The Big Dry Creek Major Drainageway Planning and Flood Hazard Area Delineation (FHAD) study area focuses on the main stem of Big Dry Creek from the Standley Lake dam to the Weld County line, as shown on the Project Map. The study area includes parts of Westminster, Thornton and Adams County and is sponsored by these entities in conjunction with the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District. Portions of the City and County of Broomfield and Jefferson County are also located in the study area.  This study integrates multiple drainage planning reports and FHADs completed over the past 30 years (1979-2007) and updates the hydrology to reflect existing and future conditions.

Wright Water Engineers was selected through a competitive process to update these plans to reflect the significant land use changes that have occurred over the last 30 years. The goals of the update include:

• Develop information about the area’s potential flooding, drainage and stability and ecological issues/problems and include in a baseline hydrology report
  
  
• Interact with landowners, developers, ditch companies, local agencies, project sponsors and other interested parties to develop alternative drainage solutions.
  
  
• Work with UDFCD and project sponsors to develop alternative plans to address these problems and prepare an alternatives evaluation report.
  
  
• Develop a preliminary design based on selection of a preferred alternative from the alternatives evaluation report.
  
  
• Update the FHAD based on project findings.