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The Flood of 1965

The Flood of 1965

On June 16th, 1965 a storm gathered over Denver and an intense rain began to fall. The water levels of the long-polluted South Platte River began to swell and break forth from its banks. The River swept out into the city creating the largest natural disaster in Denver’s history. The flood inundated 250,000 acres of land and caused $540 Million in damages, equating to over $14 Billion in today’s dollars. 
“Instead of the normal 300 cubic feet of water per second, or the 3,000 that we called exceptionally high..., the raging South Platte hit us with the astonishing flow of 150,000 cubic feet per second” (Returning the Platte to the People, Joe Shoemaker, 1981). 
Denver Flood 1965
For nine years, the South Platte River continued to lay in waste. The River was ecologically dead, and it was said that you could hear the water flow but not see it through all of the trash. In 1974, Mayor Bill McNichols and State Senator Joe Shoemaker co-founded the Platte River Development Committee (PRDC) with Senator Shoemaker as the Chair. Charged with initializing the revitalization of the South Platte, the PRDC, which two years later became The Greenway Foundation, took on the monumental task of breathing life into a dead urban waterway. 

Since then, over $500 Million has been invested into the River, and its parks and trails, allowing the River to evolve from a virtually abandoned and forgotten open sewer to the vibrant, healthy, enhanced and engaged urban waterway that it is today.
Over 100,000 linear feet of water quality,
recreational, environmental and flood control improvements, over 100 acres of parks and natural areas, and over 100 miles of multi-use recreation trails have been added to the South Platte River Greenway and its tributaries. This investment is directly connected to the realization of over $20 Billion in related economic benefits to metro Denver and its citizenry.
​

Today, Denver’s urban waterways are a destination spot. On any given day, you will find people cooling their feet in the water, bicyclists zooming along the trail, or fishermen waist deep in a significantly revitalized River. The flood of 1965 was Denver’s largest natural disaster, but from this turmoil blossomed an ongoing mission to allow Denver’s greatest natural resource, the South Platte River watershed, to once again be recognized as our city’s greatest, and most valued amenity. 
"By the time the flood was in the center of the city it had damaged every bridge in its path and the tide was gathering an increasing load of debris: trees, buildings, entire mobile homes, telephone poles trailing wires, an armada of old and new automobile tires, operable and junked cars, entire lumber yards, fences, tanks loaded with Lord knew what.”(Returning the Platte to the People, Joe Shoemaker, 1981). 
Cars after the flood in Denver
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(303) 455-7109 - Greenway
(303) 743-9720 - SPREE 
1800 Platte St
Denver, CO 80202
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  • About Us
    • About Us >
      • Greenway Current (Annual Report)
      • Flood of 1965
      • Greenway Videos
    • River & Trail Info
    • Blog
    • Success Stories >
      • 1970s
      • 1980s
      • 1990s
      • 2000s
      • 2010-2014
      • 2015-Future
    • Volunteer
    • Employment
    • Staff
    • Contact Us
    • Search
  • Education
    • SPREE >
      • SPREE Home Page
      • Just for Kids!
      • Support SPREE
    • Virtual Field Trips
    • Field Trips >
      • Excursions By Grade >
        • ECE
        • Kindergarten
        • 1st Grade
        • 2nd Grade
        • 3rd Grade
        • 4th Grade
        • 5th Grade
      • Excursion Signup
      • Feedback
      • Excursion FAQ
    • Camp >
      • Summer Camp
      • School Break Camps
      • Leaders in Training
      • FAQ
    • Learning SPREE
    • After School
    • High School >
      • River Rangers >
        • School Internships
        • Summer Employment
        • Why Environmental Education?
      • Greenway Leadership Corps
  • Water Resources
    • The Water Connection >
      • About The Water Connection
      • Nautilus Installed in Cherry Creek
      • TAP-IN Colorado
      • Gutter Bin Pilot
      • Clean River Design Challenge
      • Minimum Stream Flow
  • Projects
    • River Vision Implementation Plan (RVIP) >
      • Johnson Habitat Park
      • Weir Gulch
    • Chatfield Storage Reallocation Project
    • USACE Feasibility Study
    • Clear Creek Greenway Design Effort
    • Cherry Creek Stewardship Partners
  • Events
    • Spring South Platte Stewardship Day >
      • Family Spring Stewardship Day
    • Art on the River
    • Beaver Bonanza
    • Citizens for the River
    • Reception on the River
    • Rock the River >
      • Rock the River Catering
      • Rock the River Viewing Instructions
    • Gala on the Bridge
    • Bridge Party
    • Fall South Platte Stewardship Day >
      • Family Fall Stewardship Day
    • Family Fishing Day
  • Donate
    • Colorado Gives Day
  • Email Sign Up