PROJ02027

• Contract/PO #: FS0044FX
• Contractor Name: Larimer County, Board of County Commissioners
• Contract Type: Miscellaneous
• Water District: 0
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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possessing resource values including wildlife habitat, particularly as a movement corridor by
deer and other mammals.

Downstream of the Larimer and Weld Canal, Dry Creek flows at the surface.to the east of
College Avenue north of Vine Drive and proceeds south-easterly to the Fort Collins Airpark. The
stream is piped underground to the Poudre River just south of East Mulberry (Highway 14). The
stream reach from about College Avenue to the confluence with the Poudre River has not been
identified as possessing significant resource values. The pre-Firm development and filling of the
floodplain has substantially reduced the natural resource values in the lower reaches that were
identified for the upstream reaches of Dry Creek. The proposed flood mitigation plan would
enhance the natural functions of the restored floodplain.

Previous Flood Improvement Studies

A drainageway plan for Dry Creek was prepared for the City of Fort Collins and Larimer County
in January 1980 by Gingery Associates, Inc. The plan evaluated several alternative methods of
accommodating flood flows up to the lOO-year flood event. Four economically feasible
alternatives were identified in the plan.

The feasible alternatives consisted of channel improvements, including a channel bypass around
Alta Vista, a channel diversion from upstream from the Larimer and Weld Canal to the Cache La
Poudre River, a culvert improvement under several road cross,ings, and diversion of flood flows
to Terry Lake.

The City has not initiated any of the recommended improvements due to funding limitations.
Due to the high cost of the improvements and the small area to support the funding of the
improvements the cost to property owners would be high compared to other city basins paying
stormwater fees. The options are to assess the costs solely within the Dry Creek basin, or reduce
the costs to property owners by identifying additional funding sources to share the costs.

Proposed Project Description

The proposed flood hazard mitigation project for the Dry Creek floodplain is a multi-objective
project with regard to fulfilling several goals and objectives as identified by the National Flood
Insurance Program, Larimer County, and the City of Fort Collins. Specifically, the proposed
.project will lessen the frequency and severity of flooding and decrease predicted damages within
the Dry Creek floodplain, as well as providing for the enhancement and restoration of the natural
and beneficial functions of the Dry Creek floodplain. In addition, the proposed project will
promote economic development for local businesses and wise land use decisions, and create
public open space and parks for recreation.

The City and County propose a joint project for improvements along the entire length of Dry
Creek to address both flood flows from the watershed of Dry Creek, as well as local inflows from

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