Sep 24 — Jan Martin & Chris Lieber: The COS Creek Plan and Pikes Peak Waterways (the $1.8B, 20–25 year vision to restore Monument and Fountain Creeks)

Sep 24, 2026 — Jan Martin & Chris Lieber: The COS Creek Plan & Pikes Peak Waterways

Bulletin for September 24, 2026

Featured Speakers: Jan Martin & Chris Lieber

Pikes Peak Waterways — COS Creek Plan

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OPENING

Paula led the opening prayer and Marty led the Pledge of Allegiance.

MEMBER ROUND ROBIN: FIRST JOBS

Members shared stories of their very first jobs:

• Jeff: Shoveling reindeer poop at Santa's Workshop.

• Bob Lucia, Mike Cimeno, John Posner: Paperboy, circa 1954.

• Marti: Cherry picking.

• Ryan: Working in a family TV repair shop.

• Dan: Used car reconditioning.

• Dick: Running a bike shop on 8th Street.

• Paula: Scooping ice cream.

• Benny: Working in a meatpacking house.

• Kevin: Tearing tickets at the Peak Theater.

• Larry: Collecting eggs.

• Marlene: Receptionist for her father.

• Barbara: Running an "illegal" daycare at age 12.

• Chris Lieber (guest): Catching chickens.

• Jan Martin (guest): Working at a family car dealership.

CLUB BUSINESS

• Heartbeat Colorado Springs Grant: Benny introduced guest Joel Scherzman and presented him with a club grant. An additional donation of $435 — raised through member participation in the safari-themed anniversary celebration — was also awarded.

• Legislative Day at the State Capitol: Paula announced the club has been invited by Americans for Prosperity to attend a legislative day in March, with an opportunity to observe the session and meet with legislators.

• Urban Hard Enduro Motorcycle Race: Ryan McWilliams announced a unique motorcycle race in Pueblo featuring a course that runs through the Riverwalk, over train cars, and through a multi-story building. First prize: $25,000. The event will be live-streamed.

• Notable Member: Larry Gaddis recently published an op-ed in the Gazette Telegraph.

KEYNOTE: JAN MARTIN & CHRIS LIEBER — THE COS CREEK PLAN

Jan Martin and Chris Lieber presented the COS Creek Plan — a long-term initiative to restore and revitalize 12 miles of Monument and Fountain Creeks running through Colorado Springs.

Vision and Background

Pikes Peak Waterways, a non-profit organization, was formed to lead this effort in collaboration with the City of Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities, and the Stormwater Enterprise. The initiative was inspired by what other Front Range cities — Denver, Pueblo — have accomplished with their waterways, and seeded by funding from Lyda Hill Philanthropies.

More than 40 plans for the creeks had been developed over the decades; none were ever implemented. Chris Lieber provided historical context: after major floods in 1935 and 1965, the Civilian Conservation Corps channelized the creeks with concrete walls to move floodwater out of the city quickly. The construction of the railroad and I-25 through the corridor further isolated the waterways, turning them from community assets into what Chris described as an "alleyway." The COS Creek Plan aims to reverse that.

Goals and Strategy

The project is built on four interconnected goals:

• Restoring the natural functions of the creek — flood management, ecology, and natural "sinuosity."

• Connecting people to the water.

• Creating economic lift for surrounding communities.

• Expressing Colorado Springs' unique local identity.

A key achievement was securing a 20-year collaborative agreement with the City and Colorado Springs Utilities. The project is advancing through a "Section 203" feasibility study with the Army Corps of Engineers — a path that puts local partners in the driver's seat and is estimated to save nine years compared to the traditional federal process. The local entity funds 100% of the $3.8 million feasibility study cost in exchange for that control. The study is expected to be completed by mid-2027.

Scale and Federal Pathway

The total project is estimated at $1.8 billion over 20–25 years. The team's goal is to position the plan for inclusion in the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) in 2028 to request federal construction funding. The project has already been identified by the Assistant Secretary of the Army's office as one of the top ten priority water projects in the United States.

Long-term funding relies on capturing economic lift — increased property values and revenue from special improvement districts — rather than imposing new taxes on citizens.

Member Q&A Highlights

• Drake Power Plant: The decommissioning is a separate project, but the site falls within the 12-mile corridor and remains a subject for future conversations.

• Water Flow: The amount of water in the creek is slowly increasing due to imported water, treated wastewater releases, and "urban drool" from irrigation. New development detention requirements also create more sustained flows after rainstorms.

• Recreation: The area near America the Beautiful Park — with a 50-foot elevation drop — is a strong candidate for recreational activities such as paddleboarding.

• Water Quality: A formal agreement with Pueblo requires that water released from Colorado Springs meets specific cleanliness standards.

CONCLUSION

The importance of this project for Colorado Springs can hardly be overstated. As W. H. Auden wisely observed:

"Thousands have lived without love, not one without water."

— W. H. Auden

The Pikes Peak Club will be following this project closely.

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The Pikes Peak Club · pikespeakclub.com