Warm Springs Wetlands History

Warm Springs Wetlands lies in an intermountain basin in central Colorado. Melting snow in the mountains to the west seeps through limestone and other rocks to create globally-significant calcareous wetlands (fens). Over the past 10,000 years, peat (the partially decomposed remains of plants) has accumulated in these fens. Several decades ago, peat from Warm Springs Wetlands was mined for use as a soil amendment.

Warm Springs Wetlands is critical to The Nature Conservancy's efforts to conserve nearby High Creek Fen, which it owns and manages. Warm Springs Wetlands LLC purchased the 198-acre Warm Springs Wetlands site and established a wetland mitigation bank.