Drainage BasinsFort Collins is divided into the following drainage basins. Click a basin on the map for specific information regarding that basin. 
Poudre River Drainage Basin
The Poudre River, a major tributary to the South Platte River, is located in Larimer and Weld Counties, with a small portion of the drainage basin extending into southern Wyoming. Passing through Fort Collins, the Poudre River corridor provides for stormwater drainage from various contributing city drainage basins. Floodplain restrictions have limited the amount of building in the floodplain, resulting in lower development density. This lower density, combined with sensitivities to the natural environment, has resulted in a high concentration of parks and open space along the river corridor. Portions of the river corridor also contain old industrial sites, reflecting a time when the river was seen as a convenient means of carrying off waste products. Approximately 3,160 acres of floodplain between Taft Hill Road and I-25 would be inundated by a 100-year flood, damaging approximately 188 structures. Estimates indicate that damages to property, utilities and infrastructure caused by the 100-year flood would total $9.5 million, with expected additional damages due to significant erosion. Multiple alternatives were evaluated for reducing or eliminating flood damage and for controlling erosion, including structural improvements, such as levees or channel improvements; floodproofing; purchasing flood insurance, or acquiring property. The final solution for a particular site would be determined when the site is targeted for improvement. Flooding History
Poudre River behind the Mulberry Water Reclamation Facility during the 1999 Flood 
Damage was extensive in the Andersonville neighborhood after the flood in 1904. The location of the City of Fort Collins is where it is today because of flooding on the Poudre River. The first military post, Camp Collins, was originally established near the present day town of LaPorte. It was destroyed in 1864 when the Poudre River flooded. Camp Collins was relocated to higher ground near present day Old Town in Fort Collins. There are several well-documented large floods on the Poudre River around the turn of the century. A flood in 1891 was due to a dam break on Chambers Lake. The most notable flood was in 1904. This storm was greater than a 100-year event and resulted in the death of Fort Collins resident Robert Strauss. The Buckingham, Alta Vista and Andersonville neighborhoods were severely damaged by the 1904 flood. section of the Poudre River during the 1999 flood The most recent flood on the Poudre River was a relatively small one in the spring of 1999. It was caused by rain and snow runoff during a warm period in April. The flood lasted only a few days, but resulted in a great deal of bank erosion and threatened many properties. The Poudre River behind the Mulberry Water Reclamation Facility had flows of almost 4,000 cubic feet per second (cfs). Normal river flow at this location is 100 cfs. Although the Poudre River has not flooded often in recent years, we know from the past that large floods on the Poudre River can happen. Only the future will tell how flooding on the Poudre River could change the history of Fort Collins again. Maps
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