What Flooding Looked Like in Boulder, Colorado

An unusually wet, weeklong rainstorm in September 2013 caused extensive flooding in North Boulder, Colorado, where Fourmile Canyon Creek flowed over its banks and into the neighborhood.

Drag the slider to the right to see what the neighborhood looked like before the flood. Drag the slider to the left to see what the neighborhood looked like after floodwaters filled the streets, yards, homes, and Crest View Elementary School (in the lower center). Notice that the water carried so much sediment that it appears brown in color. Fourmile Canyon Creek flows east (right) along the line of trees at the top of the image, and then southeast towards the lower right of the photo. Much of the flooded area is within the 100 and 500 year floodplain according to the City of Boulder’s Floodplain Map.