About
The City of Colorado Springs began work in summer 2024 on the Barnes Water Quality & Sand Creek Flood Control Ponds Project. To be built simultaneously, these adjacent stormwater projects are located along the planned Sand Creek corridor in northeastern Colorado Springs.
The Barnes Water Quality location is at Barnes Road just north of the site of the future Norman “Bulldog” Coleman Park. The Pond location is along Sand Creek south of the Rocky Mountain Vibes baseball stadium. While this project will ultimately benefit Coleman Park, they do not signify the start of the future park project, but prepares the creek to work with the future park site design. (See Coleman Park Update below)
Project Phases
Phase 1: Barnes Pond
Construction was mostly completed in June 2025. Total cost for construction was $2.7 million.
Phase 2: Pond 2
Construction was mostly completed in October 2025. Total cost for construction was $6.4 million.
Design of the Sand Creek Channel, located between the Barnes Pond and Pond 2, has been postponed while the City updates its Drainage Basin Planning Study (DBPS), expected to be completed late-2026. At that time, design work will resume with design permits expected to be finalized by late 2027 or early 2028. Once construction of the Sand Creek Channel begins, it is expected to take 12 to 18 months to be completed, weather dependent. Target completion: 2029-2030.
Phase 3: Additional improvements along the Sand Creek Channel
Upcoming, start dates to be determined.
Project Funding
This project is funded through the City of Colorado Springs Storm Water Enterprise (SWENT) and the Inter-governmental Agreement signed April 28, 2016, between the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities and the Pueblo County addressing storm water system and water quality improvements.
Project Details
Construction Impacts
As a result of the stormwater pond project, which will take place over two years, the public will see activity and hauling operations on the west side of the Coleman Community Park site.
Approximately 30,000 yards of dirt material removed from the Barnes project site will be exported and moved to the property along Sand Creek near the site of the future Coleman Park. During the hauling operations, the project team will mitigate dust with water spray operations. Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services staff will continue to monitor the site throughout this work.
The overall schedule for the projects is weather and materials dependent.
Barnes Water Quality
This project is located along Sand Creek near the Rocky Mountain Vibes Baseball Stadium and future Coleman Community Park* site. The pond is not currently functioning properly and is not aesthetically pleasing. The project will improve water quality from parking lot runoff and will treat water not currently being treated. Two outfalls (Barnes and Tutt) will be constructed that will tie into a trickle channel and eventually into the Sand Creek Pond. Upon completion of the construction work, the area will be seeded, and plantings installed.
Barnes Water Quality Schedule:
- Design: Completed spring 2024
- Contractor bidding: Spring 2024
- Selected Contractor: Wildcat Construction
- Construction start: July 2024
- Construction completion: June 2025
(weather and resources dependent)
Rendering shows a zoomed in view of the site of the Barnes Water Quality & Sand Creek Flood Control Pond Project
Sand Creek Flood Control Pond
There will be both environmental and community benefits from the project once completed. On the east side of the pond, the Barnes Water Quality project will create wetlands with a variety of vegetation species benefitting the creek, habitat support, public access to the water, and connection of a walking trail around the pond.
Other public amenities include steppingstones for foot access to one of the raised islands within the pond. The existing social trail around the Sand Creek Pond will be closed while the new trail connecting to the Sand Creek Trail is being constructed.
Upon completion, the trail will be improved and reopened and will connect around the entirety of the pond for public use. This project lays the foundation for future trails and connections to Coleman Park.
Pond Schedule:
- Design: Spring 2024
- Contractor bidding: Late summer – fall 2024
- Construction start: Late 2024
- Construction completion: October 2025
(weather and resources dependent)
Rendering shows the cross section of the environmental and public access improvements at the site of the Barnes Water Quality & Sand Creek Flood Control Pond Project.
Progress Photos
