FLOOD05212

• County: Larimer
• Community: Fort Collins
• Stream Name: Boxelder Creek, Spring Creek, Dry Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Flood Control for Boxelder Creek at Fort Collins
• Date: 2/1/1993
• Prepared For: Fort Collins
• Prepared By: US Army Corps of Engineers
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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SPRI/';G CREEK
The history of flooding from Spring Creek prior to tile COnstruction of SpriJ'lg
Canyon and Dixon Canyon Dams and Horsetooth Reservoir m 1954 is doeumented
in the Spring Creek drainageway plan dated March 1988. Flooding occurred in 1902,
1904, 1938, and 1949. The mOst damaging recorded flood OCCurred in 1938 when
the road through Spring Canyon was destrOYed along with livestock in the
downstream flood plain.

Article XIX or the charter of the City of Fon Collins grants the City the
authority 10 adopt and implement land use plans and regulations. The City h;u
adopted a zoning regulation which subdivides the City into 21 different wning
classifications. The zoning districts resulting from this classification are designed to
proto;;:t existing property, while facilitating and directing future development. Thc
wrung districts preclude or diSCOurage incompatible land uses ami uses not in
harmony with future plans, while encouJ'3ging these uses in accordance with future
City plans. The City zoning regulation includes 12 residential, 4 business,
I commercial, and 3 industrial districts. A transitional districtisalsoidcntilied. Tell
of these districts, including residential, business, COmmercial, industrial, and
trolsitional ZOning classifications, are present in the Dry Creek basin.

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The completion of Spring Canyon and DiXon Canyon Dams and Horsetooth
Reservoir significantly reduced levels of flooding on Spring Creek. Prior to the
completion of the e1lannel improvements by the City on Spring Creek from College
Avenue through the BNRR in D<<ember 1990, the mobile home parks within th.is
area experienced freqUeJlt shallow ll00ding. The drainage plan repons that, -One
of the most serious of these evCllts occurred on June 25, 1983, after a storm which
produced a J.9-inch rainfall over two bours. Thc storm sewer which carries Spring
Creek undcr thc mobile home park surcharged, and Water ponded 10 a depth of
several feet. Property damage was in the $5,000 to $]0,000 range.' The City's
channel modifications should resolve the shallow flooding problem in the mobile
home parb belwecn COllege Avenue and the BNRR.

The City has also adopted tile Fort Collins, Colorado, Land Development
Guidance System for planned unit developments. The system allows landowncrs
considerable neJ.ibiJity in devcloping their property provided the Proposed project
conforms to certain general criteria. There are different criteria for different types
of development. However, all proposed development is evaluated for neighborhood
compatibility, conformance with eJ.isling plans and policies, effects on public facilities
and natural resources, conformance with environmental standards, and the quality
of the site design. Special consideration for the flood plain would be made as pan
of reviewing plans and policies, discoul3ging incompatible flood plain development,
and under the public facility criteria where the effect on storm drainage is evaluated.

LAA'D USE AA'D FLOOD HAZARD REGUlATIONS

Land use in the Dry Creek basin is planned and regulated by the City of Fort
Collins and Larimer County, The City has aUlhnrity for land use COntrols within the
City boundaries. The Coullfy has jurisdiction for Ihe unincorporated areas with.in the
County.

Larimer County has adopled a oounly wning n=gu]alion in aooordanee with
ZOning-enabling legislation contained in Colorado State statutes. The regulation,
which includes a tola! of 20 districts, allows for commercial, industrial, residential,
and agricultural land uses. In the Dry Creek basin,lhecountyprovides for industrial
and COmmercial uses.

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