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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Ii I r SECTIDIONE IntroducUon 1.3 PROJECT HISTORY A Dry Creek Major Drainageway Planning Study was prepared for the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County and the Colorado Water Conservation Board in 1980. That work included a hydrological study of the Dry Creek Basin, a flood hazard study of the area downstream of the Dry Creek crossing of Colorado State Highway 287 north of Fort Collins, and a study of improvement alternatives for eliminating the flood hazard downstream of the intersection of WilIox Lane and Dry Creek. The 1980 study recommended diverting Dry Creek floodwaters downstream in a southerly direction to the Cache la Poudre River. This plan would remove 100-year flood hazard of 5,022 cfs from the area south and east of the point of diversion. The diversion was proposed for the location where Dry Creek intersects with the Larimer Weld Canal about 100 yards north of WilIox Lane. The area within the Dry Creek floodplain downstream of Willox Lane encompasses some 960 acres about 2/3 of which is currently annexed to the City of Fort Collins, and 1/3 of which is within unincorporated Larimer County. A major flood on Dry Creek would inundate most of the area north of Lincoln Avenue and south of East Vine, generally east of the City. This area is generally referred to as the Dry Creek Local Basin, which is shown in Figure I-I. This area is almost entirely within the unincorporated area of the County. It includes several industrial commercial subdivisions as well as the Downtown Fort Collins Airport. Correspondingly, a Dry Creek flood would inundate a sizeable area of the North College Avenue corridor extending north of East Vine about one half mile. This area is mostly within the City of Fort Collins. In addition to the hazard posed by flood waters from the upstream basin, local drainage outfall facilities are needed for stormwater originating within the area bounded by East Vine on the south, College A venue on the west, Summit View Drive on the east, and the watershed boundary to the north, encompassing some 5 square miles. At the time Timberline Road was extended from Highway 14 north to Summit View Drive, a channel was constructed alongside the new street to provide for the conveyance of floodwaters for Dry Creek local basin across Highway 14. Since completion of the 1980 Major Drainageway Study, the need for Dry Creek flood reliefhas increased considerably. Property located directly to the north and east of the area described above is currently undergoing development. In addition to providing for the alignment of a drainage outfall for the lower Dry Creek Basin, the extension of Timberline Road north to connect with Summit View Drive has greatly improved transportation facilities available to the areas described above. A significant portion of these areas is currently vacant although utilities are available to serve it. Development and redevelopment of areas within the Dry Creek floodplain has been hindered by floodplain regulations required by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Both the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County have been required to adopt floodplain regulations within the floodplain of Dry Creek. Also, owners of existing improved properties within flood hazard areas identified on Flood Insurance Rate Maps published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are required to purchase flood insurance as a condition of mortgage lending by the Federally insured institutions. This includes several areas oflow and moderate income single family houses and mobile home parks located within the Dry Creek Flood Hazard Area. In February 1996, the Fort Collins City Council foresaw the need for a solution to northside drainage problems and directed staff to pursue studies to define a comprehensive solution to T:\ProjectsI6824660Dry CrkDiversionlarimerCountylSub_00\12.0 Word Proc\Flood Control Plan-Rptdoc 04/24100(11:14 AM) 1-2