Tens of Thousands Evacuated as Colorado Floods Worsen

“biblical rainfall amounts” trigger historic  flooding along Colorado’s Front Range mountain

Flash Flood Warnings remained in effect for much of eastern and northern Colorado including the entire Denver/Boulder metropolitan area, with a population of more than 3 million.

The National Weather Service issued an urgent bulletin at 9:41am on Thursday that expressed the scale of the threat: “Major flooding/flash flooding event underway at this time with biblical rainfall amounts reported in many areas in/near the foothills.”

Boulder was pounded with more than 7 inches of rain in 24 hours, which shattered the town’s 95-year rainfall record.

“This is not an ordinary day. It is not an ordinary disaster,” said Boulder County Sheriff.

• Cascading floodwaters from Boulder Canyon above the city forced the evacuation of more than 8,000 Boulder residences.

• The enclave of Jamestown north of Boulder was completely evacuated.

• Entire town of Eldorado Springs in south Boulder County were ordered to evacuate due to the threats of rising waters and mudslide.

Coal Creek Canyon. Photo credit: Jefferson County Sheriff. More images…

Near the town of Lyons, St. Vrain River jumped its banks, and a dam failed near Pinewood Springs, isolating the town, said a report.

In Longmont (population: ~ 88,000) about 14 miles northeast of Boulder, St. Vrain Creek again overflowed its banks, inundating the main roads and dividing the city.

• At least  7,000 residences in Longmont were under mandatory evacuation orders.

The University of Colorado campus in Boulder was one of  the hardest hit areas. More than 500 hundred students and staff members were ordered evacuated, as devastating floodwaters damaged a quarter of the campus buildings, officials said.

Colorado Governor Hickenlooper declared a disaster for the flooded areas.

“We have declared a disaster for the flooded areas and are requesting emergency declaration from FEMA for search and rescue and emergency protection and other support,” said Hickenlooper. “We want to get something in front of President Obama as rapidly as possible.”

“The State Emergency Center has been activated to a Level 3 category of alert or action 24/7. So they will be providing direct resources across the state to the counties affected by the flooding.”

The White House signed a federal emergency declaration Thursday night.

Mudslides and rockslides have blocked parts of U.S. 6, Boulder Canyon, Colorado 14 and U.S. 287, said the Denver Post. Lefthand Canyon was reportedly blocked by multiple slides.

The disaster has claimed at least three lives, but authorities expect the toll to rise.

Related Links

• Deadly Flooding Forces Thousands of Evacuations in Colorado

Deadly Flooding Forces Thousands of Evacuations in Colorado

Disaster declared in flooded areas: Gov. Hickenlooper

“We’ll see what the data tells us but this could easily be a 50 or 100-year flood,” said Hickenlooper.

Disastrous flooding has caused substantial damage in parts of three Front Range counties and the governor has declared a state of emergency in Boulder County. Thousands of people have been evacuated, however, emergency crews are unable to reach residents in some towns.

Floodwaters have cut off major highways, isolated mountain towns and inundated the main campus of the University of Colorado, damaging tens of buildings, officials said.

More than 500 students and staff members were ordered evacuated.

Highway 72 is washed out in Coal Creek Canyon, Colorado. Photo credit: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office

“We have declared a disaster for the flooded areas and are requesting emergency declaration from FEMA for search and rescue and emergency protection and other support,” said Hickenlooper. “We want to get something in front of President Obama as rapidly as possible.”

“The State Emergency Center has been activated to a Level 3 category of alert or action 24/7. So they will be providing direct resources across the state to the counties affected by the flooding.”

“Part of the problem with us is not that we don’t have the equipment or the manpower it’s just the conditions haven’t permitted it. We couldn’t get up the valleys,” said Hickenlooper.

“This is completely different from the fires and yet preparation means trying to anticipate what you don’t expect. We’ve been trying to train across the state for unexpected eventualities, things that we would never expect to happen. I’m not sure that anyone laid out a scenario where Boulder County and every single county from Coal Creek to the St. Vrain got close to 8 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.” Hickenlooper said.

Not Your Ordinary Disaster

“This is not your ordinary disaster,” said Joe Pelle, the sheriff of Boulder County, where two of the deaths occurred. “All the preparation in the world, all the want-to in the world, can’t put people up those canyons while debris and walls of water are coming down.”

A message posted on the university’s Web site Thursday warned: “Wall of water coming down Boulder Canyon. STAY AWAY FROM BOULDER CREEK.”

Multiple Flash Flood Warnings, Flood Warnings and Flood Watches are in effect across Colorado, said National Weather Service (NWS).

• Tri- State Area Rainfall Reports (September 12, 2013)
• Flood Evacuation: overflowing dam forces evacuation of Leyden neighborhood in Jefferson County