DRAFT

The Natural Resources & Environment in Adams County include active and passive open space, agricultural lands, surface and groundwater sources, ecological resources, wildlife habitat, energy, and mineral resources. Conservation and preservation of resources are seen as one of the most important means of reducing our impact on the natural environment. Through a variety of strategies, the county aims to protect habitat, manage water resources and air quality, reduce impacts on the environment by ensuring responsible development and resource extraction, and promote climate resiliency.

Some of the most significant natural areas in the region are located within Adams County. Barr Lake State Park is a 2,715-acre wildlife preserve located southeast of the City of Brighton. Riverdale Regional Park is the only regional park in the county that is not state or federally operated and serves as an ecological asset, recreational location, and destination for environmental education. Formerly a chemical weapons manufacturing center, Rocky Mountain Arsenal is now a wildlife refuge comprised of almost 16,000 acres and home to a variety of birds and a bison herd. Several large rivers and creeks run through Adams County, creating wildlife corridors and unique habitats for a diverse assortment of flora and fauna. Clear Creek runs from the Continental Divide, carrying snow melt yearround, to its confluence with the South Platte River, which also originates in the mountains. The South Platte River is the principal source of water for eastern Colorado.