Between 1989 and 1997, over $5 million was spent on improvements to Spring Creek by the City of Fort Collins through its Stormwater Utility.   These projects include acquisition and relocation of structures; channelization to remove pre-FIRM (Flood Insurance Rate Map) properties from the floodplain; storm drainage improvements; reinforcement of the Burlington-Northern railroad embankment, and bridge improvements.   Approximately 86 structures were removed from the 100-year floodplain including 41 that were acquired by the city.   Among the structures moved were 60 mobile homes from the area that subsequently became Creekside Park.

      In addition to the structural acquisitions, the City of Fort Collins has designated as "open space" 958 out of 2,823 acres defined either by FEMA or the City of Fort Collins as floodplains.   More open space is continually being acquired.   On Spring Creek there are 313 acres of floodplain of which 97 are designated as "open space." This includes several parks, and a bike trail along the entire length of the stream.   Additionally, the city administers all its floodplains (both city and FEMA designated) to standards exceeding those of the National Flood Insurance Program.   Finally, floodplain management is integrated with land-use planning, and long range city planning.

      A few of the many yearly activities related to the threat of flash flooding which are carried out by the city include:

              1)   Yearly mailings of floodplain brochures to all residents in threatened
                    areas.

              2)   Hosting an annual "Flood Awareness Week" in the spring during
                    which the city facilitates newspaper articles, and staffs informational
                    booths at area shopping malls and the public library.

              3)   Mailings to city residents in their utility bills with flood-related
                    articles on AT LEAST an annual basis.

              4)   Mailings and training classes for local realtors on flood mapping.

              5)   A flood resource collection at the Public Library.

      There are several programs that have gotten underway since the flood.   One of the most interesting of these is a project to develop a real-time flood inundation mapping capability.   The city is developing a high resolution topographic data base in GIS format for the Fort Collins and surrounding region.   This data set will (initially) be combined with rain and stream gauge data in a simple computer model to try to anticipate areas of the city with are developing problems during a flood event.   Plans are to eventually incorporate rain data from Doppler radars as well.   That development awaits a connection with the National Weather Service office in Denver for the exchange of real-time data.   Fort Collins is also implementing a flood-proofing grant program to help local residents reduce the damages caused by "shallow" flooding.   This involves construction of mini-flood walls around basement windows and stairwells, as well as closure shields for doors.

      To learn about a number of other web links that are relevant to the Fort Collins flood, and solutions to some of the problems encountered, please go to back to the Emergency Response page of the conclusions to this report.