In late summer 2013, the Colorado Front Range experienced an extensive rainstorm event spanning approximately 10 days from September 9th to September 18th, totaling as much as 17 inches of rain.  The event generated widespread flooding as the long-duration storm saturated soils and increased runoff potential. Flooding resulted in substantial erosion, bank widening, and realigning of stream channels; transport of mud, rock and debris; failures of dams; landslides; damage to roads, bridges, utilities, and other public infrastructures; and flood impacts to many residential and commercial structures. Ten fatalities were attributed to the floods.

Muller and a team of consultants supported CDOT on several projects following the floods, providing support services with the assessment, reporting, tracking, and management of the emergency and permanent repair work required shortly after the flood event. Muller provided staff that worked in the Incident Command Center immediately following the flood assisting CDOT with the urgent repairs required.

We developed detailed cost estimates (DDIRs), created Damage Assessment Reports (DARs), and provided guidance to over 30 different design teams for the emergency and permanent repairs of over 120 miles of flood-damaged roadways. We worked directly with FHWA to determine eligibility, assign damage severity and pilot a resiliency program that allowed CDOT to build back infrastructure better. To quickly reopen the highway, we worked out design elements for erosion protection and new embankments in the field alongside the contractor.

Additionally, Muller’s environmental team became an integral part of the local agency team and was responsible for the clearance documents for emergency and permanent projects for more than 32 local agencies. Responsibilities included developing and providing environmental guidance to the Local Agencies for emergency and permanent repairs and conducting technical and quality reviews of all resource documents including Biological Resource Reports, Cultural Resource Reports, Hazardous Materials Reports, Stormwater Management Plans, and USACE Section 404 permits.

More than 9 years later, CDOT is still completing the final repairs, and this team continues to work on the recovery effort and be instrumental in keeping the recovery efforts moving forward in an effective and efficient manner.