MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — When flood sirens rang out across Manitou Springs on Wednesday evening, David Martin didn’t panic. He’s heard them before. But, he did what he always does, checked the creek behind his store and got ready to move.
“I’ve seen that creek hit 10 feet,” said Martin, who works at Manitou Liquor. “I don’t panic until it hits about four or five, then I start worrying.”
Rain fell fast, and the water rose even faster. According to Lt. Brad Dorris of the Manitou Springs Fire Department, the creek surged three feet in just ten minutes.
“That’s significant,” said Dorris. “The crew on duty made the call to start the evacuation, set off the sirens and move forward from there.”
Manitou’s flash flood response is built on coordination. The fire department monitors creek flow, rainfall reports from Woodland Park and keeps in close contact with partners like the National Weather Service and Teller County emergency crews.
“When a warning is issued, it means flooding is either happening or imminent,” said Dorris. “That’s when people need to act.”
City Hall staff are moved to a command post, while emergency teams spread out to check known danger zones like Soda Springs Park, campgrounds, and low-lying neighborhoods near the high school and Lovers Lane.
“We know where trouble usually starts,” said Dorris. “On Wednesday, we evacuated the campground on Manitou Avenue early because we’ve had issues there before. We’d rather be proactive than reactive.”
Martin has lived through the worst of it. He recalls the 2013 flood like it was yesterday, the streets filled with red mud, boulders, cars and pieces of homes.
“I was probably the only place open in town that night,” he said. “People were coming in with nowhere to go. I heard every sad story, people who lost homes, cars. One girl had been washed away and broke her pelvis.”
Later that night, Martin walked home up Cave Avenue, passing debris, cars, and a bathtub in the middle of the road. When he smelled gas, he turned around and went home.
“It was quite a night,” he said. “But we learned a valuable lesson from that.”
Since 2013, Manitou Springs has put mitigation infrastructure in place, improved drainage, routine tree clearing, and flood barriers up canyon. Martin says it's made a difference.
“The construction they did up canyon really helps,” he said. “On this end of town, it’s doing really well. Down by the school and Deer Path, it’s harder, you just have to be ready.”
He also sees himself as a kind of informal local guide. When tourists come in during storm season, Martin makes sure they understand the stakes.
“I tell them, you can get two to four inches of rain in 30 minutes around here. That creek will rise fast,” he said. “I try to talk them out of going up the mountain when there’s monsoon moisture. You’ve got to be weather aware.”
Whether you’re a responder or a resident, the focus stays the same, lives over property.
“Our goal is no injuries,” said Dorris. “Cars and homes can be replaced, people can’t.”
Martin echoes that priority.
“I’ve got a go-bag ready, I camp a lot, so I keep one packed all the time,” he said. “When that siren goes off, you’ve got to pay attention and do what you have to do to be safe.”
The city urges people to:
- Sign up for Peak Alerts
- Know your evacuation route
- Keep essentials ready
- Leave as soon as sirens sound
“We have a great alert system, and we use it,” said Dorris. “When you hear that siren, it’s not just a test, it means go.”
Martin says the sirens no longer catch people off guard.
“People know what to do now,” he said. “We come together as a community, and we try to look out for each other. You learn from experience.”
And after decades living in Manitou Springs, he has one final piece of advice.
“Listen to the locals,” he said. “And check the weather, always.”
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