Willow Springs Ponds
Willow Springs Ponds, located within Fountain Creek Regional Park, near the intersection of Interstate 25 and Highway 16, were created in the 1970s as gravel pits. In the late 1980s, the county acquired them, and with the Fishing is Fun grant in 1988, both warm and cold water species of fish were stocked by the CDOW. The ponds soon became one of the most popular fishing spots in southeast Colorado.
In July 1997, Perchloroethylene (PCE) was detected in the Willow Spring Ponds and the county closed the ponds to public fishing that September. Since July 1998, pursuant to compliance orders from the CDPHE, the county allowed Schlage Lock to operate aerators in Willow Springs Pond No. 1 and the aerators have achieved the CDPHE fish+water consumption surface water quality standard for PCE.
As of April 28 the county re-opened the ponds to limited fishing under a Fish Consumption Advisory prepared by the CDPHE.
Willow Springs Locator Map
Willow Springs Ponds PCE Fact Sheet
Willow Springs Ponds PCE Pamphlet
Willow Springs Ponds Press Release - January 19, 2007
Willow Springs Ponds Press Release - April 24, 2007