Heavy rains uproot drainage ditch on north end of Colorado Springs

Posted: Jul 8, 2012 11:13 PM by Jacqui Heinrich
Updated: Jul 9, 2012 6:14 AM

A drainage ditch behind Thrush Grove near Rampart High School in northern Colorado Springs is in pieces after heavy rains uprooted the concrete.

Two homes were partially under water Sunday evening. Residents say the system was totally uprooted within 10 minutes of gushing waters heading downstream.

Water is now flowing beneath where the drainage ditch used to be; residents like Dianne Reid worry about erosion since there is no structure to direct rainfall. "It's extremely hazardous," Reid told News 5.

The president of the Homeowner's Association says this area has been a problem before; utilities workers repaired the system after a storm caused similar damage to the drain two years ago.

Though the ditch is just yards from homes, the land belongs to the city. Residents speculate utilities workers didn't repair the ditch properly after the first break since funds from the city's Water Drainage Fee are no longer being collected, and funding is limited.

News 5 spoke with utilities workers on scene Sunday night; they were working into the night to repair the ditch before any more damage is caused, especially as rain is forecasted for the coming days. A response from city officials is expected tomorrow.