Estimated $50 million spent on local flood control projects since 2012
The Pikes Peak region has spent at least $50 million to mitigate flash flooding in the four years since the June 2012 Waldo Canyon fire, an official said last week.
El Paso County Commissioner Sallie Clark said despite work that’s been done on various projects, more mitigation is needed.
“It’s an ongoing process,” she said. “We’re still asking for additional watershed protection money to spend uphill before (flooding) hits U.S. 24, so that we’re really able to save lives and property.”
Officials said what they predicted after the fire has come true: that steep mountain slopes burned bare don’t soak up rainfall as well, and have significantly increased the risk of flash flooding.
On several occasions, flash flooding swept away vehicles and people in Ute Pass — killing at least one person — and forced the closure of the highway for several hours at a time.
The situation has led authorities to be better prepared to close the highway if flooding threatens, to protect lives and property. Closure gates were installed to help in that regard.
Many of the flood mitigation projects are designed to protect the highway and Fountain Creek through nearby Manitou Springs.
The communities of Cascade and Green Mountain Falls also benefit from flood control projects that were built after those areas received heavy rain or heavy spring snowmelt.
The projects slow the flow of runoff, or temporarily retain it, and trap debris and sediment to protect other drainage systems and reduce erosion.
“This year, we expect burned trees to start falling,” said Gordon Brenner of the Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management. “There’s a lot of erosion on the burn scar.”
Authorities also learned after heavy rainfall in the fall of 2013, that they needed other flood mitigation not related to the wildfires.
Several neighborhoods in west Colorado Springs and El Paso County have been targeted for flood mitigation since the fires.
Manitou Springs plans to start and finish around 30 flood mitigation projects.
Woodland Park also is working on projects to decrease the amount of runoff entering El Paso County as much as possible.
Officials said the June 2013 Black Forest fire resulted in a lesser degree of flooding because of the absence of steep slopes. However, several flood and erosion control projects were installed there, as well.
Clark said that, unfortunately, there hasn’t been enough money available to help homeowners with eroded driveways, roads and other private property damage.
“We can go in and help somewhat if a damaged area of private property threatens county facilities,” said R.C. Smith, of El Paso County Emergency Services. “But to repair general damage on private property, we can’t do that.”
Efforts to restore the Waldo Canyon burn scar have been mixed. While officials said vegetation has regrown on 50 percent of the scar, the overall recovery rate remains only around 10 percent.
Many people said they’re pleased with the work that’s been done.
“I think it’s awesome what they did,” said Joanie Jones, who lives along Williams Canyon in Manitou Springs. “They just have to take things a step further.”
KRDO NewsChannel 13 will have more details in a special report Monday at 10 p.m.
