Funding for Sanderson Gulch Improvements Approved

On August 26, City Council approved funding for “the Final Design, Right-of-Way Acquisition and Construction of Drainage and Flood Control Improvements along Sanderson Gulch, Lipan Street to the South Platte River”.

According to the Ordinance/Resolution Request filed with the City:

These funds will be used primarily for design. Delineation of construction responsibilities between the UDFCD and CCD will be determined once the design is complete. The project will construct flood control improvements along Sanderson Gulch to ultimately remove 94 properties from the floodplain. By reducing the risk of flooding from 10-, 25-, 50-, and 100-year events, and theoretically reducing the size of the floodplain in Denver this project protects the lives of citizens who live, work, and frequent this area, as well as infrastructure (roads and railway bridges) and a portion of the local economy (local businesses).

A presentation made to the City Council shows that the project’s primary objectives are to increase public safety, remove structures from the FEMA floodplain, connect trails, improve water quality, and allow for maintenance access. A photo of an area of South Jason Street from June shows an example of the flooding that happens in that area.

The project timeline shows that construction would start in the winter of 2016, to be completed by spring of 2018. While the design stage is just now beginning, some of the proposed improvements would include reconstructing a portion of South Platte River Drive where it crosses over Sanderson Gulch just north of Florida Ave, and widening the Gulch in the area between the railroad and South Platte River Drive.