Looking back on Colorado's 2013 flood, one of the state's most damaging natural disasters

Miles Blumhardt, Fort Collins Coloradoan
·3 min read

The historic 2013 flood in Colorado occurred over a week, Sept. 9-15, 2013, but the bulk of the more than 18 inches of rain in some locations occurred during a 30-hour period Sept. 11-12.

An extremely moist, subtropical airmass ignited by a cold front parked over Colorado through much of the week, resulting in rainfall approaching totals that statistically would happen once every 500 to 1,000 years.

Here's a snapshot of one of Colorado's most devastating natural disasters, including a lasting look at its impacts on Larimer County:

Number of lives lost, people displaced and homes, businesses and roads destroyed was staggering

Here's a statewide look at the 2013 flood's aftermath, according to the National Weather Service:

  • Nine fatalities, including two in Larimer County.

  • Around $4 billion in estimated damage (in 2023 dollars). Only the 1965 flood had higher damage estimates than the 2013 flood at around $5 billion (in 2023 dollars).

  • 1,750 people rescued.

  • 19,000 people evacuated.

  • 2,006 homes destroyed.

  • 26,000 homes damaged.

  • 200 business destroyed.

  • 750 businesses damaged.

  • 200 miles of road damaged.

  • 50 major bridges damaged.

  • 15 counties included in a FEMA disaster declaration, from Larimer in the north to El Paso (Colorado Springs) in the south.

Rainfall records shattered during the 2013 flood

  • The heaviest rainfall totals of 12 to 18 inches were widespread through much of central Boulder County, stretching from Boulder north and west toward Jamestown, Lyons and into central Larimer County, including the Estes Park area.

  • The 24-hour state precipitation record was broken at the Fort Carson military base near Colorado Springs, with 11.85 inches of rain falling on Sept. 12.

  • Boulder set a calendar day all-time rainfall record of 9.08 inches and monthly record of 18.16 inches.

A look at Larimer County rainfall totals from the 2013 flood

  • 13.83 inches: Southern Larimer County border

  • 13.05 inches: Allenspark area

  • 12.52 inches: West of Colorado Highway 14 and U.S. Highway 287

  • 12.42 inches: West of Virginia Dale in extreme northern Larimer County

  • 11.88 inches: Just northwest of Horsetooth Reservoir in the Lory State Park area

  • 9.59 inches: Estes Park

  • 5.6 inches: Loveland

  • 5.33 inches: Fort Collins

  • 5.14 inches: Wellington

  • 4.8 inches: Windsor

Source: National Weather Service

How the 2013 flood impacted Larimer County

  • $100 million in road damage repair to county roads.

  • 65 county bridges and large culverts significantly damaged.

  • 25-30 miles of completely destroyed road.

  • 85% of U.S. Highway 34 between Loveland and Estes Park, including 25 bridges, was washed away and ripped apart. Construction closed the highway for eight months twice before being completed in 2018 at a cost of $300 million.

  • Interstate 25 near Fort Collins, where the Poudre River crosses under the interstate, and near Loveland, where the Big Thompson River crosses under the interstate, were completely underwater, closing the interstate. Those two areas were recently raised as part of the North I-25 Express Lanes project.

  • Colorado Highway 14 was closed due to mud and debris slides.

  • The flood damaged the Poudre River area, killing many fish, but also flushed suffocating sediment from the river deposited by rains after the 2012 High Park Fire.

  • Fort Collins received minimal damage due to preventative measures resulting from the 1997 Spring Creek Flood. However, Estes Park, Loveland and Laporte all suffered more severe damage.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado's 2013 flood by the numbers: Fatalities, damages, rain totals