The Cache La Poudre was calm Friday, but as temperatures rise in the next few days, so will fears the river will spill out of its banks and into homes and businesses.
“The temperatures are cool enough now there is really nothing pending yet,” said Larimer County’s emergency manager, Erik Nilsson. “But after Memorial Day, we’re going to start rockin’ and rollin.’ That’s when it’s going to be showtime.”
Fears about flash flooding of the Poudre near Laporte has prompted Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith to call a public meeting 6:30 p.m. Wednesday to map out flood preparedness. The meeting will take place at Cache La Poudre Elementary School, 3511 West County Road 54G, in Laporte.
Smith said a similar meeting may be held for people who live along the Big Thompson River west of Loveland. On July 31, 1976, a flash flood on the Big Thompson killed 139 people.
“We want to make sure all potentially impacted residents of Larimer County have an opportunity to obtain information and prepare for potential flooding,” Smith said.
Officials expect flooding in many spots along the Poudre over the next few weeks, including the McConnell Drive area in Laporte. Farther south, in Timnath, emergency managers say residents should plan for County Road 5 south of town to be closed as conditions warrant.
Smith said conditions this runoff season look to be similar to those in 1983, when there was standing water in business parking lots in Fort Collins south of East Mulberry Street between South Lemay Avenue and South Timberline Road.
Depending on conditions, Larimer County may station small supplies of sand near some flood-prone areas. But, Smith said, residents are also urged to make their own arrangements.
“The meeting in Laporte and any other meetings, we’ll just discuss what we will be able do for them and what we won’t be able to do for them,” Nilsson said. “We’ll probably tell them we won’t be able to pump out their basements for them, they’ll have to do that themselves.”
Monte Whaley: 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com
Stay alert
Beginning Wednesday, Larimer County’s Emergency Management website will be updated regularly with river conditions, forecasts and flood-preparation information. Go to
Residents also can call the emergency management office at 970-498-5310.
