Sand Creek Erosion

a 15-foot ledge is inching its way closer to several homes in southwest colorado springs. the city’s storm-water manager says the fix is a priority … but can it wait? krdo newschannel 13’s bonnie silkman is live in the sand creek subdivision. bonnie, homeowners are nervous their lawns will crumble away, even with the slightest rain. the city admits, sand creek isn’t maintained. and because of recent rains and last month’s huge hail storm… the channel is growing wider and washing away the land. homes are now just feet away from this drop- off … and homeowners say the city needs to take action sooner rather than later. this cliff… is eating away at j.t. stevenson’s back yard. “we’re going to lose our houses, mine is going to be first.” she’s watched sand creek erode this hill near her property. “it just crumbles away when it rains, it doesn’t even take a hard rain.” “janice is frustrated – i’m angry.” stevenson … and her neighbors are literally on edge. “if they don’t take action we’re not going to have backyards. i don’t know what will happen.” “i’ve been very nervous but now i’m extremely nervous.” “this drop off is about 15 feet from top to bottom. it’s now 3 feet away from stevenson’s fence, but it’s getting closer and closer.” “it hasn’t encrouched into the property, but it’s very close.” brian kelley, the city’s stormwater manager says his team is ready to take action. “this area is at the top of our priority, i say that because it’s actually going into construction in 2016.” the city of colorado springs is using 1.3 million dollars of fema money to secure the unmaintained channel. “we are anticipating construction to begin in november after the monsoon.” but until then, kelley says crews will place rocks and sand in the back of stevenson’s home as a temporary fix. “that will buy us some time until the end of the monsoon season, end of september typically. ” “there’s not five feet left. so if we have one more bad storm my fence will go.” “i didn’t realize it’s washing away my hill! i’ll be like that after a few storms.” these homeowners can only hope the fix will be enough to keep their yards from crumbling. the city manager says crews will begin the temporary fix here in a week or two. reporting in c.s. b.s. krdo nc 13 a year after a massive sinkhole shut the street