JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — More sandbags are beginning to line some of the banks of Bear Creek near Evergreen after days of rain and spring runoff are creating a potentially dangerous situation.
“At this point I’m trying to keep all of the water in the river by sandbagging,” said Roger Neppl, who lives right along the water in Upper Bear Creek. “I must admit, at the end of the day the sandbags seem to get much heavier.”
Despite some quick moving showers across the Front Range on Wednesday, many people, including Roger, welcomed a break in the rain.
“It’s pretty much in a hold pattern,” Neppl said.
But with more rain in the forecast, including the potential of much more this weekend everyone is watching the sky and the water.
“If, in fact, I see it come up and bumping underneath the bridge then I know I’m getting closer to a problem area,” Neppl said.
He knows because his entire neighborhood was a problem area in 2013. His yard and part of his home flooded and he still has the extra sandbags to prove it.
“These came from two years ago,” Neppl said, pointing to a pile of sandbags. “The majority of them were brought in by the national guard.”
Though the creek isn’t at that point yet, Roger isn’t the only one preparing for the worst.
“So far we’re keeping our fingers crossed,” said Alan Kahn, who lives in Evergreen.
Downstream in Evergreen, sandbags are now also parked outside of Cactus Jacks. As rising water approaches walking bridges, so does concern.
“If you just get some debris there, it’s going to overflow into Cactus Jacks, like it did last time,” said Jane Kahn.
The hope is that none of the sandbags will be tested but, after last time, nobody here is taking any chances.
“You just try to do the best you possibly can,” Neppl said. “I mean, it’s a great environment that we live in but we have to recognize that mother nature is much more powerful than we’ll ever be.”