Throwback Thursday: Flooding in Edgewater

Because of its location in a small valley between the hills of Wheat Ridge and Lakewood, Edgewater has had issues with flooding throughout its history. One of the first infrastructure improvements to the city in the early 1900’s were boardwalks to keep pedestrians out of the mud.

Over the last week, we have been collecting stories from past and present residents of flooding in Edgewater. Here are a few of the memories of Edgewater flooding from Facebook:

Cindy Couch-Peterson: We lived near 22nd and Kendall and even though we had a sump pump, our basement flooded every time it rained!

Charley Spevak: I worked for Public Works. We would spend all night pumping basements on 20th Ave., Marshall, Newland, Otis.

Mike Ball: I remember what is now Citizen’s Park when it was just a field. It flooded one summer and looked as if we had a lake out there. Although it was only six inches deep, us kids had fun with it….as a teenager, Colfax flooded near Casa Bonita…so I can say I actually swam down Colfax one day….

Tawny Kidd: Our basement always flooded too, 26th and Lamar. I remember the Platte River flood, but nothing serious in Edgewater.

Alma Rogers: Flood of 65′ streets flooded and our unfinished rock basement had about eight feet of water with a sump pump going 24-7, we lived on 24th and Depew.

Mary Pie Pedroza: I grew up on 19th and Gray and I remember how 19th would become a river during heavy rains. It was during one of these that Randy Walker and Michael Branch were swept into the drains and found in Sloans Lake. Randy was in my mom’s Cub Scout pack. The park that is there now was named for them. May they both Rest In Paradise

Charlene Mcbee: 20th and Ingalls. The Stitts house on the corner. Their basement would fill up. Before they built the laundry mat next to the 7-11 on 20th and Harlen street,  it would fill up the hole. We used to sail our little sail boats on 20th.

Timothe Lynch: 25th and Eaton was usually a lake all the kids would play in. I do remember insurance companyies wanted flood insurance and we lived at 26th and Harlan on the corner in the 90s.

Lee Hogan Holden: My dad Al Hogan was in his fire gear clearing a storm drain on Sheridan and there was a picture of it in the Denver Post.

Noelle Alcorn: Oh goodness…20th and Otis! I remember flooding a few doors down was about 6 inches from the ceiling in the basement and the water being so deep we could take out a rubber raft.

Feel free to leave us your stories of Edgewater flooding in the comments below.

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.