Colorado business dealing with repeated flooding, suspects nearby construction could be factor

August 15, 2026 - 22:18

A downtown Evergreen business is bracing for more wet weather after repeated flooding shut its doors and racked up tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The owner of Mountain Threads, a clothing and gift shop on Main Street, says the latest deluge on Tuesday night pushed several inches of water into the store, ruining inventory and warping the hardwood floor.

This marks the third flood in just over four weeks. Each time, the water comes from the same direction, pouring down the alley behind the shop and pooling against the back entrance. The owner, Diane Miller, believes the culprit is a construction site two blocks uphill, where crews have been excavating for a new mixed-use building. She says the site has stripped away natural drainage and left a muddy, uneven slope that funnels runoff straight toward her property.

"I have watched them scrape the ground bare and pile dirt in ways that make no sense for water flow," Miller said. "Before they started, we had heavy rain and never a drop inside. Now, a normal afternoon storm sends a river through my back room."

The city has issued a stop-work order on the site twice this month for erosion control violations, but work resumed after the contractor added silt fences. Miller says those fences are already clogged and useless. She has filed a formal complaint with the county planning office and hired an engineer to document the drainage patterns.

The National Weather Service expects another round of thunderstorms Thursday evening. Miller has stacked sandbags and moved her most valuable items to higher shelves, but she admits she is exhausted. "I cannot keep doing this. I have already spent close to 30,000 dollars on cleanup and lost merchandise. If this happens again, I might have to close for good."

Contractors on the site declined to comment, but a project manager told the local news that they are following all current regulations and will review any new findings. The county says it will inspect the site again before the next storm.