Douglas County authorizes up to $350,000 for partial Smelter Creek restoration after Sept. 25 flood

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize staff to perform a partial restoration of Smelter Creek where the watercourse crossed private property in the Runestraugh neighborhood after the Sept. 25, 2025 flood.

Why it matters: County staff said the Sept. 25 event was unusually intense and was exacerbated by recent burn scars in the watershed. The board's action funds immediate work to restore flow capacity and to reduce the risk of additional homes and county roads being inundated before a long-term engineered solution can be designed and funded.

What the board approved: The board directed staff to clear and restore portions of the channel as needed where the stream has migrated onto private lots, to use county crews and rented equipment as required, and to proceed at a total county commitment not to exceed $350,000. The motion included direction that staff emphasize to residents that private property owners remain responsible for any maintenance obligations recorded on their property deeds or subdivision…