About Us


CLEAR Mission

The mission of CLEAR (formerly known as the Douglas County Stormwater Co-op) is to provide residents with efficient and effective stormwater management through:

  • Safeguarding the public welfare through the proper collection, conveyance, and storage of stormwater runoff in a non-damaging and non-life threatening manner.
  • Promoting compliance with all applicable water quality regulations related to stormwater runoff to the maximum extent practicable.
  • Working together to help maintain Municipally Separate Storm Sewer Systems in order to protect local creeks, rivers and lakes.
  • Protecting the overall water quality of the water resources.
  • Providing healthy and diverse natural habitats for flora and fauna in applicable drainageways and open spaces.
  • Continuing to implement programs to control sediment from construction activities, nutrient loading from urban areas, and phosphorus in the Cherry Creek and Chatfield Watersheds.
  • Promoting public understanding of stormwater quality issues.

CLEAR is the expanded communication and information vision of the Cooperative for Local Environmental Awareness & Responsibility.


CLEAR’s goals are simple. Promote public understanding of stormwater quality issues in and around Douglas County with a unified message across jurisdictions. CLEAR is a simple and strong public outreach message that can be seen in newspapers, on public advertising, and promotional materials connecting people to this website with all the information you need to protect stormwater quality. Beyond awareness, CLEAR encourages residents and business owners to take responsibility of our future of clean water and purposeful community involvement. We want you to know what to do and where to go for specific stormwater resources in your area.

The Douglas County Stormwater Co-op originated in 2000, when Douglas County and Highlands Ranch Metro District staff felt that working together on the Stormwater Phase II Permit would be an effective way to create a successful partnership among entities. The original members of the Co-op group were Douglas County, Town of Castle Rock, Town of Parker, City of Lone Tree, Highlands Ranch Metro District, Castle Pines Metro District, Castle Pines North Metro District, Stonegate and Lincoln Park Metro Districts, Inverness Water and Sanitation District, Douglas County School District, Arapahoe County, and Arapahoe County Water and Wastewater Authority. Since its origination, other groups including SPLASH, SEMSWA, Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners, Heritage Hills Metro District, and Meridian Metro District have joined and contributed to the Co-op.

The Co-op encouraged sharing of resources, ideas, and creating a unified voice in working with State regulators and the public. Around the same time the Co-op was created, the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District was putting together a statewide stormwater group, which assisted the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment - Water Quality Control Division in developing the State Phase II Permitting Program. Co-op members were important contributors to the UDFCD/WQCD Stormwater Phase II Permitting Program, particularly with respect to identifying and meeting permit conditions and requirements.

We are constantly striving to provide clear, concise information to our residents and visitors-because clean waterways save money and protect the environment. By working together, we can keep our waterways safe for everyone.

One thing is CLEAR: our creeks, rivers and lakes depend on you.