Yesterday Grand County Road and Bridge staff traveled to Loveland to pick up 1,700 sandbags donated to the Grand community from the organization Serve 6.8.
The sandbag donation was coordinated by The Grand Foundation as part of an effort to help property owners affected by the East Troublesome Fire prepare for the potential of a flood-after-fire event.
Flooding after a fire is often more severe, as it takes very little rain to cause a flood or mudflows. As rainwater moves across charred and denuded ground, it can also pick up soil and sediment and carry it in a stream of floodwaters. This can cause more significant damage. (FEMA / FloodSmart.gov)
Next week, Road and Bridge will be staging pallets of bags at the Grand Lake ball fields, and at their Granby shop (467 Topaz). R&B staff will not be onsite to assist citizens with loading. Property owners are encouraged to take only as many as they need, and should be prepared to lift and carry bags, which weigh about 50 pounds each, themselves.
To learn more about flood-after-fire preparation, visit co.grand.co.us/floodready.