{"id":1313498,"date":"2019-08-13T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/?p=985877"},"modified":"2019-08-13T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T06:00:00","slug":"unease-in-wake-of-basalts-flash-flood-leads-to-dispute-over-sandbags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/local-news\/unease-in-wake-of-basalts-flash-flood-leads-to-dispute-over-sandbags\/","title":{"rendered":"Unease in wake of Basalt\u2019s flash flood leads to dispute over sandbags"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.7997799779978\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-985877-749\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | Geri Wright stands by the line of sandbags added to protect her home and property on Cedar Drive in Basalt from potential flooding. The town has ordered her and others to remove the bags because it contends they will make the flood potential worse.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Geri Wright stands by the line of sandbags added to protect her home and property on Cedar Drive in Basalt from potential flooding. The town has ordered her and others to remove the bags because it contends they will make the flood potential worse.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319.jpg\" alt=\"Geri Wright stands by the line of sandbags added to protect her home and property on Cedar Drive in Basalt from potential flooding. The town has ordered her and others to remove the bags because it contends they will make the flood potential worse.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-1.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Cindy Griem\/courtesy photo | Rob Griem fights to control the mud entering his driveway on Cedar Drive in Basalt during the Aug. 4 flash flood. The Griems had to remove 20 tons of mud and debris.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>Rob Griem fights to control the mud entering his driveway on Cedar Drive in Basalt during the Aug. 4 flash flood. The Griems had to remove 20 tons of mud and debris.<\/strong><br \/>Cindy Griem\/courtesy photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-1.jpg\" alt=\"Rob Griem fights to control the mud entering his driveway on Cedar Drive in Basalt during the Aug. 4 flash flood. The Griems had to remove 20 tons of mud and debris.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-2.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott CondonThe Aspen Times | Keith McDougal and Geri Wright stand on a barrier at the intersection of Cedar Drive and Pinon in Basalt. Water from the Lake Christine Fire burn scar overwhelmed a culvert at that site and swamped the neighborhood.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"9\">\n<p><strong>Keith McDougal and Geri Wright stand on a barrier at the intersection of Cedar Drive and Pinon in Basalt. Water from the Lake Christine Fire burn scar overwhelmed a culvert at that site and swamped the neighborhood.<\/strong><br \/>Scott CondonThe Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-2.jpg\" alt=\"Keith McDougal and Geri Wright stand on a barrier at the intersection of Cedar Drive and Pinon in Basalt. Water from the Lake Christine Fire burn scar overwhelmed a culvert at that site and swamped the neighborhood.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-3.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times | The Basalt town government added sandbags to try to channel water to a drainage hole if a flood overwhelms a culvert at Cedar Drive again.\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"-1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"8\">\n<p><strong>The Basalt town government added sandbags to try to channel water to a drainage hole if a flood overwhelms a culvert at Cedar Drive again.<\/strong><br \/>Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.postindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2019\/08\/sandbaggers-atd-081319-3.jpg\" alt=\"The Basalt town government added sandbags to try to channel water to a drainage hole if a flood overwhelms a culvert at Cedar Drive again.\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/unease-in-wake-of-basalts-flash-flood-leads-to-dispute-over-sandbags\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/unease-in-wake-of-basalts-flash-flood-leads-to-dispute-over-sandbags\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Several residents of the Hill District in Basalt feel like they are staring up the barrel of a water canon after a cloudburst Aug. 4 unleashed flash flooding from the Lake Christine Fire burn scar above them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Some homeowners have placed sandbags at the edge of their property on Cedar Drive and other town streets to prevent getting swamped again by water and debris if Colorado\u2019s typical monsoonal moisture re-emerges.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But the town government says placing sandbags on the street right-of-way threatens to make flooding worse for their downhill neighbors.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The town and residents are at an impasse. The town has ordered the homeowners to remove the sandbags. Residents are ignoring the command.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote p402_hide\" readability=\"2\">\n<blockquote readability=\"7\">\n<p>\u201cBy putting [sandbags] on the right of way, they are effectively displacing water. There is a state law that says you can\u2019t do that.\u201dTown Manager Ryan Mahoney<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI just flat-out told (Town Manager) Ryan (Mahoney) I\u2019m not moving them,\u201d said Geri Wright, a resident of Cedar Drive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">It\u2019s a classic example of how the <a id=\"N0x1db6360N0x1e50970:N0x1db6360N0x1ca6708\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/lake-christine-fire-in-basalt-100-contained-after-rain-and-snow\/\">Lake Christine Fire<\/a> from the summer of 2018 will affect the midvalley for years to come. Wright\u2019s husband, Roger Brown, has been in their home for 33 years and <a id=\"N0x1db6360N0x1e509d0:N0x1db6360N0x1ca6798\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/flash-flooding-wreaks-havoc-on-basalt-area\/\">never experienced flooding like Aug. 4<\/a>. A shower stalled over the south side of Basalt Mountain and dumped 2 inches of rain in a relatively short time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Brown said they have gotten that amount of rain in prior cloudbursts, but the result was different this time because the <a id=\"N0x1db6360N0x1e50a30:N0x1db6360N0x1ca68b8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/report-assesses-damage-from-lake-christine-fire-and-potential-for-floods-debris-flows-in-basalt-and-el-jebel\/\">fire denuded so much of Basalt Mountain<\/a>. The lack of vegetation and toasted soil didn\u2019t absorb the water very well, so it cascaded down the steep slopes of Basalt Mountain toward the town\u2019s Hill District.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A <a id=\"N0x1db6360N0x1e50a90:N0x1db6360N0x1ca69d8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/local\/emergency-projects-above-basalt-eased-sundays-flash-flood-damage\/\">catch basin scraped out of a flat spot<\/a> this summer on 4 acres above the Basberg Townhouses helped control the flow of water and debris in one primary drainage off the mountain into town.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">However, there was no such opportunity to create a basin in another drainage that flows through the intersection of Pinon and Cedar drives. A culvert at that V-intersection was plugged by mud and debris, then overwhelmed with water that then cascaded down Cedar Drive. The water gouged a rut in the right shoulder while running downhill but in some places the road is slanted to the left, so the water ran through numerous yards and driveways on Cedar Drive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Wright showed where water rushed into her yard, creating a rut and left behind a layer of mud. A neighbor\u2019s quick action of placing sandbags along Cedar Drive prevented water from potentially swamping her house.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Next door, Rob Griem said the floodwater swamped his driveway and yard with mud. He had 20 tons of material removed and gravel hauled in. Numerous other residents of the Hill District ended up with tons of debris in their yards. Water got into three houses.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Basalt and other areas of the midvalley beneath the burn scar escaped problems this spring because the runoff was so gradual. It is well-established that burn scars are ripe for flash flooding \u2014 and that became evident Aug. 4.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe had to have a flood disaster to open everybody\u2019s eyes,\u201d Griem said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Sopris Avenue resident Keith McDougal said it\u2019s been 13 months since the wildfire. He believes state, federal and local authorities could have gotten further along on steps to ease and prevent flooding.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cSome of my frustration is why don\u2019t we have a flood mitigation plan?\u201d McDougal said. \u201cI think they\u2019re hiding behind saying there is a lack of information.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">He said some of the problem should have been anticipated. For example, it was obvious that the small culvert at Pinon and Cedar couldn\u2019t handle the volume of water coming from the burn scar, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Wright said the important point for her is what steps the town will take now, with the help of state and federal resources.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt needs to be redesigned,\u201d she said of the culvert at the head of Cedar Drive. \u201cThe town has to do some type of diversion to take it off our properties.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Until steps are taken to ease the flood threat, she and Griem feel they should be allowed to keep their sandbags in place \u2014 for peace of mind. When asked if it has been stressful to hear rain on occasion since Aug. 4, Wright replied, \u201cAre you kidding me? I can\u2019t sleep at night. You hear that pitter-pat of rain.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">McDougal is holding elected officials\u2019 feet to the fire. He believes the state of Colorado should play a big role in mitigating the flood risk since the fire started at the shooting range in the Basalt State Wildlife Area. He\u2019s written to Eagle County\u2019s state senator and representative to request help.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">He also wants Basalt to pursue interim steps while it works on a long-term mitigation plan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mahoney said he understands the concerns, but he noted that the town is acting on flood mitigation as quickly as it can with partners. The federal government awarded a grant of $1.23 million through the Emergency Watershed Protection Program. Local in-kind matches by the state, Eagle County and Basalt have boosted the amount of the effort to $1.3 million. The funds weren\u2019t available until this construction season. Projects to protect Basalt were the highest priority.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Eagle County created the catch basin on town-owned land above the Basbergs to satisfy its contribution. That project prevented water and debris from reaching numerous other homes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWe have a lot of happy folks out there,\u201d Mahoney said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Every project that is implemented has to be approved by the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service. The agency\u2019s liaison with the town visited Basalt on Aug. 5 to view the aftermath of the flooding, according to Mahoney. He hopes to meet with the liaison and the town\u2019s consulting engineer, SGM, to talk about modifications in plans after experiencing the flood. Mahoney said he tried to convey that to distressed homeowners from the Hill District in a meeting Sunday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI told them now that we know this is a problem, we\u2019re going to get on it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">However, it\u2019s his understanding that the grant cannot be used for improvements in municipal infrastructure, such as enlarging the culvert and Cedar and Pinon. But he is hoping the engineers can find ways to ensure the water stays in the intended drainage paths.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Meanwhile, he is adamant that the sandbags placed by homeowners cannot remain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cBy putting them on the right-of-way, they are effectively displacing water,\u201d he said. \u201cThere is a state law that says you can\u2019t do that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">In his view, preventing the water from running where it would go creates a bigger problem for a neighbor who doesn\u2019t use sandbags or it creates a volume of water that overwhelms a downslope property that otherwise would be untouched.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Wright is frustrated because she said she is simply trying to protect her property from flooding that is an extraordinary circumstance. McDougal said he believes it is reasonable for his upslope neighbors to use sandbags to direct water to the next natural drainage.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Mahoney said it is his responsibility to look at the \u201cmacro-issue\u201d and the effects on the town as a whole.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cIt\u2019s my job to keep the town out of liability,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Homeowners won\u2019t be cited for a misdemeanor for creating the obstructions, as the law allows, he said. But they have been informed about the dangers of placing the sandbags.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThey\u2019re taking on personal liability for that,\u201d Mahoney said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">He is determined to work with the town\u2019s partners on additional mitigation steps, but every burn scar requires custom projects.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThere isn\u2019t a playbook,\u201d Mahoney said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">For now, the flood risk is low. The current forecast calls for clear skies through Aug. 21. That buys time to settle the impasse over the sandbags. Mahoney said he hasn\u2019t ruled out having the town remove them.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.postindependent.com\/news\/local\/unease-in-wake-of-basalts-flash-flood-leads-to-dispute-over-sandbags\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: Post Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Geri Wright stands by the line of sandbags added to protect her home and property on Cedar Drive in Basalt from potential flooding. The town has ordered her and others to remove the bags because it contends they will make the flood potential worse.Scott Condon\/The Aspen Times Rob Griem fights to control the mud entering [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[160],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1313498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-07 07:22:33","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSKE Ski Country","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1313498"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1313498\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1313498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1313498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kske\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1313498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}