A nasty storm moved through Northern Colorado a week ago Saturday leaving hail piled up like snow, broken tree limbs and flooding.  Our basement at the radio station, here in Windsor, even flooded.   Town of Windsor employees have been very busy ever since, cleaning up the mess.  Here is what those employees have been up to over the past week:


  • Public Works crews spent 30 man hours to assist in plowing hail to the sides of streets and clearing and cleaning drains.  Crews did have to wait for water to recede in some areas as utilizing equipment in flooded areas with floating hail might have caused more damage to private property.  Alleys do not have drains, and some flooding is inevitable in a storm of this magnitude.
  • Public Works crews cleaned or inspected over 100 detention/retention ponds to ensure they are cleared of all debris.
  • Public Works crews cleaned all catch basin/drains throughout the Town
  • Public Works crews have been sweeping streets in different parts of Town where the damage was most severe.
  • Public Works crews cleaned drainage and irrigation ditches and grates on ditch laterals to get water augmentation equipment to start reading actual flows.
  • Public Works crews communicated with several residents concerned with storm drainage, and explained the magnitude of this 25-50 year storm.  Further information to residents as to the severity of this storm and the capacity of our storm sewer systems was very helpful. 
  • Public Works crews cleared mud off streets from lots under construction in the Poudre Heights area, and the various streets where it also washed onto
  • Facilities crews are working closely with Risk Management to assess damage to buildings and file any necessary claims with the Town’s insurance carrier. 
  • Risk Management and Fleet assessed vehicles finding 12 with hail damage; one may be totaled.  Claims are being filed with the Town’s insurance carrier. 
  • Parks and Forestry crews have spent 135 man hours scraping mud, debris and gravel off trails and sidewalks.  Leaves and small twigs created debris that had to be removed with heavy equipment and dump trucks for the hardest hit areas. Lids for irrigation valve boxes were washed away and had to be located.
  • Forestry crews spent approximately 20 man hours cleaning up the remains of flower beds, and mulch that had washed away.  
  • Recreation staff spent approximately 8 man hours assessing fields, fences and scoreboards.  Infield mix washed away from ball fields at Chimney Park.  Mulch and other debris had to be cleared off fields.
  • Finance staff has received 56 Business License applications; 48 have been processed for contractors desiring to do business in Town since 8-5-13, and more are anticipated.
  • Customer Service staff has issued or received applications for 29 Building Permits for roofing and 3 for siding since 8-5-13 and more are anticipated.
  • Communications staff has updated the Town’s website and utilized social media to inform the public and contractors about the steps involved in repair and recovery.

Many street lights are not working properly since the storm; in some cases the solar cells were damaged.  The public is encouraged to use the Town’s website windsorgov.com/Report-It to share outages.


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