1997 Spring Creek flood

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1997 Spring Creek flood
Spring Creek during minor flooding in 2007
CauseHeavy rains
Meteorological history
DurationJuly 27–28, 1997
Flood
Maximum rainfall14.5 in (370 mm), western Fort Collins, Colorado, US
Overall effects
Fatalities5
Injuries62
Damage>$250 million
Areas affectedSpring Creek, Fort Collins, Colorado
Houses destroyed200[1]

In a two-day period on July 27–28, 1997, heavy rainfall caused an overflow of the

convection over the city produced heavy rainfall of up to 14.5 inches (370 mm) across western portions of Fort Collins, causing a flash flood which damaged areas along Spring Creek. Numerous buildings at Colorado State University
were inundated by floodwaters, sustaining over US$100 million in damage. Five people were killed, 62 were injured, and damage totaled in excess of $250 million, including more than 2,000 businesses and homes being damaged or destroyed. The flood is the worst natural disaster to impact the Fort Collins, Colorado area.

Background

Spring Creek is a 12.7-mile-long (20.4 km)

Cache La Poudre River in the state of Colorado in the United States.[3] It begins at Spring Canyon Dam, and flows into Horsetooth Reservoir, and through Fort Collins.[4] Before the floods, moist atmospheric conditions occurred due to an unusually strong flow of monsoon moisture, despite the area experiencing drought conditions for six weeks.[5][6] A $5-million mitigation plan was also implemented before the flood.[7] The average precipitation annually in the Fort Collins area near a Spring Creek drainage was 14 inches (360 mm) before the disaster.[8]

Meteorological synopsis

On July 27, a

convection developed over Fort Collins,[11] producing heavy rainfall of up to 14.5 inches (370 mm) across western portions of the city,[12][5] including 10 inches (250 mm) of rain falling within five hours.[10] The heavy rainfall overwhelmed drains and caused debris to block a railroad passage, resulting in a flash flood across Fort Collins.[12][13] After the floods, moist air remained for several days over the state, eventually resulting in more convection developing that missed impacting already-impacted areas in Fort Collins and Larimer County, Colorado, instead inundating farmlands and portions of Sterling and Atwood, Colorado.[10] A Colorado State University climatologist, Nolan Doesken, compared the meteorological conditions in Spring Creek to the 1976 Big Thompson River flood.[9]

Impact

Most of the rain fell across western portions of Fort Collins, near Spring Creek.

lacerations sustained from broken windows.[18] The rainfall in Fort Collins on July 28 was the heaviest in an urban area in the state, and also set three, six, and twenty-four hour-rainfall records.[3][19] Additionally, across the Fort Collins area, the flood was the worst natural disaster ever there.[3]

Aftermath

After the flood, 400 people were rescued.[20] A documentary film was made detailing the flood and the reconstruction after the disaster.[21][22] A high water marker was erected at Colorado State University designating the water level during the flood at Spring Creek, and flood-height poles were also built.[9][14] Following the flood, flood management projects and further mitigation measures were enacted, which cost $50 million.[7] A system used for flood warnings was also initiated, which was supported by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.[3] New structures were also built in Fort Collins as improvements, which included channels and retaining walls being situated.[3] The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network was also created as a result of the floods, first beginning in Larimer County in 1998.[23] Events were also set up to commemorate 20 years after the disaster in 2017.[24]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "20 Years Later, Fort Collins Better Prepared For Flash Floods". KUNC. July 27, 2017. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Spring Creek". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
  3. ^
    Colorado Encyclopedia. Archived
    from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  4. ^ "Spring Creek". City of Fort Collins. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  5. ^
    ISSN 0022-1694. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2024 – via ScienceDirect
    .
  6. ^
    The Rocky Mountain Collegian. Archived
    from the original on May 19, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  7. ^
    FEMA. February 11, 2021. Archived
    from the original on October 18, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  8. ISBN 9780520257030 – via Google Books
    .
  9. ^ a b c d e Manning, Anne (July 26, 2017). "A perfect storm, and a 500-year flood". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d McKee, Thomas; Doesken, Nolan J. (January 1, 2015). "Analysis of rainfall for the July 28, 1997 flood in Fort Collins, Colorado, An". Department of Atmospheric Science Colorado State University. Archived from the original on January 24, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  11. ^
    ISSN 0003-0007. Free access icon
  12. ^ a b "1997 Spring Creek Flood". Fort Collins History Connection. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Young, Rich (July 28, 2022). "Spring Creek Flood 25 years ago led to a national precipitation network, infrastructure upgrades". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Duggan, Kevin (July 20, 2017). "Duggan: The flood that shocked and traumatized Fort Collins". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  15. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived
    from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  16. ^ "Victims remembered on 10th anniversary of Fort Collins Flood". Vail Daily. July 29, 2007. Archived from the original on January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  17. CBS Colorado. July 30, 2017. Archived
    from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  18. ^ "5 die as record rains flood Fort Collins". Deseret News. July 29, 1997. Archived from the original on January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  19. ISSN 0003-0007
    .
  20. ^ "Follow the Flood Event". City of Fort Collins. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  21. ^ Dodge, Jeff (March 28, 2020). "Reel CSU Stories: The campus flood of 1997". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  22. ^ Manning, Anne (July 26, 2017). "Record rain, record flood: A timeline of the July 1997 flood". Colorado State University. Archived from the original on February 5, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
  23. ^ Duggan, Kevin (July 20, 2017). "Spring Creek Flood launched international weather-watching network". Fort Collins Coloradoan. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  24. KUSA
    . Retrieved January 25, 2024.
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