As floodwaters recede in Colorado, the cleanup now begins for Colorado residents including contamination from oil and gas well spills. Footage revealed two dozen overturned oil storage tanks from the flooding.
Colorado has approximately 50,000 oil and gas wells. Stored in these tanks and wells are contaminated wastewater full of the chemicals and toxics using during the fracking process. That wastewater is now suspected to have leaked into water and soil after the floods.
Sewage and other contaminants also threaten Colorado’s water sources as a result of the flooding.
A washed-out bridge near Highway 287 and Dillon Road in Lafayette. Flood damage was wide-spread up and down the Colorado Front Range from heavy rains.
A section of rail line is twisted and damaged following recent floods in Longmont.
Jan Alford cleans some furniture from her flooded home
Waters recede around a washed out bridge on Colorado Highway
Flood waters remain standing over a wide area of the South Platte River valley near Greeley.
Flood waters recede from an oil operation by the South Platte River near Greeley
Debris lies in the riverbed of the South Platte River
Flood waters cover a large farm on the South Platte River near Greeley
An oil operation remains under water
An oil operation remains under water by a washed-out rail line on the South Platte River near Greeley
Residents clear their houses of debris
A bridge on Sunset Street is collapsed following record flooding from the St. Vrain River in Longmont.
Portions of a bridge remain standing after flood waters from the St. Vrain River washed through Longmont.
A man carries a load of ruined drywall as residents clear their houses of debris
