The water flow on both Lefthand Creek and the St. Vrain is falling off rapidly. It is now at or below the “threshold” the city would normally use for a ban. As a result, the City of Longmont will be lifting the swimming, tubing, boating, and other form of watercraft ban on Friday 6/26/15 at noon for areas within the Longmont city limits. 

Even with the ban being lifted, it is recommended that you use caution around water ways, especially this time of year with the chance of severe afternoon thunderstorms, which could increase the flows and raise the water level without warning.

On June 15, 2015, the Longmont City Manager issued an emergency order mandating no swimming, tubing, boating, or other form of watercraft or other activity on the St. Vrain and Left Hand Creeks within  the Longmont City limits. 

The higher than normal spring runoff combined with the unusual increase in rain this spring contributed to these dangerous circumstances. Longmont Fire Services and the swift water team tested conditions and, even with the proper training and equipment, trained professionals experienced turbulent conditions and recommended the city ban.

An additional danger to swimming, tubing, boating and other watercraft is the large rocks, concrete slabs, fallen trees, construction materials, and other debris that created a higher level of risk to users of these two creeks and to the community. The original ban was implemented due to the risks created and increased by the flood, and exacerbated by these channel obstructions and the anticipated higher than normal spring runoff along the St. Vrain and Left Hand Creeks, See the original emergency order.

Several areas along the St. Vrain and Left Hand Greenways have been temporarily closed. Please respect all closures and use alternate routes; plan ahead with our Trail Status Map at www.LongmontColorado.gov/trail-status.

Residents can find information on flood preparedness and safety, as well as local creek conditions atwww.bit.ly/floodpreparedness. It is important that residents stay vigilant throughout spring runoff season and to be informed and prepared as conditions could change rapidly.