Incoming storm requires post-fire flood preparations
An incoming storm system is expected to generate quite a bit of rainfall by midweek.
Some computer models are suggesting more than 1 inch of rain could fall over the Waldo Canyon burn scar, prompting flash flooding concerns for Wednesday and Thursday.
With many homes in the potential path of mudslides and flash floods, the Coalition of the Upper South Platte is stepping in.
Lisa Patton, CUSP volunteer coordinator, said it is important to get these last-minute preparations in place before it is too late.
Patton said in light of pending rain, she put together a team of volunteers to prepare and place sandbags around one particular home that Patton says is located in a gulch susceptible to flooding and slides near Ute Pass.
“Over the next few days, what’s a dry wash right now could easily be a river … it will take out vegetation. It will take out structures. It could take out wells, septics, culverts and highways,” said Patton.
Behind the home, erosion alongside the mountain has already been caused by rain earlier this summer. Patton showed KRDO Newschannel 13 an area of erosion that suggested the water would have been over her head during that event.
Patton said her team encountered several residents who had not realize the severity of the situation and who had not taken the appropriate precautions. She said she wants people to know help is available for those who need it.
Assistance can be received by contacting the Natural Resources Conservation Services, the Coalition of the Upper South Platte or community leaders.
CUSP stresses the importance of preparation and having a plan.
It told KRDO Newschannel 13 that residents who live in flood-prone areas should have an evacuation plan and always keep a bag packed with important documents, valuables, medications and other necessary items in the event of a slide or flood.
CUSP also wants to remind residents that it is important to get up in elevation. It said sometimes this cannot be achieved by car, adding that sometimes driving along a road can lead the vehicle and passengers through ditches, right into the path of the flood. CUSP said if needed, residents should climb or walk to higher elevations.
Experts told KRDO Newschannel 13 they advise residents living near a mountainside in the burn area to stash a waterproof storage bin high up on the mountain. The bin should be filled with water, flashlights, dry clothes and any other necessary items and will be a place where the family will meet in the event of a flooding event. This should also be an area that other family members or community leaders know about, so the family can be found easily.
Officials also say it is important to practice any plan put in place, to ensure it will be carried out efficiently and effectively.
For the latest forecast, check your Stormtracker 13 Forecast by clicking here.
Learn more information on how to volunteer with the CUSP efforts by visiting their volunteer webpage, here.
