The 100 year rumor...

With all the fuss about the eight inches of hail in Ned Wednesday, it's hard not to be thinking about the hundred year flood. And honestly, every time we get a huge storm, I can't help but wonder, "could this be the one?". After all, we are 16 years overdue for the so-called 100 year flood disaster (the last one occurring in 1894). But what does 100 year flood even mean? As far as I can tell, from internet research and that week in 8th grade we spent talking about the flood in my geology class (I'm obviously an expert), it's really just a flood that had a very low chance of being equaled or exceeded in the same year. And really, it's just the way that F.E.M.A. designates high risk areas.

When I went to Boulder High, we had regular flood drills, every floor would move up one floor, because supposedly the water would not surge higher than the first story. The students look at these drills in one of two ways, it's either "YES! no class for ten minutes!" or "Come on, this is just ridiculous, like this is actually ever going to happen..." The latter being the most problematic. Unless people are as paranoid as I am (which, believe me, is a very rare occurrence), they aren't going to know how bad this could be if it actually happens. As you can tell from the graphic, which is actually a 500 year flood prediction, meaning 5 times more dramatic than the 100 year prediction, this flood would be seriously devastating. If it actually follows predictions, the majority of Downtown Boulder would be fine, but my wonderful high school? underwater. *insert some Fairview/Boulder High rivalry joke here* Yeah, yeah, you're on a hill Fairview, but you have no windows... so THERE!

Anyway, back to what this is actually about, inform yourselves Downtown Boulder Readers. Even if it doesn't happen in your lifetime, you'll have read about some pretty interesting disaster scenarios, and seen some cool graphics. Its actually kind of hilarious to read the over dramatized stories, and learn that we are in fact well prepared, with disaster plans, and one of the most high tech warning systems in the nation. And whats more, at least you can still shop downtown before, during, and after the flood hits, right?? shameless plug... obviously...

happy swimming :)

-Erin