Colorado's 1,000 year flood

Did Global Warming Worsen Colorado’s Unprecedented Rainfall?

Democracy Now!

18 September, 2013

The skies have finally cleared over Colorado after more than a week of rain that led to what experts are calling a "1,000-year flood."

At least 21 inches of rain fell on parts of Boulder in the last week, nearly double the area’s average annual rainfall. At least eight people have died in the flooding.

More than 1,600 homes were destroyed in the region and another 20,000 damaged, along with dozens of bridges, roads and major sections of highway.

Many residents found themselves stranded by the high water. The overall flood zone encompassed 17 Colorado counties in an area nearly the size of Delaware.

After a week of devastating floods, Colorado residents now face the threat of contaminated waters. The northeastern part of the state is home to thousands of gas and oil wells that were inundated with rushing water.

We’re joined by two guests: Jim Pullen, a reporter and producer with the Colorado public radio station KGNU; and Bill McKibben, co-founder and director of 350.org