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The inherent beauty of the Canyon setting intrinsic to a large portion of the Big
Thompson Watershed is very evident in the Drake area, the location of the
confluence of the North Fork and Big Thompson Rivers.
This beauty, coupled with the Canyon's ease of access and close proximity to major
urban areas, has resulted in land use patterns similar to those found in many other areas
of scenic Colorado. Over the past 100 years, many areas that were once rural and
largely pristine have been developed for both residential and commercial ventures.
Individual residences, motels, campgrounds, gift shops, and other commercial facilities dot
the river front areas along major stretches of the Big Thompson River, offering living,
recreational, and employment opportunities to thousands of people. The Drake area has
a conglomerate of such uses and is a good example of a canyon watershed area being
utilized for many different purposes.
In addition to offering spectacular visual settings, the Big Thompson River provides
a variety of benefits to Canyon residents and visitors. Shallow wells and springs are
often directly influenced in both quantity and quality by actual river flows. Irrigation
rights are sometimes obtained by residents to utilize river water for property and
livestock watering. The river also affords alpine type landscaping amenities to river front
lot owners. River recreation opportunities abound in the form of fishing, sight seeing,
tubing, photography, and other activities.
Man's daily activities in the Canyon have
direct influences on the water quality of the River.
Common practices, such as routine pumping of septic tanks, proper sealed vault
and privy maintenance, and assuring that waste water is properly treated
and disposed of are important water quality enhancers. Proper trash containers,
soil erosion prevention practices, noxious weed control, and other sound environmental control
practices are important considerations which should be implemented by all canyon residents. |
