South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation ProjectFrom:Gina McAfee
To:OSBT-Web
Subject:South Boulder Creek Flood Mitigation Project
Date:Wednesday, February 21, 2024 3:33:22 PM
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I am writing in support of the OSMP agenda item to approve the request from the Utility
Department to construct, access, operate and maintain elements of the S Boulder Creek Flood
Mitigation Project on 2.2 acres of the Van Vleet Open Space.
I am writing this email for two reasons, first to say that this Flood Mitigation Project has been
planned by CDOT, the city and county for decades. I worked on the US 36 EIS which twenty
years ago described this project as an important flood control project for this area.
Secondly, my husband and I live upstream of this project - right next to S Boulder Creek in
the Eldorado Valley. We were under mandatory evacuation orders late afternoon on Sept 11,
2003 as the water from the hillside above Doudy Draw rushed down toward our subdivision
and our house. We had already packed our two cars, knowing we might need to evacuate. As
the water rushed towards our house, my husband and I each got in our respective cars, loaded
with our valuables, and drove down SH 170 towards SH 93. We had to drive through several
inches of rushing water that was crossing SH 170 first, then got to SH 93. We first tried to
evacuate east on SH 170 past SH 93, but that road was barricaded because it had already
flooded. We were desperate to get out so drove north on Broadway to Table Mesa Drive to go
east on US 36. The rain was pouring down on us and it was very difficult to see, but we were
able to get on U 36 and then head towards Superior and Louisville. As we approached the
open space area just west of the S Boulder Creek underpass, we realized that US 36 was also
flooded, but the cars in front of us were driving through the rushing water, so with pounding
hearts, we kept going, driving through 6 to 8 inches of water flowing across US 36. It was
extremely scary and we understand that soon after that, CDOT decided to close US 36.
The importance of this Flood Mitigation Project to the safety of the traveling public cannot be
over emphasized. This vital transportation route is absolutely essential to community
members in Boulder as an evacuation route during future flooding events.
Thank you very much
Gina McAfee
4409 Prado Drive
Boulder, CO