University History

University History 1997 Flood

Published July 2007

On the evening of July 28, 1997, a flash flood ripped through Fort Collins and the Colorado State University campus without warning.

In a matter of hours, normally ankle-deep Spring Creek became a roaring, brown river of mud and debris. Five people drowned south of campus when water swept them from their mobile homes. Estimated damages citywide were in excess of $200 million.

Known as the "Spring Creek Flood of '97," the flash flood resulted from a series of heavy thunderstorms over a two-day period in west Fort Collins. Torrential rains began Sunday night, July 27, dumping 4-6 inches of rain in the area. The next night, with the ground already saturated, a second round of even heavier storm formed in the same area. Meteorologists later described these storms as almost tropical in nature. More than 10 inches of rain fell from 5:30-11 p.m. the second night.

Extensive flooding occurred citywide. The rainfall set records for the largest 1-day, 3-hour and 6-hour precipitation totals in the CSU gauge, even though the instrument was not located at the storm's center.

Colorado State University campus suffered millons of dollars in damages to buildings and property. Morgan Library and the Lory Student Center were among the hardest hit, losing books, computers, and furnishings. Fortunately, no people on campus suffered serious injuries or death.

Better and stronger university

Ways to promote a sense of community had long been sought at Colorado State, but it was adversity that made this goal a reality. Resourcefulness, patient resolve, and generosity typified the behavior of nearly everyone associated with or concerned about CSU in this time of crisis.

Solid planning, efficient implementaion, and extraordinary work, ultimately made CSU's campus better. Within a few days of the flood, more than 600 workers and six main contractors descended on campus. The cooperative spirit and the determination to prevail in the face of disaster, were the defining qualities of the CSU community.

More about the flood

1. Downpour Turns Into Nightmare
2. CSUPD Dispatchers Narrowly Escape
3. Lory Student Center Inundated
4. Morgan Library Wall and Foundation Explodes
5. Academic Offices Annihilated
6. Shocking Journey To Campus
7. The Morning After
8. Logistics and Communication Challenges
9. Bureaucratic and Fiscal Hurdles
10. Library Opens for Fall Semester
11. Heavily Damaged Lory Student Center Renovated
12. Faculty Move On
13. Theater and Music Programs Suffer Heavy Losses
14. President Yates Issues a Challenge

Historical information

• Historical account and photos - a history of the flood compiled and edited from Democracy's University - A History of Colorado State University 1970-2003, written by James E. Hansen II (University Press of Colorado, 2007).
• Documentary video - 10 minute video documenting scenes of the flood and recovery.
• Photo gallery

Additional Information

• 10 years after the flood, by Paul Miller, originally published in The Denver Post, July 22, 2007.
• Book rescuer takes on the role of Mr. Freeze, by Paul Miller, originally published in Comment, Aug. 25, 1997.
• Archives and Special Collections 1997 Flood Exhibit, Colorado State University Libraries, July 27-Aug. 31, 2007, Room 202, Morgan Library.

CSU Press Releases

• Morgan Library marks 10 years after devasting flood
• Spring Creek Flood led to Colorado State's amateur precipitation monitoring network
• Rising above: Colorado State University 10 years after the Spring Creek Flood

City of Fort Collins

• City of Fort Collins flood history
• City of Fort Collins 1997 Flood 10th Anniversary Commemoration July 28 (pdf)

In the News

• Spring Creek Flood: 10 Years Later, Coloradoan.com.
• The river came roaring, The Coloradoan, July 22, 2007.
• Closure comes too late, The Coloradoan, July 22, 2007.
• Victims recall the dark, intense night of chaos, The Coloradoan, July 22, 2007.
• Memories of heartache, heroism, The Coloradoan, July 22, 2007.
• 10 years after the flood, The Denver Post, July 22, 2007.
• Will it happen again?, The Coloradoan, July 23, 2007.
• Floodplain zoning has changed many times since '97, The Coloradoan, July 23, 2007.
• Recovery efforts bond CSU community, The Coloradoan, July 23, 2007.
• Flood spawned weather-watcher program, The Coloradoan, July 23, 2007.
• Moment of silence, The Coloradoan, July 29, 2007.
• Survivors, families mark 10th anniversary of Fort Collins flood, The Denver Post, July 29, 2007.
• Fort Collins flood remembered 10 years later, CBS4 News Denver, July 29, 2007.
• Flood had benefits for CSU library, The Denver Post, July 30, 2007.

Research

• An Analysis of Rainfall for the July 28, 1997 Flood in Fort Collins, Colo., Nolan J. Doesken and Thomas B. McKee, Colorado Climate Center, Atmospheric Science Department, Colorado State University.
• Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network (CoCoRaHS), Colorado Climate Center, Atmospheric Science Department, Colorado State University. CoCoRaHS was started in response to the 1997 flood because there was no reliable data about how much rain actually fell in the region and the storm was not well detected by traditional weather observing networks. CoCoRaHS has now grown to 18 states or regions.
• Hydrometerological investigation of the Spring Creek Flood of 1997 - Fort Collins.
• First Look CSU-CHILL Data from the 7/29/1997 Flash Flood. The CSU-CHILL radar facility is funded by the National Science Foundation and the State of Colorado. CSU-CHILL provides data and evaluating experimental techniques in remote sensing of the atmosphere.