Fountain Valley News - Your Hometown Community Newspaper

Recently several people have asked why the water level in one of the ponds at Willow Springs Ponds has been so low.

The photos here were taken on Sept. 13 and show the water level well below the usual.

There has been speculation that it was drained intentionally, or that it has something to do with the discovery that fish there have been contaminated with PFAS.

According to El Paso County officials, the answer is neither of those possibilities.

"We are aware of the water level in the southern pond at Willow Springs Ponds," said Amy Jo Fields, a county communications and marketing specialist. "Water levels often fluctuate due to a variety of circumstances. There is no correlation between PFAS and the water level."

However, no exact reason for the low level was identified.

"We are exploring long-term solutions for maintaining consistent water levels in both ponds," she said.

A popular local fishing hole tucked just off of Hwy. 85-87 and Mesa Ridge Parkway, Willow Springs Ponds has experienced more than one contamination over the years.

Karin Hill

Most recently, it was announced in April that certain types of PFAS chemicals - specifically PFOS - were discovered in fish samples from these waters. PFAS in firefighting foam used by the U.S. Air Force contaminated local groundwater, a discovery made widely known in 2016. However, the study to look for PFAS in these ponds was only completed recently.

After the study results were released, the county advised people not to consume fish caught in these waters.

Do you have questions about oddities around the community that you want answered here? Can we help figure out something that's been bothering you? Email us at [email protected] or call 382-5611, and maybe we can address these issues in our

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