Water Damage in Colorado Springs ZIP 80905

What does the Fountain Creek record mean for a western ZIP?

Fountain Creek runs south through the county and past Manitou Springs and Fountain. On August 9, 2013, runoff from the Waldo Canyon burn area overflowed the creek and ran down State Highway 24, according to the US Geological Survey. The creek's behavior in that storm is the local reference for how fast water can rise in the western part of the city.

The Fountain Creek watershed district reports flood damage to property and infrastructure from 2013. That report is the reason the western side is watched after heavy rain, even on lots that never flooded before.

How is a loss on a western lot recorded?

The record starts with the source and the water category. The water is extracted, the materials are read and the dry standard is set from an unaffected part of the house. Each step is written with its time, and the readings are taken on the same points each visit.

Silt, if it is present, is recorded separately, because it changes the cleaning and the removal. The homeowner is shown the silt line and the photographs of it, so the record matches what was seen in the house.

What can a western-lot owner check after a storm?

Look at the lowest corner of the lot, the garage threshold and any window well for silt, leaves or a water line. A line of silt on the wall at a fixed height shows how far the water rose.

Clear the drains and the window wells so they can take water away from the house. A blocked well is one of the most common reasons water finds its way inside.

What does a west-side lot owe to the creek record?

The creek record is not a reason to fear every storm, but it is a reason to read each storm closely. After heavy rain on the west side, the lowest part of the lot should be checked for silt, debris and a new line on the wall before the water has time to dry and leave no sign.

Owners on a lot near the creek corridor sometimes ask whether an insurance policy covers creek-side water. The answer depends on the policy, and the Colorado Division of Insurance is the state office that takes complaints if a claim is handled in a way the owner does not understand.

Keeping the west-side record current

A short written note after each heavy storm, with the date, the depth of any water and the place it came from, adds a line to the property file each time. Over several seasons that file shows whether the lot is taking more water or less, and the readings from any later cleanup can be read against it.