Glen Eyrie Taking Precautions Against Flash Flooding
The impacts of the Waldo Canyon Fire include an increased threat for flash flooding and sediment flows. This has private properties doing what they can to mitigate the threat.
A team with representatives from multiple agencies walked the Glen Eyrie property Tuesday to assess problem areas and determine solutions.
“Our portion of the assessment is to go and look at the values at risk that are actually below the Forest Service land so that we can hopefully use [emergency watershed protection] to mitigate and keep that flooding from really affecting life and property,” said Greg Langer, district conservationist with National Resources Conservation Service.
Langer said his team looks at bridges, identifies choke points and structures that are near the drainage way.
Langer said his team will be preparing a damage survey, presenting this and potential mitigation solutions to properties at risk.
According to Langer, solutions include laying mulch or straw, digging sediment basins and laying sandbags. He said Glen Eyrie is an important property to protect, as runoff from this area could flow into surrounding neighborhoods, like Pleasant Valley.
“We’re looking at a lot of homes down below that, if we got the kid of flows that we could with that ‘perfect storm,’ then there could be a lot of homes that are under water,” said Langer.
Gary Cantwell, chief communication officer with the Navigators, said Glen Eyrie is taking every precaution to ensure they are prepared in the event of flash flooding.
“We’re working with a number of civil authorities to assess what the possibility of flooding is and taking very strong steps to make sure we’re prepared for that in case it happens,” said Cantwell.
Cantwell said they are very thankful the fire spared Glen Eyrie, adding that there were four engines dispersed across the property as the Waldo Canyon Fire burned.
“It’s amazingly back up to very good condition. If a guest came and spent time on our property, they really wouldn’t notice there had been a fire so we’re just very thankful that here’s one spot, like Garden of the Gods, that was protected from the fire,” said Cantwell.
According to Cantwell, Glen Eyrie is open with business as usual.
Heeding the advice of authorities, Glen Eyrie said the public hiking trails remain closed and will likely stay closed for several years.
