Urban Drainage Consulting

WWE has been fortunate to work with the Mile High Flood District (MHFD), formerly the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, since it was founded in the late 1960s. WWE founder Kenneth R. Wright, P.E., originally wrote the Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual for the newly-formed organization in 1969. Since then, WWE has continuously worked for MHFD on topics related to hydrology, hydraulics, floodplain management, water quality, and special projects. Dr. Andrew Earles has been managing MHFD projects for WWE for the past decade. He worked closely with Jane Clary on the latest updates to all three volumes of the Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual, which occurred between 2010 and 2016.

In addition to extensive work on criteria, WWE has been involved with many special projects for MHFD. One of these projects is the Oak Gulch watershed and stream study. This project involves a multi-disciplinary evaluation of an undeveloped watershed in Parker, Colorado, that will develop into residential land use over the next decade. WWE assisted with hydrologic and hydraulic analyses of watershed management strategies and runoff reduction practices. Because MHFD is encouraging this approach in other watersheds, Andrew and his colleagues have presented this work in many different forums, including to the Colorado Stormwater Council and at state and national conferences.

Within the past five years, WWE complete two of the most extensive Conditional Letters of Map Revision (CLOMRs) in the state.  These CLOMRs updated the hydrology for the South Platte River from the Chatfield Dam to Fort Lupton and for Clear Creek from Golden to the South Platte River.  Updates to the peak discharge profiles were based on extensive analysis of stream gage data.  MHFD is now in the process of updating floodplain mapping based on this revised hydrology.

Other representative special projects for MHFD have been related to assistance with developing the Runoff Reduction Fact Sheet, consultation on drainage and water quality criteria and strategies for the redevelopment of the Elitch Gardens site and the National Western Stock Show, assistance with development of a fact sheet related to soil health, and evaluation of water rights implications of storing water in water quality and detention facilities.