How does urban development change streams? 

Increased development means that more water is draining from roofs and roads by curbs, gutters, and pipes. This can lead to increased flooding and erosion.  

Different than most streams in Denver which flow year-round, this stream flows intermittently. Development may change this.  

In Parker (through a partnership with Town of Parker, Mile High Flood District, Muller Engineers, and Wright Water Engineers), there is the chance to try something different to better protect the stream and prevent flooding and erosion during development.  


On May 11, 2023 we recorded the first event of the year. And it had a duration of over 14 hours!

How will the stream look after development?  How will this affect flash flooding? 

We have been monitoring to find out.  

We are using streamflow monitoring equipment using cameras and a flow measurement device. This monitoring started in 2020.   

 

Stacy Wilson in West Stroh Gulch. Stacy is now a Water Resources Engineer at Wright Water Engineers in Denver and deployed the first camera in West Stroh Gulch in June 2020

Stacy Wilson in West Stroh Gulch. Stacy is now a Water Resources Engineer at Wright Water Engineers in Denver and deployed the first camera in West Stroh Gulch in June 2020

Photo of Dixie Poteet, CSU PhD student, who expanded monitoring to 5 cameras and collected aerial imagery of the watershed

Photo of Dixie Poteet, CSU PhD student, who expanded monitoring to 5 cameras and collected aerial imagery of the watershed

Eric Balderrama Sanchez (CU BS student), Jorge Santiago Ramírez Núñez (CU PhD student), and Junwon Lee (CU BS student) reconstructing streamflow monitoring in 2023.

Eric Balderrama Sanchez (CU BS student), Jorge Santiago Ramírez Núñez (CU PhD student), and Junwon Lee (CU BS student) reconstructing streamflow monitoring in 2023.

Since 2023, there have been 8 streamflow events and counting. Here is one streamflow response captured on camera A on June 10, 2023

Since 2023, there have been 8 streamflow events and counting. Here is one streamflow response captured on camera A on June 10, 2023

Between 2020 and 2022, there was only 1 flow event: August 15, 2022.

Between 2020 and 2022, there was only 1 flow event: August 15, 2022.

Another 2023 storm event captured on camera, with flow into a streamflow monitoring device.

Another 2023 storm event captured on camera, with flow into a streamflow monitoring device.

Wildlife sometimes takes an interest in the streamflow monitoring setup.

Wildlife sometimes takes an interest in the streamflow monitoring setup.

Do you want more information? 

Wilson, S.*, A.S. Bhaskar, B.E. Choat*, S. Kampf, K.G. Hopkins, T. Green, A. Earles (2021), Urbanization of Grasslands in the Denver Area Affects Streamflow Responses to Rainfall Events, Colorado Water Volume 38, Issue 2. Available at: https://watercenter.colostate.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2021/11/ColoradoWater_V38-2-references-r13-lr.pdf 

Wilson, Stacy. MS Thesis (2021), Civil and Environmental Engineering. Hydrologic Responses to Urbanization in Denver Watersheds and Investigation of Precipitation Thresholds for Streamflow Generation in Pre-Development Semi-Arid Rangeland. https://mountainscholar.org/items/f0a4f6ca-c936-45c7-95e7-bf3b6f222edc 

 

Or contact us!