After The Flooding Subsides
An Opportunity To Map And Fix The Problems That Plague All of Park Hill
It’s hard to find anyone in Greater Park Hill who was not impacted by this summer’s severe flooding. Here’s a recap of events.
After a flood washed through Park Hill on June 10, I received some e-mails from a fellow resident.
Here’s an excerpt: “I live in North Park Hill, 33rd and Olive, and my street is plagued with horrendous street flooding … The street flooding wasn’t disclosed to me when I bought the house, my first house, so this has been a complete nightmare.
“A month after I moved in, a storm came through town. I was unaware of the flooding and therefore my roommate’s car was parked out front. It flooded. Almost $10,000 in water damage to her car. I shouldn’t have an anxiety attack every time I see storm clouds rolling over the mountains.
“My next-door neighbor, who has lived in his house since 1971, stated the streets have been flooding since then! How has the city gotten away with not doing anything and letting all the homes and homeowners suffer through these storms?
“If my basement flooded due to the house’s drainage inadequacies, that’s one thing. But the flooding is caused by the city’s known negligence! Last fall I even met a gentleman who is in charge of these projects. He told me they have known of the problem for years, no kidding, but it was a cost issue and fiber optic lines that run along 33rd that pose problem. Really? I was told there is a huge project underway regarding the drainage system in Park Hill, but on the south side of MLK. That does us zero good.
“… I received an email back from the city engineer I had met, telling me they are drawing up plans to replace the 12” pipes to 18” pipes. That’s not a solution; that is a band-aid to a much bigger issue.”
A wall of water
On June 15, I submitted a column to our editor highlighting blocks in Park Hill where your car might be at risk of flood damage if you parked it there and a serious rainstorm were to occur. I listed the blocks where the City of Denver’s own flood depth maps indicated a risk of flooding deep enough to potentially damage a parked car.
Before the July 1 issue of the GPHC newspaper was published, the June 24 storm hit. Many Park Hill neighbors suffered damage to cars, homes and businesses. Most homeowners, business owners and renters do not have flood insurance, and it is not standard coverage. That means people incur hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands worth of flood damage that comes out of their own pockets.
Two days after that storm, on June 26, I received another email from the same neighbor who wrote me on June 10, in which she documented the latest damage in Northeast Park Hill. Here’s an excerpt:
“I had nine inches of water in my basement. The guys across and up the street had four feet of water. That is insane…
“I called a realtor yesterday because I am fed up and want out. His response was not favorable due to the water issue.”
No more hiding
On June 28, while walking around South Park Hill and nearby areas, I was struck by the sight on Jersey Street of two big blue hoses, obviously connected to pumps in a very new house (sometime after 2010) pouring stormwater from the home into the gutter. About three or four years ago I sat in then-City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson’s office just listening as the owner of that very house talked about precious sports memorabilia he had lost in his new basement.
Since then, I’ve engaged in numerous conversations about the fact that flooding throughout the neighborhood has continued, year after year. A couple major points deserve highlighting:
• Until recent improvements in detailed computerized modeling, there wasn’t nearly as clear a picture of exactly where the problems were. The rise of social media has also played an important role in finally showing everyone where and how bad the issues are. No more hiding from it, when flood videos are posted all over Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
• There is a concern about negatively impacting property values. The concern is real. But, the flood risk information needs to get out there. There is an opportunity to document and map the extent of the flooding and vulnerable areas throughout the Park Hill neighborhood, as well as Montclair to the south. What a great opportunity to inform the public and start understanding and addressing the danger, the challenges, and the possibilities!
Living on a prairie stream
A couple of final thoughts for this month: The Montclair Creek watershed – which clearly impacts people living in parts of Park Hill – is not a network of pipes, curbs & gutters, and stormwater inlets. It is a natural prairie stream system that now has buildings on it. Until enough of us understand and embrace that underlying reality, we cannot begin any meaningful effort to modify our relationship with the watershed.
Anyone living, working, or driving near 14th Avenue and Jasmine should keep this in mind. A creek that was here before Safeway, King Soopers, City Floral, Colfax Avenue, Colorado Boulevard, City Park, and before your building. When it rains, Montclair Creek is just trying to find its way to the South Platte River, as it always has.
We have inherited a history of numerous infrastructure and land use decisions, some dating back 150 years. The development of an improved relationship with Montclair Creek will involve multiple projects and policies, requiring open minds and a long-term commitment to hard and complicated work. I can already picture the rewards of such an effort.
Brian Hyde is an expert in floodplain management and stream restoration. He wants your feedback at westerly_connect_brian@comcast.net or 720-939-6039.
Flood Fix For North Park Hill ‘Temporary’
$22 Million Pricetag for Permanent System
Following the horrific summer of flooding in Park Hill, Denver Public Works launched what it calls a “temporary solution” in one area of the neighborhood that has been heavily impacted, near 33rd Avenue and Olive Street.
In mid-September, CBS Channel 4 reported that the city plans to replace the 12-inch stromwater drainage pipe with a slightly larger one, to help alleviate future flooding.
“Please recall that this storm system work we have planned at 33rd and Olive is an interim solution that will work to reduce the frequency of flooding at this location in smaller storms, but not stop flooding entirely, especially in a large storm event,” Denver Public Works Director of Marketing and Communications Nancy Kuhn was quoted saying. “We do not have an exact schedule on when our storm system work will begin.”
CBS4 reported Denver officials have identified $1.4 billion worth of storm drain repairs needed citywide. The larger storm sewer system needed in the area of 38th and Holly to 33rd and Olive alone would cost $22 million – and the source of that funding has not been identified.
The Greater Park Hill news is continuing to document areas where damage occurs – including to homes, cars and gardens – as a result of ongoing flooding throughout the neighborhood. Please send your stories, photos and videos, to GPHN Editor Cara DeGette at editor@greaterparkhill.org
— Cara DeGette