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Larimer County Officials Discuss Flood Planning in LaPorte

Hundreds gathered in LaPorte to discuss possible flooding in the coming weeks. This resident reviews a flood plain map to determine if his home in danger.
Grace Hood
Hundreds gathered in LaPorte to discuss possible flooding in the coming weeks. This resident reviews a flood plain map to determine if his home in danger.

The Larimer County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies met with LaPorte residents last night about possible flooding along the Poudre River. But there are a lot of unknown variables that are making planning difficult.

Hundreds gathered in a stuffy room at Cache La Poudre Elementary.In front of the standing room only crowd, Sheriff Justin Smith discussed sandbagging, and how residents could plan for a flood evacuation. But the “when” and “who” will be affected were more difficult to answer.

“We know there’s a lot of water. It will depend on what that weather does,” he said. “If it gets hot quick, and comes down quickly, obviously a huge concern. If we ease through this, the levels will be up, but they may not peak as fast.”

Resident Megan Manley lives in one of the most at-risk areas in town, near McConnell Drive. She says so far she hasn’t had time to put sandbags around her home.

“We were gone for Memorial Day weekend. They dropped off the piles of sand on Thursday. We didn’t know what they were for. And when we got back they were all gone. So we have no sandbags yet,” she said.

Right now the county is offering sand to some residents, but quantities are limited. Despite all the unknowns, officials stressed that now is the time for residents to plan for an emergency scenario.

Starting today, Larimer County Emergency Management will post regular updates on river conditions and flood information here.

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