Ben Binder: Use the old Flatiron gravel pits for floodwater detention

CU-South is comprised of the old Flatiron gravel pits in the historic South Boulder Creek streambed at the foot of a steep 136 square-mile Front Range drainage basin.
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Floods were once considered unforeseeable acts of God, and universities wisely built facilities on hills. But at CU-South, the University of Colorado is placing its faith in computer simulations of 100-year floods and a dicey 6,000 foot earthen levee.
While floodplains and riparian areas are poor choices for development, they provide excellent habitat for plants and wildlife, and natural detention for floodwaters. The city and county of Boulder have both recognized that floodplains and open space go hand-in-hand, and for that reason, 220 acres of the CU-South property is designated as open space in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan (BVCP).

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