Drainage Basins

Fort Collins is divided into the following drainage basins. Click a basin on the map for specific information regarding that basin.

Foothills Drainage Basin

The Foothills Basin is centrally located in Fort Collins. It covers about 3,200 acres generally between Taft Hill and Ziegler Roads, and between Horsetooth and Drake Roads. The basin is mostly developed, with commercial development along College Avenue and mixed-use residential in the remainder of the basin. The basin drains from west to east through open channels or a storm sewer system to the Fossil Creek Reservoir Inlet Ditch. Three irrigation canals intercept stormwater to transport it out of the basin, but runoff spills into the basin when their capacity is exceeded.

As with some of the other basins, much of the Foothills basin was developed according to previously existing master plans; thus, much of the basin is capable of handling a 100-year storm. However, there is a floodplain delineated and some localized problems exist.

The recommended plan of improvements includes enlarging ponds and extending pipes to mitigate some of the damage due to a 100-year storm event. However, once all the recommended improvements are in place, there is still the potential to damage an estimated 15 structures in a 100-year event.