Flash Flood in El Paso County, Colorado

A severe thunderstorm moved south across the eastern side of Colorado Springs, causing copious amounts of hail and heavy rain. Two teenage boys were in a drainage culvert on Cottonwood Creek near Woodmen Road and Austin Bluffs Parkway, when the wave of water hit, and both drowned. Farther south, near the Citadel Mall, poor drainage caused a 3 to 4 foot deep lake to develop with massive amounts of hail pouring into the deep water. Several vehicles were stranded and dozens of rescues took place. Some motorists and passengers suffered minor hypothermia in the icy cold water. Still farther south, the pavement on a bridge on Airport Road over Spring Creek was damaged by high, fast moving water.

Very heavy rain from a line of slow moving thunderstorms produced up to 4 inches of rain in one hour caused an irrigation dam to overflow in northeastern EL Paso county. Brackett Creek went out of it's banks running at times 8 to 12 feet deep and 30 feet wide…with the average levels at Brackett Creek 6 inches deep and 3 feet wide. Around 25 county roads were washed out by the flash flooding in a large portion of the county north of Highway 94. Highway 110 and Falcon Highway were severely damaged from flood waters of Brackett Creek. A bridge on Slocum Road…two miles north of Highway 94 was destroyed.

Very heavy rain and high rainfall rates caused extensive flash flooding in Colorado Springs, especially east of downtown. Up to 3 feet of water and hail inundated some areas near the Olympic Training Center and Citadel Mall. In addition to the flooding of city streets, 27 residences were affected. Six houses were deemed unlivable and 5 more sustained major water damage. The American Red Cross and Colorado Baptist Disaster Relief provided support for those affected. Damage to city infrastructure alone was around $150,000. No dollar amount of damage to private structures was available at this time.