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Boulder Valley Flooding History

Flood History in the Boulder Area

Water Street, now Canyon Blvd., on June 1, 1894.
Photo copyright by the Denver Public Library.
Visit the BASIN Gallery for more historic flood images.

Due to its location near the mouth of numerous canyons, the Boulder area is a major flash flood risk. Following are descriptions compiled by Elizabeth Black of some of the flash floods that have occurred in the region beginning with the flood of 1894. Such floods-- and many larger-- have happened before the area was developed.... and will sooner or later happen again.

  • 1894 (100 Year Flood-- over 10,000 cubic feet per second on Boulder Creek)
  • 1896 (Damage around the city of Boulder)]
  • 1896 (Storm and damage around Marshall and Coal Creek drainage)
  • 1906 (Flood down Sunshine Canyon)
  • 1909 (Two Die in Two Mile Creek)
  • 1916 (Four Mile Canyon Creek flooding)
  • 1921 (Coal Creek)
  • 1929 (Cloudburst causes flooding)
  • 1938 (Eldorado Springs and South Boulder Creek flooding)
  • 1941 (Two Mile Creek)
  • 1950 (Four Mile Canyon Creek)
  • 1951 (Four Mile Canyon Creek)
  • 1955 (Two Mile Creek and Four Mile Canyon Creek)
  • 1969 (Two Mile Creek and Bear Creek flooding)

For additional flash flood information, visit BASIN Watershed's Flash Flood in the Boulder Area , Flood History and Find Your Watershed Address.


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Last Page Update - Tuesday December 27, 2005