MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report
Transcript of MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report
![Page 1: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
2021
CLEAR CREEK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
Final Report October 2021
![Page 2: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
P a g e | 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
RECAP OF THE 2021 SUMMER SEASON ………………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Economy ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4
Public Health Restrictions ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4
Weather.……………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………. 4
City Expenses Related to Clear Creek Management..………………………………………………………. 4
SAFETY AND WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES …………………………………………………………………… 5
Water Safety ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 5
Water Rescue Operations …………………………………………………………………………………………….… 7
Safety Equipment ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 8
CLEAR CREEK TRAIL MANAGEMENT ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
PARKING & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT …………………………………………………………………………………….. 10
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING ………………………………………………………………………………………. 11
BEHAVIORAL RULES AND ENFORCEMENT ……………………………………………………………………………... 12
Enforcement ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT …………………………………………………………………………………………. 13
CLEAR CREEK SURVEY FEEDBACK …………………………………………………………………………………………… 14
STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION …………………………………………………………………………… 15
APPENDIX A ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 18
![Page 3: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
P a g e | 3
This Report is intended to recap the City’s efforts related to management of the Clear Creek corridor
for the 2021 summer tourism season as well as summarize observations and data collected
throughout the summer by City staff.
This report follows the 2021 Clear Creek Management Strategies: Mid-Summer Report issued on July
26, 2021. That report should be referenced for discussion of the specific strategies identified for
implementation in 2021. In summarizing the entire summer season, this report will offer narrative,
observations, and data, collected throughout the season that reflect on the effectiveness of the
various strategies. It will also provide recommendations on additional areas for review prior to the
2022 summer tourism season.
OVERALL RECAP OF THE 2021 SUMMER SEASON
Following on the heels of a strong first half, the 2021 summer tourism season has turned out to be
one of the busiest in recent memory. A rebounding and robust local economy, the loosing of COVID-
19 public health restrictions, and ideal summer weather, have all contributing to a strong tourism
season in Golden.
Introduction
![Page 4: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
P a g e | 4
ECONOMY1
The local Golden economy has quickly bounced back from the downturn associated with the COVID-
19 pandemic. The most recent sales tax revenue reports (August collections) indicate a strong local
economy, including in downtown Golden.
Overall, sales tax revenue is up 30.8% for the month when compared to 2020. Compared to the same
month in 2019 (pre-pandemic), sales tax is up 12.6%. Downtown Golden sales tax revenues are up
42.6% compared to 2020 and up 10.3% compared to 2019.
In those sectors that are strongly influenced by travel and tourism, sales tax revenue has gained
impressively. Revenue associated with general merchandise is up 29.3%. Sales tax associated with
restaurants is up 51.99%. Revenue attributable to accommodations is up 84.4%.
PUBLIC HEALTH RESTRICTIONS
The Jefferson County Public Health Department (JCPH) loosened mask and public gathering
restrictions in May as JCPH entered level “Clear” on the COVID-19 public health guidelines dial,
essentially a situational monitoring stage lasting throughout the summer season. Locally, the City of
Golden lifted its Declaration of Local Emergency in June. Throughout the summer, as increasing
number of individuals received vaccinations against COVID-19, the public at large seemingly grew
more comfortable with gathering in groups and going about their lives in a more normal fashion.
IDEAL WEATHER FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION
Summer 2021 was a relatively hot and dry season, which contributed to individuals seeking outdoor
recreation opportunities, including those that allowed for relief from the heat.
From a weather perspective, in the 99 days
between Memorial Day (May 31) and Labor
Day (Sept 6), a total of 75 days (75.8%)
recorded a temperature of 85 degrees or
higher; 55 days (55.6%) have had a high
temperature of 90 degrees or more, and 6
days (6.1%) saw highs of 100 degrees or
more.2 Generally, warm temperatures fell on
weekends throughout the summer when activity is at its busiest levels.
CITY EXPENSES RELATED TO CREEK MANAGEMENT
Historically, City expenses related to Clear Creek management activities are dispersed throughout the
City’s general fund budget, spanning multiple different departments. While those expenses have
been minimal over the years, they have grown commensurate with the increase in resources needed
to manage growing activity in the corridor.
1 August 2021 City of Golden Monthly Sales Tax Report 2 Data as reported from the metro area’s official weather observation site at Denver International Airport via Weather.com.
Source: 9news.com
Warmest Summers on Record in Denver
Average Temperature Year
1 76.3 2012
2 75.0 2020
3 74.6 2021
4 74.5 2006
5 74.5 1934
![Page 5: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
P a g e | 5
During 2021, the City initiated several new or enhanced efforts in an attempt to address key issues
related to recreational and visitor impact in the Clear Creek corridor. As noted above, these efforts
do not come without a cost, however.
The table below summarizes direct costs (e.g. labor and equipment) deployed during 2021 that were
dedicated to Clear Creek management. The summary below does not include staff time of various
senior management personnel that was spent on planning, directing, reviewing, and organizing the
implementation of the various activities related to the City’s efforts. In 2021, the City spent a total of
$348,021 on creek management activities.
2021 Activity
One-time Capital Cost
Operational Costs
Technology
Analytics Project Implementation $236,500
Police Department
Patrols (Officers, Rangers, Code Enforcement) $78,149
Equipment (Message boards, E-bikes, etc.) $11,965
Public Works
Pavement Markings $1,802
Traffic Control (9th Street) $526
Parks & Recreation
Ambassador Program $9,514
Maintenance (trash, restrooms, repairs, etc.) $7,942
Fire Department
Monitoring Activity $1,413
Rescue Operations $210
TOTAL $238,302 $109,719
SAFETY AND WATER MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES
WATER SAFETY
Perhaps one of the biggest changes related to safety made in 2021 was the implementation of a flag
warning system related to water conditions in the creek. This system was implemented based on 1)
the Clear Creek Working Group’s discussion; 2) previous experience in performing swift water
rescues; and 3) consistency with Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office safety measures, which govern in
unincorporated areas of Clear Creek just west of Golden city limits.
![Page 6: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
P a g e | 6
Flags are displayed based on flow conditions (feet3/second) as follows:
Double Red (Complete Closure to all Users) is based on unsafe conditions as a result of flow, debris
in water, water temperature, contaminants, and other emergency and public safety factors. This
condition is declared at the discretion of the Chief of Police.
Large flags and the warning system signs are displayed at the following
locations: Ford Street bridge, Washington Avenue bridge, Billy Drew
Bridge (Illinois St), Pedestrian Bridge at 6th Avenue, and the creek beach
area. Additional signs were added in the corridor in July to add to the
overall visibility of the system.
The flag warning system has generally been received well by the general
public. Both Park Rangers and Creek Ambassadors report positive
interactions with members of the public regarding this new warning
system and there is a greater awareness of safety related to water
conditions.
The Golden Police Chief is responsible for declaring the conditions under which the creek operates3.
During the 99-day summer season, Clear Creek operated under Level Red for 23 days until June 23rd,
at which time water flows dropped consistently below 900 CFS. Level Yellow was in place from June
23rd to July 13 and then again on August 4th and 5th, for a total of 22 days. Level Green totaled 54
days.
3 As a practical matter, the warning flag system is not changed from Red to Yellow, for example, at the first flow dip
below 900 CFS. Instead, the flow rate must consistently be below 900 CFS for the level to move from Red to Yellow.
Since the CFS flow in the creek typically ebbs and flows on a daily basis, especially early in the season, when the
change is made from Red to Yellow, the actual flow rate is likely to be fluctuating somewhere between 700 CFS and
900 CFS throughout the day.
WARNING SYSTEM Water Flow (Ft.3/Sec.)
Warning Color
0-299 Green
300-899 Yellow
900+ Red
Flag system installed at Washington Avenue bridge
![Page 7: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
P a g e | 7
Commercial tube rental operations began in earnest on June 19th and continued for the duration of
the summer season (indicated by bold dates), totaling 80 days. Daily water safety conditions during
summer 2021 were as follows:
23 out of 99 days (23.2%)
22 out of 99 days (22.2%)
54 out of 99 days (54.5%)
WATER RESCUE OPERATIONS
The Golden Fire Department is the primary agency responsible for conducting water rescues within
Clear Creek. To better understand the effect that this warning system has on the safety of Clear Creek
users and swift water rescue operations, in 2021, the Golden Fire Department began tracking creek
conditions at the time rescue operations take place.
During the 2021 summer season, a total of six rescue operations were performed along the creek
within the municipal boundaries of Golden. Details of these rescues are as follows:
GFD RESCUE OPERATIONS IN CLEAR CREEK
Date Time of
Day Location CFS
Flag Color
Comment
June 5 11:38 am Near ball fields 700 Adult flipped tube and reported missing. Later found walking creek path.
June 5 2:08 pm Near Dam on Clear Creek
670 Child in water; reported went over dam. Child found safe.
June 20 4:59 pm Near Gold Apartments
549 Adult reported stuck on river after leaving shoreline. Person self rescued & GFD was cleared.
June 22 12:41 pm Near RV Park 504 Adult flipped inner tube and stranded on shore; made verbal contact with Park Rngr; GFD assisted extrication with ropes.
July 9 12:04 pm Near Vanover park
305 GFD made contact with tubers on land and escorted them for medical evaluation. No injuries.
August 6 3:17 pm 1300 10th Street (near whitewater park)
216
Male child (age 10) reported floating face down in creek. Bystanders pulled child out of water to safety. Child was breathing and alert when GFD arrived on scene. Parent refused add’l medical attention.
Source: Golden Fire Department
![Page 8: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
P a g e | 8
While the majority of creek rescues (4 out of 6) in 2021 occurred while the warning system was at
Level Red, rescues were still performed during Level Yellow and even Level Green, indicating that the
water can be inherently dangerous at any condition, especially for younger individuals. It should also
be noted that, in addition to emergency rescue operations performed by the Fire Department, Golden
Park Rangers have documented 62 instances of assisting individuals related to water safety or water
rescues.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Personal flotation devices (commonly known as PFD) and personal protective equipment (PPE) for
water recreation typically come in the form of life vests, inflatable arm bands, and helmets. Prior to
the start of the summer season, there was significant discussion amongst the Clear Creek Working
Group whether PFD/PPE should be mandated or required. Ultimately, the Chiefs of Golden’s public
safety departments determined that such devices should be encouraged and highly recommended,
but not mandated.
From July 29th through September 6th, City staff collected information and data related to tubers in
the creek and the level of PFD/PPE worn by tubers in the water. A total of 21 observation days were
recorded in 30-minute intervals and data collected by City staff that included day/time, total tubers,
tubers with PFD/PPE, temperature, and water flow. As data was collected, City staff observed
individuals typically in one of the following states:
▪ Not wearing or carrying any visible PFD/PPE
▪ Carrying, but not properly wearing, visible PFD/PPE
▪ Wearing some for form or combination of PFD/PPE
For purposes of data collection, individuals were identified as either wearing PFD/PPE (any form), not
wearing PFD/PPE, or improperly carrying PFD/PPE (e.g. attaching a life jacket to the inner tube).
Data recorded during the 21 observation days is summarized in the table below:
TUBER PFD/ PPE OBSERVATIONS
Golden Temp
DIA Temp
Creek CFS
Total Tubers
Tubers with PFD
Tubers w/o PFD
Tubers with
improper PFD
Percentage of PFD
compliance
Average 81F 85F 120 154 34 120 1 31%
Ranges of each data point:
High 90F 96F 285 321 91 264 5 92%
Low 72F 74F 96 25 4 2 0 6%
![Page 9: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
P a g e | 9
City staff analyzed the data to determine if relationships exist that could inform future policy direction
regarding tuber safety and the overall use of the creek by tubers in general. It is worth noting that
human behavior is difficult to statistically predict and the confidence of our conclusions is somewhat
limited by the sample size. Nevertheless, based on the data collected and City staff observations over
the 21 days, it is reasonable to conclude:
▪ A positive relationship exists between higher temperatures and the number of tubers
regardless of the day of the week. While that seems intuitive, it is interesting that there
appears to be a stronger relationship based on the temperatures at Denver International
Airport than those in Golden (Golden is generally recognized to be slightly cooler than the
rest of the metro area). This would support the notion that higher temperatures in Denver
drive people to seek relief at higher elevations near the foothills and, in particular, Clear
Creek.
▪ No confident relationship exists between the rate of water flow (CFS) and the number of
tubers wearing PFD. The water rate decreased as the season went on, yet the use of PFD by
tubers did not either increase or decrease with changes in the flow rate.
▪ A negative relationship exists between the total number of tubers and the PFD usage. As the
number of tubers on the creek increases, the percentage of those users wearing PFD falls.
PFD compliance was generally higher on weekdays than weekend which is when use of the
creek was lower.
▪ Total volume of tubers using Clear Creek has historically been captured by observation and
estimate which tended to vary greatly depending on who was being asked and their
perception of what constitutes “busy” or “crowded.” The data collected during the height of
the tubing season establishes a baseline average rate of tubers using the creek at 154 in 30
minutes or, expressed differently, 308 tubers per hour or 5.1 tubers per minute. This of
course does not capture all of the activity along the banks of the creek or on the trails adjacent
to the creek. The highest rate observed was 642 per hour (10.7/minute); with the lowest
being 50 per hour (0.8 per minute).
▪ Another point of general debate has been the degree to which tubers wear PFD/PPE. Again,
this historically was captured by observation and, depending on the observer, often relayed
as “nobody wears a life vest” or “everybody was wearing a life vest” or “about half and half.”
The data collected establishes a baseline average of 31% of tubers were recorded as wearing
PFD/PPE during the 10.5 total hours of data collection. Lastly, it is worth noting despite no
specific data available to confirm, that staff observed younger individuals (those in their
teenage years or younger) were the most likely to be wearing PFD/PPE, especially if they were
tubing alongside an adult.
Appendix A of this report includes the raw data collected from the 21 observation days.
![Page 10: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
P a g e | 10
CLEAR CREEK TRAIL MANAGEMENT
Significant actions taken in 2021 regarding trail management included:
▪ Directing tubers to utilize the north side
of Clear Creek for the purpose of
avoiding conflicts with other users,
namely cyclists, who were directed to the
south side trail. Temporary directional
signs were installed at strategic locations
throughout the corridor.
▪ Directing tubers to utilize the
Washington Avenue bridge underpass to
avoid creating traffic congestion at street
level.
▪ Improved pedestrian crossing on Ford Street from Vanover Park to Water Street. A painted
crosswalk and centerline sign prominently mark the crossing on the south side of the
intersection.
PEAKS TO PLAINS TRAIL OPENING
On August 25th, the Peaks to Plains trail segment immediately west of Golden opened to the general
public. This trail segment connects Golden (at US Hwy 6) west to Tunnel 1 in the Clear Creek canyon and
is part of a larger 60+ mile project connecting the front range metro area to the mountains. The opening
of this particular segment is expected to grow in popularity in future years, particuarly with cyclists riding
through Golden to reach regional destinations to the east and west.
PARKING & TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
In order to reduce the impact of visitor traffic to the corridor on local residential neighborhoods, the
City of Golden focused its 2021 efforts on controlling access to the 9th Street Neighborhood and
directing traffic to alternate free parking options. Electronic message boards were utilized during
peak times to direct traffic to parking areas on the east end of the 10th Street corridor. Directions to
free parking options were included on the Clear Creek Information website. Additionally, the Golden
Police Department provided enhanced parking enforcement in the 9th Street Neighborhood.
Generally, 9th Street neighborhood closures were implemented at the conclusion of the Golden
Farmer’s Market (approx. 1:00 p.m.) and closures lasted through the weekend. Vendors to the
Golden Farmer’s market were given access to the City’s snow lot at 11th Street & Illinois.
![Page 11: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
P a g e | 11
The City received some positive feedback from residents of the 9th Street neighborhood indicating
the neighborhood was not inundated with cars as in past years. However, it was noted that much of
the traffic that might have otherwise circulated in the neighborhood was confined to 10th Street,
creating additional burden on the already heavily travelled street. The City received some negative
feedback from 10th Street residents indicating typical issues associated with heavy user volume (i.e.
blocking of driveways, congestion, etc.)
COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING
Utilizing an established Visit Golden platform, a creek information web portal was established in 2021
to provide resources for visitors interested in tubing in Clear Creek. It included information regarding
water safety, rules, restrictions, where to locate free parking, and more. The website included the
current water warning flag color and an explanation of the warning flag system.
The newly established creek information webpage received significant visitation throughout the
summer season. Specific data collected is summarized below.
▪ During the 3-month summer season, the creek information webpage was visited a total of
18,341 times, with an average time viewing the page of 2 minutes and 16 seconds.
▪ Most webpage visitors located the site through a search engine, although numerous methods
of locating the page were utilized: Organic search (77.05%); Direct (10.18%); Referral (7.49%);
Paid Search (4.08%); Social Media (1.02%); Not collected (0.18%).
▪ Top Locations from which webpage visitors searched for the site: Denver (34.15%); Lakewood
(9.08%); Dallas (5.41%); Aurora (3.40%); and Arvada (3.08%).
![Page 12: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
P a g e | 12
In addition, signs throughout the corridor related to creek safety and creek flows were posted in
English and Spanish, in an effort to make rules and regulations clear to non-English speakers.
Temporary directional signage was installed to assist visitors, cyclists, and others, in navigating the
Clear Creek corridor. The City Manager’s Office is recommending a significant expenditure in 2022
and 2023 related to wayfinding signage throughout downtown, including the Clear Creek corridor.
This improvement would provide consistency in messages and appearance for those unfamiliar with
the area.
BEHAVIORIAL RULES & ENFORCEMENT
The role of park rule enforcement primarily falls to the Golden Police Department’s eight (8) Park
Rangers, supplemented by patrol from sworn police officers. Park Rangers were deployed seven days
per week between 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., with a heavier presence on weekends. Park Rangers
generally work on foot in a specified sector. In 2021, Park Rangers began using environmentally
friendly e-bikes to more efficiently and effectively patrol the corridor and to be able to more quickly
respond to concerns.
Also, beginning in late June, the City hired four (4) Clear Creek Ambassadors through the City’s Parks
and Recreation Department, whose mission was to assist visitors with directions, information about
Golden, creek education, and friendly rule reminders. Ambassadors generally worked weekend days
(i.e. Friday-Sunday) and were stationed near the Billy Drew Bridge and beach area.
Lastly, related to enforcement, the Golden Fire Department assigned an inspector to work
Wednesday through Saturday in part to assist with parking citations within their area of authority,
namely fire lane and hydrant violations.
ENFORCEMENT
Overall enforcement activity consists of responding to calls for service, making self-initiated contacts,
and the issuance of citations, where necessary. Park Rangers are strongly encouraged to make self-
initiated contacts, seeking compliance and education first, over punishment. Rangers are encouraged
to issue citations particularly to repeat offenders, yet retain a significant amount of discretion on
whether a citation is appropriate tool for dealing with the situation at hand.
The following summarizes Park Ranger enforcement activity in 2021, both contacts/ calls for service
and citations:
![Page 13: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
P a g e | 13
PARK RANGER ACTIVITY: CONTACTS/ CALLS FOR SERVICE & CITATIONS
Type Number % of Total Citations % of Total
Smoking 448 12.9% 4 0.7%
Dogs off Leash Law 518 14.9% 0 0.0%
Alcohol 1,174 33.7% 35 6.5%
Water Rescue 62 1.8% 0 0.0%
Grills/BBQ/Fires 143 4.1% 3 0.6%
Parking 470 13.5% 495 91.8%
All other Park Rules 670 19.2% 2 0.4%
TOTAL Contacts 3,485 539
Source: Golden Police Department
From the above data, Park Rangers issued citations on 15.5% of all calls for service (539 out of 3,485)
or about 1 out of every 6 contacts made. Parking and alcohol violations made up the vast majority
of citations issued. Approximately 82% of the contacts made were self-initiated by Park Rangers, with
the remaining 18% constituting calls from service received through Jeffcom 9-1-1 dispatch.
As to time of year, the following shows the distribution of calls and citations throughout the summer:
CONTACTS/CALLS FOR SERVICE & CITATIONS BY MONTH
10.5
May June July August September
Contacts/Calls 128 956 1,285 864 252
Percent 3.7% 27.4% 36.9% 24.8% 7.2%
Citations 5 81 245 158 50
Percent 0.9% 15.0% 45.5% 29.3% 9.3%
Citation Type
Parking 4 76 235 135 45
Other 1 5 10 23 5 Source: Golden Police Department
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
With the increased volume of people utilizing the Clear Creek corridor, trash and the overall
cleanliness of the corridor, including restrooms, continues to be an issue. City staff typically collects
trash twice daily on weekends within the corridor. While generally this frequency may be sufficient,
it has been noted that during extremely busy times, such as the Independence Day weekend, trash
receptacles are often overwhelmed.
![Page 14: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
P a g e | 14
Additionally, it has been noted that current restroom capacity can also be overwhelmed, causing
cleanliness issues. In late summer, the City of Golden identified a contracted cleaning service in order
to provide more frequent cleaning.
CLEAR CREEK FEEDBACK
Beginning August 11TH and lasting through September 13th, the City of Golden
solicited feedback from residents and visitors related to their experience in
the Clear Creek corridor. Access to the survey was online and a link to the
survey was posted on the City’s website. Signs throughout the Clear Creek
corridor broadly advertised the survey. Additionally, information regarding
the survey also appeared in the September edition of the Golden Informer.
The survey asked a total of 17 questions aimed at understanding what elements of the corridor were
successful, which elements needed improvement, and the behavioral trends of creek users.
A total of 1,372 survey responses were received by the close of the survey. Of those that responded
to the survey, 996 (72.6%) were from residents of Golden. The remaining responses, 376 (27.4%)
were from visitors to Golden.
In general terms, more than half (55.5%) of respondents had visited the creek corridor on the
weekend. Residents of Golden were more likely to visit the creek corridor for its trail while visitors
to Golden were more likely to visit the corridor for water activities. Visitors to the corridor had a very
high satisfaction with their experience, while residents expressed a greater degree of dissatisfaction.
Overall, results were positive but there exists a clear divide between what the residents and visitors
want and expect of their experience in the corridor.
The following questions asked respondents to provide a rating on a scale of 1 (negative experience)
to 5 (positive experience):
CLEAR CREEK CORRIDOR EXPERIENCE
Average Rating from Golden Residents
Average Rating from Visitors
Average Rating from All Respondents
Q Overall Rating of the Clear Creek Experience
3.5 4.7 3.8
Q Overall Rating of Public Restroom Facilities
3.3 3.8 3.5
Q Overall Rating of Signage in the Clear Creek corridor
3.8 4.3 3.9
Q Overall Rating of Availability & Cleanliness of Trash Receptacles
3.5 4.4 3.7
Q Overall Rating of the Availability of Parking
3.1 4.2 3.4
![Page 15: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
P a g e | 15
Other questions probed more specifics. Among the most common responses were:
Q: Factors that make the Clear Creek Corridor a positive experience:
▪ Ease of creek access.
▪ Prominence and location of adjacent trails.
Q: Factors that make the Clear Creek Corridor a negative experience:4
▪ Large crowds
▪ Trash/Litter
▪ On-water activities
▪ Rude crowds
▪ Lack of enforcement
Q: Do people coming to visit the Clear Creek corridor spend money in downtown Golden:
▪ 69.4% of respondents indicated that they did spend money in downtown Golden.
▪ 70% of Visitor respondents indicated that they spent money in downtown Golden.
▪ 65% of Visitors that spent money in downtown Golden spent more than $50.
▪ 31% of Visitors that spent money in downtown Golden spent more than $100.
Q: How do tubers supply their tube:
▪ 46% of tubers rented a tube from a Golden rental company.
▪ 43% of tubers supplied their own tube.
▪ 5.3% of tubers bought a tube in Golden.
▪ 5.8% of respondents that participated in tubing did not specify.
STRATEGIES FOR FUTURE REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION
Throughout the course of the 2021 summer season, City staff engaged in continuous weekly review
of observations and data collected throughout the season. As part of that effort, staff developed a
list of additional strategies that the City should review and consider for future implementation to
address specific identified issues. This section highlights these potential strategies (in no specific
order of importance).
1. Additional consideration should be given to measures that enhance bicycle safety and reduce
speed in the corridor. It was observed that faster moving e-bicycles often created conflicts
with slower moving pedestrian traffic. Electronic bicycle rentals have become more prevalent
and the Peaks to Plains trail will likely generate additional regional traffic. Measures could
include:
a. Establishment of a bicycle dismount zone in conflict prone areas.
b. Posting and enforcement of speed limits for bicycles.
4 These factors were mainly identified by Golden residents. Visitors mostly indicated that nothing contributed to a negative experience.
![Page 16: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
P a g e | 16
2. Consideration should be given to the utilization of Conservation Trust Fund dollars for
maintenance and cleanup of Clear Creek. This funding could assist the City with more
frequent trash collection and cleanup efforts.
3. Consideration should be given to the establishment of a fee on the rental of tubes. Much of
the management activities and related City costs are specifically connected to tubing activity
on Clear Creek. This fee could potentially help fund current and additional Clear Creek
management strategies.
4. An assessment of Clear Creek rescue data should be conducted and consideration should be
given to whether CFS levels associated with the warning system require an adjustment in
future years.
5. An evaluation should occur of existing parking regulations in the Clear Creek corridor and a
determination of whether additional parking regulations, parking fees, or parking prohibitions
are needed, particularly in the 10th Street corridor.
6. Throughout the summer, it was noted that volume of activity was at some of the highest
levels experienced in recent years. Consideration should be given to measures that regulate
the overall number of users in the Clear Creek corridor. Such measures could include:
a. Restrict tubers to odd or even calendar days to limit volume on the creek and allow
for more passive use days.
b. Implement a reservation system a prohibit of maximum cap of users at any give time.
7. Consideration should be given to improving water safety by prohibiting multi-chamber
vessels (i.e. air mattresses) that don’t meet certain safety standards.
8. Consideration should be given to mitigating trash and environmental degradation by
prohibiting cups, bottles, and other canisters from being utilized while in the water. It was
noted that empty cans and water bottles are often found floating along creek banks.
9. Review pedestrian crossings at Ford Street & Water Street and Washington Avenue at the
Visitor’s Center crossing to improve safety and overall traffic flow. It was often noted that
pedestrians crossing at these locations can cause traffic backups along N. Washington and
Ford Street. Measures could include:
a. Crossing guards during peak times.
b. Eliminating the northbound Ford Street left turn lane onto Water Street.
c. Constructing pedestrian refuge island at Ford & Water.
10. Create a cost center in the City’s annual budget related to Creek management and
enforcement to better track overall costs to the City.
11. Consideration should be given to constructing a hardened tube take out point at Vanover
Park. Vanover Parks has experienced degradation along the creek due to the volume of users.
12. An assessment of more effective enforcement strategies should be conducted. On numerous
occasions, City staff noted enforcement challenges due to overall volume of corridor users,
outright and open disregard for rules and regulations, and difficulty of enforcing rule
violations that occur in the water. Among items for consideration should include:
a. Number of City personnel required to effectively enforce regulations.
b. Type of City personnel that are assigned enforcement responsibilities. Currently
enforcement falls to season Park Ranger personnel. Perhaps uniformed Code
Enforcement Officers might represent a more effective strategy.
![Page 17: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
P a g e | 17
13. One of the things noted frequently by those that were issued alcohol citations is the lack of
such a prohibition in similar settings in nearby areas, such as Denver and Englewood. As such,
consideration should be given to:
a. Additional education efforts to visitors regarding alcohol regulations.
b. Evaluation of whether Golden regulations should be consistent with other similar
recreational areas. In other words, should the focus of City enforcement be on
possession of alcohol or on behavior caused by over consumption of alcohol?
![Page 18: MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES Final Report](https://reader033.fdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022041903/6254c37f1b053d15343af719/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
P a g e | 18
APPENDIX A