River peak highest since 1999 flood

The Cache la Poudre River peaked this year at its highest level since 1999, a flood year.

Two big peaks occurred this spring, one at 4,340 cubic feet per second on June 8 and the second at 4,670 cfs on June 12 after heavy rains. High water threatened some homes in the LaPorte area on June 12.

The average spring peak at the mouth of the Poudre River is 2,960 cfs, according to river commissioner George Varra. Last year's peak was just 1,930 cfs.

The '90s saw some very high peaks along with flooding, notably the 1997 flood that killed five people in Fort Collins. Peak flows included 4,732 cfs in 1995, 3,308 cfs in 1997 and 5,822 cfs in 1999. A historic low was recorded in 2002, just 880 cfs.

Northern Water, which has been coordinating efforts to build Glade Reservoir, noted that 50,000 acre-feet of water from this spring's runoff could have been stored in Glade. The project, if built, would be able to take water off the Poudre in average and wet years.