Englewood council reviews flood-basin prioritization study; city, Mile High Flood District identify three top basins

The City of Englewood and the Mile High Flood District presented results of the Englewood Flood Hazard Mitigation Basin Prioritization Study at a special City Council study session, laying out a ranking of 19 drainage basins and recommended next steps that include formal floodplain mapping and targeted capital projects.

The study, presented by Tim Host, Deputy Director of Engineering for the City of Englewood, and Jennifer Winters, watershed manager at the Mile High Flood District, used citywide hydrologic modeling, land-use and population data, and critical‑infrastructure overlays to score basins for public‑safety and equity concerns. "The official title of this report is the Englewood Flood Hazard Mitigation Basin Prioritization Study," Host said as the presentation opened.

City and district staff said three basins rose to the top of the prioritization: Little Dry Creek, Dry Gulch and the South Englewood Basin. Jennifer Winters described the scoring framework: "We looked at flood water inundation, land use and zoning and critical infrastructure," and combined depth, velocity, resident vulnerability and presence of schools or medical facilities to create a composite ranking.

Why it matters: the study is intended as a planning tool to direct scarce capital funds toward projects that deliver the greatest public‑safety benefit. City staff emphasized the study does not itself change FEMA flood maps or require immediate construction; instead it is intended to guide future design and capital improvement planning.

Key findings and recommendations

- Scope and methods: The team modeled a range of storm scenarios across the whole city,…