When water is spreading in Morrison
Morrison sits where Bear Creek leaves its canyon and Mount Vernon Creek joins it. Rain that falls upstream near Evergreen, Idledale and Kittredge ends up funneled toward this one small town. If you are standing in water right now, treat it as an emergency and call us before you start moving furniture.
Our crews are based in Evergreen and travel to Morrison homes and buildings for flood damage restoration and emergency water removal. Same-day response when available. Dispatch itself never closes.
Emergency dispatch
Emergency dispatch is available around the clock, including nights, weekends and storm evenings.
Extraction and drying
Extraction units pull standing water, then air movers and LGR dehumidifiers dry the structure, tracked with moisture meters.
Thermal imaging
Thermal imaging cameras help locate wet wall cavities and subfloors that look dry from the surface.
Mold watch
Wet drywall and framing can grow mold, so we assess after drying. Ask whether your state licenses mold work.
Why Morrison floods the way it does
Records kept by the Mile High Flood District (UDFCD) count 24 known floods in the Bear Creek basin since the 1860s. The flood of record at Morrison came on July 24, 1896, when rain centered on Cub Creek near Evergreen sent nearly 3 feet of water down Main Street, with a peak of about 8,600 cfs. Practical point: a cloudburst miles up the canyon can reach town while the sky over your street is still clear.
Later events show the pattern. A cloudburst near Idledale on July 7, 1933 put about 8,110 cfs through Morrison, and the September 2 and 3, 1938 flood did roughly $450,000 in damage. In September 2013, Bear Creek reached about 3,200 cfs in town and Morrison was under an evacuation alert for several days. If you live in the canyon corridor, keep a go-bag by the door and watch weather alerts during summer storms.
The Jefferson County Hazard Mitigation Plan (2021) puts 60 buildings, about 32% of the town, in the 1% annual chance floodplain. Take two steps this week: verify your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and read your policy. Flood damage is usually excluded from standard homeowners coverage and often needs separate flood insurance, so ask your insurer what yours includes.
Before we arrive, if water is still spreading
Stay out of creek water
Floodwater and creek debris are contaminated. Do not wade through it and never drive through flooded roads, including stretches of Colorado Highway 8.
Lift what you can
Raise small valuables, papers and electronics to dry shelves or upper floors, but only if you can do it without stepping into standing water.
Stop the source
If the water comes from a broken pipe or fixture, close the valve that feeds it. Creek or storm water cannot be stopped, so move yourself first.
Photograph before cleanup
Take wide and close photos of the water line and affected rooms. Keep receipts, and contact your insurer before making repairs.
Floodwater, power and gas
- Stay out of rooms where water touches outlets, appliances or the electrical panel.
- Cut power at the panel only if the panel is dry and you can reach it without standing in water. If not, call the utility or 911 first.
- If you smell gas, leave the building and call the gas utility or 911 from outside. Do not light anything or flip switches.
- Do not enter a flooded basement. Water hides steps, debris and live wiring.
Historic buildings, older systems
The Morrison Historic District holds about 70 buildings and sites along Colorado Highway 8 and was listed on the National Register on September 28, 1976. Many are stone, brick or old timber construction, and Morrison sandstone was also quarried for Denver landmarks. Practical point: dense masonry and old plaster hold moisture longer than modern drywall, so drying takes patience and monitoring, and a thermal camera plus moisture meters should guide when drying is finished rather than a calendar.
In older houses in the 80465 area, ask a plumber about the age of supply lines. For a slow leak or a failed line, our water damage cleanup work covers removal of wet materials, cleaning and drying. If you are not sure whether damage is sudden or gradual, tell your insurer exactly what you saw, because sudden and accidental water damage is often covered and gradual leaks often are not.
Town utilities and permits
The Town of Morrison runs its own water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant through its Public Works Department. If a main breaks or sewage backs up from the street, call the Town at Town Hall, 321 Colorado Highway 8, because that is the Town's system and not your home's plumbing. Homes in unincorporated areas outside town limits may fall under Jefferson County instead, and septic systems there are regulated by Jefferson County Public Health.
For permits, the Town of Morrison Building Department covers commercial and multi-family structures, so ask the Town which office handles a single-family home. Outside town limits, ask Jefferson County Building Safety. We do not decide permit requirements, so confirm with the right office before repairs begin.
Services we bring to Morrison
After the water is out, mold is the next concern. Wet drywall, insulation and baseboards left for more than a day or two can support mold growth, and EPA homeowner guidance says to dry wet materials quickly. Our mold remediation crews use HEPA air scrubbers and containment, and good crews work to ANSI/IICRC S520 for mold and S500 for water. Ask any company whether it does.
Many Morrison jobs near the creek start with extraction, then move to drying and repair planning. You can read about flood damage restoration in full, or see how emergency water removal works. Kittredge (ZIP 80457) sits upstream on CO-74, and visitors heading to Red Rocks Park pass through the same area, so if water reaches a rental or short-stay property, call us the same day you find it.
Nearby areas matter too. Homes along the canyon in Idledale share the same creek and the same flash flood history, and we also serve Golden, where the city runs its own utilities. See our full service area for more.
Water in your Morrison home right now?
Call now for 24/7 emergency dispatch to ZIP 80465.
Frequently asked questions
Is emergency water removal available in Morrison?
Yes. Dispatch is staffed 24/7, including nights, weekends and storm evenings. Same-day response when available.
After you call, we send licensed and insured professionals with extraction units, air movers and moisture meters to the site.
Do you cover every ZIP code in Morrison?
Morrison has one ZIP code that we found, 80465. It covers the town along Colorado Highway 8 and the historic district. Kittredge upstream uses 80457 and is a separate community.
If your address is outside the town, call and we will tell you whether we can reach it.
Does homeowners insurance cover creek flooding in Morrison?
Flood damage is usually excluded from standard homeowners policies and needs separate flood coverage. Check your policy and ask your insurer.
Sudden and accidental water damage inside the home, such as a burst line, is often covered. Neither is promised here.
Why does water damage in Morrison homes need monitored drying?
Stone foundations, older framing and crawlspaces near the creek hold moisture. Moisture meters and thermal imaging cameras show whether materials are actually dry, which matters before rebuilding.
Ask any crew whether it follows ANSI/IICRC S500.
Want your real number? Call (303) 952-8295.