| Spring Creek[1] | |
|---|---|
Spring Creek in 2007 following minor flooding; note the effect of the water flow on nearby vegetation |
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| Mouth | Confluence with Cache la Poudre |
| Progression | Cache la Poudre— South Platte—Platte— Missouri—Mississippi |
| Mouth elevation | 4,898 ft (1,493 m) |
Spring Creek is a 12.7-mile-long (20.4 km)[2] tributary of the Cache La Poudre River in the state of Colorado in the United States.
Spring Creek begins north of Horsetooth Mountain within Horsetooth Mountain Park just east of Fort Collins, Colorado and flows into Horsetooth Reservoir. [1] After leaving Horsetooth Reservoir out of Spring Canyon Dam, Spring Creek flows through central Fort Collins just south of Colorado State University. [2] For most of its passage through the city, it is paralled by the city-maintained Spring Creek Trail.
The Spring Creek Trail follows Spring Creek through several parks in mid Fort Collins. It currently extends from Spring Canyon park at the southern end of Overland Trail to the confluence of Spring Creek and the Poudre River where it joins the Poudre Trail. The Spring Creek Trail extends through a new underpass of Taft Hill Road. This highly popular trail continues to Spring Canyon Community Park and the Pineridge Natural Area. The Spring Creek Trail is 6.6 miles.[3]
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On July 28, 1997, more than 10 inches (250 mm) of rain fell in less than 6 hours. The flash flood transformed this tiny creek into a torrent, killing 5 people.
The Spring Creek Flood spawned a national weather-watcher program called CoCoRaHS, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, which uses volunteers to measure rain, hail and snow.