Clear Creek, CO
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Clear Creek in Colorado · Population: 9,358
TRI sites such as Climax Molybdenum Co-Henderson Mine; Elam Clear Creek Batch Plant; SDWIS systems such as EVERGREEN MD; IDAHO SPRINGS CITY OF; GEORGETOWN TOWN OF; NPL sites such as Central City, Clear Creek anchor Clear Creek, CO's EPA extract. Derived burden score 45/100 (Moderate Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Clear Creek include HOMESTEAD WC; EMPIRE TOWN OF; SILVER PLUME TOWN OF, while Climax Molybdenum Co-Henderson Mine leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 49 / peak 136 in 2024.
Burden score 45/100 (Moderate Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Clear Creek -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Clear Creek, CO: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
+37.5%
1 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
+37.5%
2.4 million lb → 3.4 million lb, every facility that filed
- Clear Creek, CO's total reported releases rose from 2.4 million lb in 2022 to 3.4 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Clear Creek, CO's water releases rose from 21.0 thousand lb in 2022 to 32.0 thousand lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Clear Creek, CO's land releases rose from 1.0 million lb in 2022 to 1.5 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Clear Creek, CO's off-site transfers rose from 1.4 million lb in 2022 to 1.8 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 202 (58%) | 139 | 10 | 136 |
| 2023 | 204 (57%) | 147 | 8 | 136 |
| 2022 | 244 (68%) | 110 | 5 | 126 |
| 2021 | 206 (58%) | 127 | 22 | 154 |
| 2020 | 140 (59%) | 87 | 10 | 156 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Colorado, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (9)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| EVERGREEN MD | 15,750 | 0 |
| IDAHO SPRINGS CITY OF | 10,432 | 0 |
| GEORGETOWN TOWN OF | 5,315 | 0 |
| HOMESTEAD WC | 1,000 | 45 |
| EMPIRE TOWN OF | 500 | 42 |
| SILVER PLUME TOWN OF | 180 | 10 |
| MILL CREEK WIA | 67 | 15 |
| CRAGMONT WC | 50 | 15 |
| ARAPAHOE MHP | 27 | 2 |
TRI Facilities (2)
| # | Facility | Total Releases |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Climax Molybdenum Co-Henderson Mine | 15.5M lbs |
| 2 | Elam Clear Creek Batch Plant | 4 lbs |
Superfund Sites (1)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| Central City, Clear Creek | NPL Site | 51.39 |
Cities in Clear Creek (6)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Clear Creek, Colorado? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Clear Creek? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Clear Creek? ▼
What is the air quality in Clear Creek? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Clear Creek? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Clear Creek? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.