Hey you’all: I’m headed on a ditch walk through Boulder to learn about #water #drought and the miracle of water delivery in the #West. Follow me as we walk through town! @CU_CEJ

Our tour guide is Bob Crifasi, a #water expert and book author.

Take a look at this structure this is both creek and ditch diversion

Fredrick Law Omstead Jr actually designed this diversion structure (also did Jefferson Memorial reflection pool). Omstead also helped lay out Mapleton area streets. Today it’s a kayak chute during high flow times. #water #Boulder

This is a major diversion structure for 5 main ditches in #Boulder. Note the tiny wheel on ground to left. That goes to the oldest ditch near Naropa campus. It’s from 1800s. #water #West

Lots of ditches were built in #Boulder in 1850s and 1860s. Ditches were built before houses to deliver #water to fields. Pretty smart!

Remember how I said that earlier Boulder is home to planning around floods? Well, before Gilbert White came along #Boulder built a bunch of bldgs in #floodplain including a big municipal one pictured here. It had gates to keep water out now

Note the rock in the foreground. This is only found in the canyon, which means it was carried down in a flood event.