ARWC installed cribbing structures to protect Pass Creek Road in the Spring Creek Fire burn scar area. The structure utilizes burned, but stable trees from the area to stabilize the road and prevent deterioration and washout caused by post-fire flooding. Pass Creek Road provides critical ingress and egress for local residents, emergency responders, utility and services providers, and travelers in the area. 

ARWC is on the ground in the Spring Creek Fire burn area completing digital elevation mapping in partnership with River Science. This imaging will help ARWC choose and prioritize sites to implement post-fire recovery projects for the most positive impacts.

Also this summer, ARWC cleared out a pool at Sulphur Springs to create a sediment catchment basin which worked to successfully slow down and catch sediment during two flood surges on July 27 and August 3. We are developing new projects in Middle Creek,  Indian Creek and Pass Creek. ​

As the rainy season approaches, we want to remind area residents to begin preparing now for post-fire flooding in the Decker Fire burn area. Areas below the Decker Fire burn scar face risks to safety, homes, roads, trails, and water supplies from post-fire flash flooding. While projects are underway to assist landowners and others with recovery, there is significant work you can do now - before the rainy season is upon us. 
 
Education and preparedness are the first line of defense.
Hillsides stripped by the fire of trees and other vegetation are unable to absorb rainfall which creates what we call a “bulking factor”. The bulking factor takes into consideration increased runoff due to reduced vegetation and the collection of debris (burned trees, soils, etc.). The bulking factor in post-fire conditions results in dangerous flash flooding even in drainages or draws that have historically been dry. Burned and unstable soils break apart easily even with modest amounts of precipitation and burned trees and debris can be swept down during a flash flood and cause severe injuries and threats to life and property. Educating and preparing yourself will go a long way to creating a safe and secure environment on your property.

• Be safe. 

Safety is of the utmost importance when post-fire flooding occurs which can be during the first rain events of the monsoon season and remain a threat for many years to come. During a rain event in the burn scar area, get to high ground immediately. Do not use trails during this time as they can quickly become a route for fast-moving water from a flash flood. If you have not already, sign up for Chaffee County’s EverBridge alert system. 

• Be smart - remove homemade dams, berms, and bridges.

Conditions can and do create dangerous water flows in dry gullies that have never seen water before. In these areas, homemade dams, berms, and bridges can create debris jams and unintentionally divert floodwaters toward your home, or your neighbors. Please remove any homemade dams, berms, and bridges to protect yourself and your neighbors. 

• Be Prepared – its not too late to get FEMA flood insurance. 

It is highly recommended that all property owners who are located below the Decker Fire burn scar consider getting FEMA flood insurance. Additional information on FEMA flood insurance can be found on our Resources page.

• Clean and remove debris and garbage from your property.

Keep draws, drainages, and low-lying areas free from debris of any kind. Remove and dispose of down branches and trees and any trimmings from yard care. Get rid of trash, scrap metal, old vehicles, tires, and anything else that could get swept downstream. Contact the Chaffee County Landfill for more information on disposing of debris. 

By taking a few basic but vital steps you can prepare yourself for potential post-fire flooding. We ask you all to be safe, be prepared, and be informed. For more information, links, resources, and contacts to help you prepare for post-fire flooding please visit the Chaffee Recovers website.
 
REGISTER NOW FOR CHAFFEE COUNTY EMERGENCY ALERTS

PURCHASE FLOOD INSURANCE

REVIEW PREPAREDNESS & RECOVERY RESOURCES
 

The Community Recovery Fair on February 29 provided an opportunity for those impacted by the Decker Fire - and their concerned neighbors - to gather to learn more about fire preparedness and post-wildfire safety and preparedness. Learn more.

Chaffee County and the Decker Fire Recovery Team are hosting a Decker Fire Recovery Fair from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, February 29th at the Chaffee County Fairgrounds -10165 CR 120, Salida, CO 81201.

The community preparedness fair is open to all of Chaffee County and surrounding area, including Fremont and Saguache counties, and is designed for all residents - including those affected by the fire and those who want to learn to be prepared for future wildfires, flooding and other natural disasters. We live in a fire-adapted part of the Southern Rockies, and wildfires will continue to become more frequent across Colorado.

Professionals will be on site to provide guidance on flood insurance, forest and flood mitigation, business continuity, well water testing, building emergency evacuation kits, animal safety, property assessments, communication strategies, donation and volunteer management, and evacuation and re-entry planning. 

Canon City High School students collected data from fire-impacted creek drainages last summer and fall to study how waterways are affected by fire. They continue their study in 2019, but their first set of data are available here: 
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https://www.river.science/education
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The Canon City Daily Record featured a story covering some of the recovery work in the Big Cottonwood drainage:

http://www.canoncitydailyrecord.com/flood-mitigation-work-done-in-fremont-county
 

During July and August 2019, volunteer crews removed debris and trash from the Big Cottonwood drainage. The crews are from the Work Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) program - part of the Upper Arkansas Area Council of Governments program in Canon City. Thank you so much to our committed volunteers who are working hard to improve conditions in the fire-impacted drainages. You can learn more about the program here:

http://www.uaacog.com/programs/workforcedevelopment.html

With the help of a forester and sawyer from the Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative (arkcollaborative.org) and crew leader from River Science (river.science), crews removed trees in or falling in to the creek from heavily eroded banks, preventing these from becoming hazards to life and property downstream in another flood event. They also deconstructed and hauled out three large debris deposits containing woody materials and trash from the July 24, 2018 flood and subsequent floods.  Removing these jams and deposits allows water and additional debris to move more freely down the channel during a flood, encouraging flows to pass through rather than collecting and diverting water toward people, homes and roads. The crews removed a large amount of trash including small pieces of microtrash as well and large pieces of metal and equipment deposited during last July's high flow flood. Clearing out trash prevents these materials from continuing to contaminate the natural system, and supports natural regeneration of plant and animal communities, including the fishery. ​

​We are working on bringing crews back again in the spring, in addition to other volunteer groups, to complete needed work we identified with the help of landowners and field experts who have been working with the recovery team since this spring. Look for Chelsey, Luke and Kate in the field, or Contact Us with questions. ​

​During the week of July 15, with direction from an Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative (ARWC) forester, ARWC sawyers and volunteers, removed a large cottonwood tree that was deposited during the 2018 flood event. The tree, with its nearly 70 foot length and 7 foot diameter at its widest, had a 12 foot agricultural gate wedged in its crook while flows carried it down the creek channel during the July 2018 flood event. The large tree posed a risk to downstream neighbors if it moved again during another flood event. The recovery coalition team worked with landowners to secure funds to remove it. 

With our coalition team member Chelsey Nutter now at the helm as ARWC Executive Director, the organization has become the formal parent entity housing our local coalition. The Arkansas River Watershed Collaborative (ARWC) is a 501(c)3, formed by the Watershed Health Sub-Committee of the Arkansas Basin Roundtable (ABRT). 
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The coalition team continues work on securing funds to meet needs identified during the spring and summer.