Northern Colorado Floods

[Gregory Matthews]

You are seeing it on the national news. Northern Colorado is flooding to an extent that most would not imagine.

This level of rain is expected to last into and possibly through Saturday. In many places the current level is considered to be equivalent to a one in one-hundred year possibility. Where I live it is called a one in five-hundred year possibility. It is bad in the city of Boulder, Boulder County, Broomfield and Longmont. The probability exists that SDA Members and property may be affected.

In Longmont, where I live, as of yesterday, 7,000 homes have been evacuated. We live on a slight rise that means that we are not likely to ground flood. However, the flooded area is less than two blocks away. Yesterday, two of the three routes to where I live were under water. the one open route of 12 miles took me one hour to drive. I do not know if that route is open today, or if it will remain open in the future. We were without electricity and gas for 7-hours yesterday. We have it now.

[Liz]

So even if your house doesn't flood you can still be stranded. Prayers sent that that doesn't happen. (((Huge hugs)))

[Ted Oplinger]

Praying this will end soon, and you and yours are not directly affected. Better to be merely stranded, than to have the house inundated...

Blessings,

[Gregory Matthews]

My wife and I are very thankful.

http://www.timescall.com/longmont-local-...-st-vrain-river

For more about where we live see the above. This afternoon and Saturday are expected to be bad.

One example from the city of Boulder: Boulder Creek normally flows between 100 and 300 cubic feet per second. Yesterday it reached 4,500 cubic feet per second!

[Neil D]

Wow...

how high do they expect it to get to in the town? I skimmed the article but didn't read it.....How high does the water have to climb before it gets to your home?

[Gregory Matthews]

We will not be ground flooded. The water will not get that high. We have a below-ground basement that we just finished. It is possible that the ground around the basement wall will become so saturated that we will get little seepage and we have had a minimal amount of that. But that, so far, is so minor that we do not expect to need to make any repairs. We have two sump pumps that are working well.

NOTE: When we refinished we were very limited in the type of floor that we could install. We ended up installing the one type that will not be damaged by water. Yes, if the basement were to flood we would have a problem otherwise.

There is one other possibility: Our backyard is on a slope. A river of water coming down that slope could have a small amount channeled through our basement exit door into the basement. We do not expect that to happen even in the present 500-year flood. Even then most would not be channeled into the basement.

[Gregory Matthews]

The Boulder Church has a "State of the Art" school located in Erie. It has sustained some flood damage, but we do not have a late report. At the time of the report, it was believed to be somewhat minor damage, but that remains to be seen and to obtain a recent report.

The Conference has not reported yet.

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

So even if your house doesn't flood you can still be stranded.

The small town of Lyons is stranded. No one can either get in or out. The Colorado National Guard is going to Lyons and evacuating some people.

Longmont, where I live, is essentially cut off from l-25. There is no known connection to that Interstate highway.

As it is, even if we could get to I-25, we could not travel on it. There is a long section that is closed to all traffic--many miles. They have arrangements for official emergency travel on that section, but no one else.

[Johann]

Praying for your safety. So you will not be able to get to work? How about church?

[Gregory Matthews]

The Boulder Church where I attend had a big schedule tomorrow. It has had to cancel services due to the projected inability of people to attend. The person who was scheduled to speak is stranded in a town that does not have: Internet, cell phone service, or regular telephone service. I am uncertain whether or not is has electricity.

Longmont will likely be able to have a service. However, I am uncertain as to whether any of the pastoral staff will be able to attend. You know what, that may mean that if I attend, I will need to preach. O.K. I will be prepared to do so. I live one mile from that church and I will be able to attend.

[phkrause]

Will be praying for you and family and all those that live in the areas that are flooding. I know of at least two others on CA who live in CO, CoAspen and JoeMo, not sure of any others. Will pray that they are also safe.

[Gregory Matthews]

Damage is unknown yet. However, I know of one SDA family who probably lost everything.

They did. They lost everything. It is all gone. They got out with their lives.

[Neil D]

They did. They lost everything. It is all gone. They got out with their lives.

Ok, now I am in active mode and want to get ready to help...What do you need? How can we help this family? What do they need? Who do I need to talk to to coordinate efforts?

[Gregory Matthews]

With this disaster still ongoing, the experts expect the flooding to continue into next week as more storms come in the next couple of days and as the mountain floods move down stream into the flat lands of the Eastern part of Colorado.

There are literally thousands homeless at the present in Colorado. Some of these people will have minor damage. Others will have a total loss. My city, Longmont, has 5,900 families evacuated from their homes, down from 7,200 families. However, more may have to evacuate next week.

We do not know at this time of the losses in Colorado.

We also do not know at this time of the losses sustained to SDA property and its members and their property. We have some undocumented stories of members who have sustained major loss.

The elderly couple whom I mentioned sustained a total loss is believed to be covered by insurance. They are not thought to have a loan on their home, but their property value has now tanked. However, that remains to be seen as to whether or not they were actually covered. I am uncertain as to whether or not they actually know that they were covered. In any case, they may or may not be most in need.

This couple are members of the Boulder SDA Church at 345 Mapleton St in Boulder Colorado. NOTE: The Boulder Church does not presently have a pastor and is being run by its members. One could contact it and ask how one could help.

One could contact the Rocky Mountain Conference in Denver ask how one might help. This crisis is going to extend into next week and at the moment, the Conference does not have a grasp of the problems.

NOTE: The Rocky Mountain Conference has a well respected agency that operates throughout the year providing help to people in need. I have forgotten its name. It has replaced Ingathering.

If one wanted to contact the Conference, one might consider contacting the Central States Conference which has members in the Denver Metro area.

The Internet will give you telephone numbers and addresses for all of the above.

If you have other questions, ask of me.

[Gregory Matthews]

Breaking news: As I write, that rain and hail stones have been coming down in Denver for about 30 minutes. The hail stones are small, but many. In some areas the ground is covered white with the hail. The weather cell is expected to be over Denver for the next hour or so.

This storm is very slow moving in the Northern direction. I live 40 miles North of Denver. This Denver cell will eventually be over us.

As the current weather cell moves away from Denver, it is believed that it may be replaced by a cell that will have heaver rain.

The hail is clogging some of the drains and increasing the flooding.

This weather cell is not coming from the mountains. If the rain comes from the mountains, that will make the flooding worse.

The current rain is bringing as much as 3 inches in an hour. Flash flooding is happening in Denver.

The storm is moving at about 15 miles per hour.

Well, you have heard the news as it is happening.

The governor is now reporting of his over flight by helicopter. During his flight he landed and rescued six people who had been stranded for the past couple of days.

Military units are doing extensive evacuations of stranded people. But, that is slow. Early this morning military helicopters had picked up 500 persons out of 2,500 stranded people. Army National Guard people are getting in with cross-country military vehicles and evacuating hundreds.

Here in Longmont a major church had processed about 2,000 people as of this morning and about 300 had stayed the night.

Well, you are reading as it is being reported.

[phkrause]

Will continue to keep all in prayer.

[LifeHiscost]

Thanks for the info and updates, Gregory. We have very close relatives and friends in Colorado, on my wife's side of the family and I can't recall the area nor whether they are in CO just now as they have a home in Mn also which they commute between on occasion.

We are remembering those, including yourself and loved ones, that God will see it in His will to deliver from danger.

God cares!

[Gregory Matthews]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DROpPDNDpY

Take a look at the town where I live.

[Gregory Matthews]

This one shows what is coming down from the mountains. This one took ou17 miles of road. A lot of people lived at the side of this road.

NOTE: You can cut and past if you can't click on it.

[Gregory Matthews]

Family who lost everything:

They are living with son and wife.

The church has established a fund to help them out for the present. They came away without even a change of clothes.

Once they receive an insurance settlement for their totaled home, they will be able to resettle and plans are in place.

In the long run, their needs, are believed to be taken care of.

IF they get the insurance settlement, they do not have a long term need.

[phkrause]

Wow, looks like a hurricane had come through there. Unreal!

[Gregory Matthews]

Quote:

Ok, now I am in active mode and want to get ready to help...What do you need? How can we help this family? What do they need? Who do I need to talk to to coordinate efforts?

As I have previously stated: In the long term, I believe that this family does not most need help. Short term needs are being taken care of.

However, if you want to contribute to the short term situation, let me know. I will send you a private message telling you how to do so.

[Gregory Matthews]

As I write this it is a little after 4 AM. The weather report predicts a 60% to 40% chance of rain for the next 24 hours. I stepped outside and it is not raining right now.

The real issue that we face is: What is it doing in the mountains that will send water down on us and what it is going to do both in the mountains and on us that will further send water out into the Eastern plains?

The experts are predicting that the there are towns in the Eastern plains that will be hardest hit today and tomorrow. And, we may take a big hit today?

Yes, the damage is unbelievable. We talk about the "Big Thompson Flood" of a few years back. That was nothing compared to what we are seeing today.

Quote:

On July 31, 1976, during the celebration of Colorado's centennial, the Big Thompson Canyon was the site of a devastating flash flood that swept down the steep and narrow canyon, claiming the lives of 143 people, 5 of whom were never found. This flood was triggered by a nearly stationary thunderstorm near the upper section of the canyon that dumped 300 millimeters (12 inches) of rain in less than 4 hours (more than 3/4 of the average annual rainfall for the area). Little rain fell over the lower section of the canyon, where many of the victims were.

Around 9 p.m., a wall of water more than 6 meters (20 ft) high raced down the canyon at about 6 m/s (14 mph), destroying 400 cars, 418 houses and 52 businesses and washing out most of U.S. Route 34.[5] This flood was more than 4 times as strong as any in the 112-year record available in 1976, with a discharge of 1,000 cubic meters per second (35,000 ft³/s).

NOTE: This flood was caused by a mere 12 inches of rain over a 4-hour period.

The current known damage to the Big Thompson Canyon has taken out 17 miles of road. There are currently major issues in attempts to rescue people stranded in the Canyon. Some are being rescued by Zip Line, believe it or not!

[Neil D]

Quote:

Ok, now I am in active mode and want to get ready to help...What do you need? How can we help this family? What do they need? Who do I need to talk to to coordinate efforts?

As I have previously stated: In the long term, I believe that this family does not most need help. Short term needs are being taken care of.

However, if you want to contribute to the short term situation, let me know. I will send you a private message telling you how to do so.

Sorry, but I can't send you a PM...YOUR box is full... Send it to me at n_dewey@yahoo.com

[Gregory Matthews]

I have sent you a private message. Let me know if you do not receive it.