Richard White, a civil engineer with the Weld County
Public Works Department, emphasized how critical it was
for the repairs to be done quickly and accurately and that
they be well-documented, knowing the scrutiny they’d
be under from regulatory agencies such as the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal
Highway Administration (FHWA).
“The plans and specifications, combined with Ayres’
excellent construction management of the five bridge
projects, allowed the work to be completed on schedule
and within budget,” said White, who first met Ayres’
staff at a culvert design workshop the company hosted a
week before the flooding. “This work has required more
documentation and project management responsibilities
than normal due to the fact that FEMA and FHWA will
most likely audit our records before reimbursing the
County for the work. Anthony and his team have provided
everything that Weld County Public Works has requested.”
Work continues on permanent flood repairs for Weld
County, including bridge abutment and bank protection,
roadway overtopping protection, roadway embankment
restoration, and permanent road repairs. In addition,
Ayres is involved with development of a Big Thompson
River Master Plan and permanent repairs for the heavily
damaged Big Thompson Canyon, one of the main
mountain corridors in nearby Larimer County, Colorado.
Left: Ayres Associates assisted Weld County, Colorado, with
Thompson River Corridor flood repairs. This photo provides a
view upstream of the pre-spring runoff protection at the north
abutment of a county road bridge over the Little Thompson
River.
Right: This photo, captured in November 2013, reveals a
flanked and partially collapsed local access bridge in the Big
Thompson Canyon.
18│ TRENDS
Quick Facts
From September 9 to 16, 2013, Colorado experienced
one of its most extreme rainfall and flood events in
recorded history.
The historic rains and flooding affected six major riv-
ers/tributaries, 14 counties, and more than 12 cities/
towns in Colorado.
Areas within the storm’s epicenter received over
600% of the average precipitation for September
2013.
The National Weather Service office in Boulder,
Colorado, issued 64 flash flood warnings and 38 flood
warnings from September 10 through 15.
Source: Colorado Climate Center, Colorado State University
Meanwhile, remnants from the powerful floodwaters
remain.
“You drive through the canyons, and you can tell,” said
Alvarado, a Colorado resident of nearly 20 years. “The
roads are fixed. They’re roughly put back to where they
were. But you can look across the river and see this house
on a cliff that wasn’t a cliff before.”
Alvarado said the emergency response work has left an
impression on him. Most of the river engineering, bridge
scour, hydraulics, and hydrographic surveys he’s done to
date have been in other states, including California, New
Mexico, and Idaho. This flooding happened in Colorado,
“and to be able to be a part of flood response was
probably some of the most rewarding work I’ve done.”