Lack of catastrophic flooding in Glenwood Canyon a welcome surprise to CDOT

It would be hard to ignore the weeks of 2021 that I-70 was closed through Glenwood Canyon because of torrential downpours and tons of rock and mud that slid down the burn scars and then across all lanes. The massive mudslides made the vital passageway through Colorado unpassable.

It's because of that previous experience with flooding that the Colorado Department of Transportation prepared for the worst this summer with the canyon, after being told by scientists the canyon would have the potential to do that again for the next 5 years while vegetation took root again in the aftermath of the Grizzly Creek Fire.  

Yet, as of Monday, Aug. 22, things have gone pretty smoothly. 

"We've had very minimal flooding in the canyon just a little bit in a few places along the recreation path," Regional communications Manager CDOT Elise Thatcher said. "Other than that, not much." 

Thatcher points to that vegetation that is taking hold and growing solid roots and holding rocks and mud in place even when above-average rainfall hit the canyon this summer. 

"So far, Mother Nature has been working in favor of keeping the canyon open as much as possible during the summer," Thatcher said, highlighting the green growth. "We have had heavy rain in the canyon and up above the canyon in certain locations. At this point, it looks like we think that the vegetation that's growing back is doing a pretty good job of keeping the canyon from having too many mudslides or flows."

Still, the team is not counting out late-season storms and the destructive power just one can bring to the canyon and Colorado's road travel. That's why it's watching the weather like a hawk, and clearing out as much mud and rock as it can each time it rains. 

"Removing material from alongside or just above the roadway so that culverts, for example, or basins that can catch material, making sure they've got room for more material to come down," Thatcher said. 

CDOT has had to close the canyon a few times in the last month due to flooding, but no monstrous flows of debris have hit the road, as of yet. We will see if this story jinxes it.  

"We prepared as much as possible for this season, and it's great that we haven't had an extended closure, but it's not over yet," Thatcher said.