by forest in the Pike National Forest.  The middle and lower portions of most tributaries contain grassland on large undeveloped tracts.

Regional Setting