South Englewood Flood Reduction Project

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The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will reduce flooding in the South Englewood drainage basin by constructing new stormwater detention ponds and making stormwater pipe improvements. The stormwater detention ponds will be located along the west side of South Navajo Street, just south of West Radcliff Avenue. Pipe improvements will be made in the Rotolo Park, Stanford Avenue, South Navajo Street, and Oxford Avenue areas.

This project is estimated to cost $23 million and is funded by stormwater fees.


Construction Outreach

A notification was sent via mail to residents in certain effected areas in December 2023. Businesses impacted by construction along Navajo will be contacted by the contractor.

Construction Schedule

Construction bids were received in September 2023 with American Civil Constructors being the low bidder.

Groundbreaking for this project is scheduled for Thursday, February 22 at 3 p.m. at the southwest corner of the intersection of Radcliff Ave. and Navajo St.

Construction Impacts

  • Sections of Quincy Street, Navajo Street and Stanford Avenue near Navajo Street will need to be closed during construction. Detours will be put in place to route traffic around the closures.
  • Traffic control and partial lane closures will be in place on Oxford Avenue, Navajo Street, and Stanford Avenue. Traffic can travel through these streets most of the time, but there may be delays.
  • Heavy equipment being used will create construction noise. Construction hours will be limited to Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Limited night and weekend work may be needed under special circumstances.
  • Materials, equipment, and debris will need to be delivered to and removed from the construction area.
  • Rotolo Park will be closed for pipe installation and earthwork.
  • Roadways impacted by construction will be restored and repaved at the end of the project. Temporary paving may be in place for a period of time before final paving takes place.

Project Elements

Stormwater Detention Ponds

The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will construct detention ponds to reduce flooding. During rain events, the stormwater detention ponds will fill with water providing storage for runoff. When the rain stops, the stormwater detention pond is designed to drain within 24 to 48 hours following rain or snowmelt events.

The larger pond will be open for recreation or passive open space after it drains.

Learn more about how a stormwater detention pond works.

Construction of the stormwater detention ponds will require demolishing existing buildings on property acquired by the city in April 2022. After demolition, many yards of dirt will be removed from the site to create storage for stormwater runoff.

New Pipe: Tunneling

To minimize impacts on residents, sections of new stormwater pipe will be installed by a machine that tunnels below the surface. This tunnel boring machine will install storm sewer pipe on Stanford Drive and Stanford Avenue west of Rotolo Park. Certain sections of road will be excavated to create boring pits, which will then be used to insert and remove the boring machine and install the new stormwater pipe. This tunneling work will allow residents to continue using Stanford Drive and Stanford Avenue near Rotolo Park during construction.

New Pipe: Open Cut Construction

A new stormwater pipe will be installed by open-cut trench excavation at several locations throughout the project site, including Rotolo Park, along Stanford Avenue east of Navajo Street, and along Navajo Street between Stanford Avenue and Quincy Avenue. Installing these pipes will require full and partial road closures and detours. This type of pipe installation is more cost effective than tunneling but impacts traffic more.

Existing Pipe: Rehabilitation

To carry more stormwater and to ensure reliable service, this project will also rehabilitate and or repair the existing stormwater pipe on Oxford Avenue from Santa Fe to the South Platte River west of Santa Fe Drive. Most of the repairs will be completed below ground by accessing the pipe from manholes at the surface. Short segments of pipe on Oxford Avenue west of Santa Fe Drive will require digging to repair. Traffic control will be needed at repair sites, but no full road closures are planned for this work.

Earth Work: Rotolo Park

A section of Rotolo Park will be regraded by moving dirt to direct stormwater runoff into the new stormwater pipes and stormwater detention ponds. This work will close a section of Rotolo Park for a period of time and disturb areas with existing grass. Any grass and landscaping impacted by this work will be restored after construction is complete.


*Pipe capacity needs based on a 25-year storm event of 1.66 inches of rain in one hour. CFS stands for cubic feet per second and is a measurement for flow. 1 CFS is equal to 7.5 gallons flowing past a particular point in one second.

A Cost-Effective Solution

The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will enhance the city’s storm sewer system, allowing more stormwater to flow through the system from upstream locations, including areas near Acoma Street south of Tufts Avenue and Rotolo Park.

The City of Englewood realized addressing the challenge of localized flooding would be costly. The city contracted with engineering experts to identify and prioritize the most effective flood reduction projects and how to invest city resources wisely.



Frequently Asked Questions

What is a stormwater detention pond?

Answer: A stormwater detention pond holds stormwater during major rain events, delaying the time that water reaches the existing stormwater system, which allows the existing system to carry more stormwater over a greater length of time.

Why is this work taking place in an area not as prone to flooding like the Acoma Street Area near Tufts Ave?

Answer: New stormwater pipes and drains are being installed in the Acoma Street area as part of a separate project. The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project is critical because it removes a bottle neck in the system downstream from flood prone areas in the upper South Englewood Drainage Basin. Without removing this bottleneck, additional drains and new pipes would not be as effective upstream because that water would still be restricted downstream.

Why wasn’t this work completed sooner?

Answer: Large infrastructure improvements are costly and involve a significant amount of study and design work. Englewood first strategically invested in engineering studies to identify and prioritize the most important projects. Next, funding had to be secured through increased stormwater fees as well as a stormwater bond issuance to be able to fund this project and others. Finally, it takes time to design large infrastructure projects to ensure that they work successfully for years to come.

Will this project address all street flooding issues?

Answer: No. The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project, along with other South Englewood Drainage Basin stormwater projects, are being designed to manage flows from a storm event that has a 4% chance of occurring in any given storm event, also called a 25-year storm. Based on current National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admiration (NOAA) data, a 25-year storm for Englewood has a rainfall depth of 1.66 inches of rain in one hour. Rainfall greater than 1.66 inches in an hour can still potentially create street flooding after this project is complete, but significantly less than it would historically prior to installation of the South Englewood Flood Reduction project and related upstream improvements in the South Englewood Drainage basin. Englewood City Council determined in 2020 that designing for a 25-year storm event was an appropriate balance between flood reduction and overall project cost. Additional surface improvements are being considered to keep higher flows within the public streets and right of way.

I live in the project area; how will I be impacted?

Answer: Residents can expect to see vehicular and pedestrian detours in the project area. Residents can also expect to see an increase in construction related traffic along Navajo Street, Windermere Street, Stanford Ave and Quincy Avenue as well as in the Rotolo Park area.

When will the construction be complete?

The majority of major construction efforts are scheduled to be completed in Winter 2025. Some final work, such as landscaping, will take place in Spring 2025.



The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will reduce flooding in the South Englewood drainage basin by constructing new stormwater detention ponds and making stormwater pipe improvements. The stormwater detention ponds will be located along the west side of South Navajo Street, just south of West Radcliff Avenue. Pipe improvements will be made in the Rotolo Park, Stanford Avenue, South Navajo Street, and Oxford Avenue areas.

This project is estimated to cost $23 million and is funded by stormwater fees.


Construction Outreach

A notification was sent via mail to residents in certain effected areas in December 2023. Businesses impacted by construction along Navajo will be contacted by the contractor.

Construction Schedule

Construction bids were received in September 2023 with American Civil Constructors being the low bidder.

Groundbreaking for this project is scheduled for Thursday, February 22 at 3 p.m. at the southwest corner of the intersection of Radcliff Ave. and Navajo St.

Construction Impacts

  • Sections of Quincy Street, Navajo Street and Stanford Avenue near Navajo Street will need to be closed during construction. Detours will be put in place to route traffic around the closures.
  • Traffic control and partial lane closures will be in place on Oxford Avenue, Navajo Street, and Stanford Avenue. Traffic can travel through these streets most of the time, but there may be delays.
  • Heavy equipment being used will create construction noise. Construction hours will be limited to Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. Limited night and weekend work may be needed under special circumstances.
  • Materials, equipment, and debris will need to be delivered to and removed from the construction area.
  • Rotolo Park will be closed for pipe installation and earthwork.
  • Roadways impacted by construction will be restored and repaved at the end of the project. Temporary paving may be in place for a period of time before final paving takes place.

Project Elements

Stormwater Detention Ponds

The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will construct detention ponds to reduce flooding. During rain events, the stormwater detention ponds will fill with water providing storage for runoff. When the rain stops, the stormwater detention pond is designed to drain within 24 to 48 hours following rain or snowmelt events.

The larger pond will be open for recreation or passive open space after it drains.

Learn more about how a stormwater detention pond works.

Construction of the stormwater detention ponds will require demolishing existing buildings on property acquired by the city in April 2022. After demolition, many yards of dirt will be removed from the site to create storage for stormwater runoff.

New Pipe: Tunneling

To minimize impacts on residents, sections of new stormwater pipe will be installed by a machine that tunnels below the surface. This tunnel boring machine will install storm sewer pipe on Stanford Drive and Stanford Avenue west of Rotolo Park. Certain sections of road will be excavated to create boring pits, which will then be used to insert and remove the boring machine and install the new stormwater pipe. This tunneling work will allow residents to continue using Stanford Drive and Stanford Avenue near Rotolo Park during construction.

New Pipe: Open Cut Construction

A new stormwater pipe will be installed by open-cut trench excavation at several locations throughout the project site, including Rotolo Park, along Stanford Avenue east of Navajo Street, and along Navajo Street between Stanford Avenue and Quincy Avenue. Installing these pipes will require full and partial road closures and detours. This type of pipe installation is more cost effective than tunneling but impacts traffic more.

Existing Pipe: Rehabilitation

To carry more stormwater and to ensure reliable service, this project will also rehabilitate and or repair the existing stormwater pipe on Oxford Avenue from Santa Fe to the South Platte River west of Santa Fe Drive. Most of the repairs will be completed below ground by accessing the pipe from manholes at the surface. Short segments of pipe on Oxford Avenue west of Santa Fe Drive will require digging to repair. Traffic control will be needed at repair sites, but no full road closures are planned for this work.

Earth Work: Rotolo Park

A section of Rotolo Park will be regraded by moving dirt to direct stormwater runoff into the new stormwater pipes and stormwater detention ponds. This work will close a section of Rotolo Park for a period of time and disturb areas with existing grass. Any grass and landscaping impacted by this work will be restored after construction is complete.


*Pipe capacity needs based on a 25-year storm event of 1.66 inches of rain in one hour. CFS stands for cubic feet per second and is a measurement for flow. 1 CFS is equal to 7.5 gallons flowing past a particular point in one second.

A Cost-Effective Solution

The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project will enhance the city’s storm sewer system, allowing more stormwater to flow through the system from upstream locations, including areas near Acoma Street south of Tufts Avenue and Rotolo Park.

The City of Englewood realized addressing the challenge of localized flooding would be costly. The city contracted with engineering experts to identify and prioritize the most effective flood reduction projects and how to invest city resources wisely.



Frequently Asked Questions

What is a stormwater detention pond?

Answer: A stormwater detention pond holds stormwater during major rain events, delaying the time that water reaches the existing stormwater system, which allows the existing system to carry more stormwater over a greater length of time.

Why is this work taking place in an area not as prone to flooding like the Acoma Street Area near Tufts Ave?

Answer: New stormwater pipes and drains are being installed in the Acoma Street area as part of a separate project. The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project is critical because it removes a bottle neck in the system downstream from flood prone areas in the upper South Englewood Drainage Basin. Without removing this bottleneck, additional drains and new pipes would not be as effective upstream because that water would still be restricted downstream.

Why wasn’t this work completed sooner?

Answer: Large infrastructure improvements are costly and involve a significant amount of study and design work. Englewood first strategically invested in engineering studies to identify and prioritize the most important projects. Next, funding had to be secured through increased stormwater fees as well as a stormwater bond issuance to be able to fund this project and others. Finally, it takes time to design large infrastructure projects to ensure that they work successfully for years to come.

Will this project address all street flooding issues?

Answer: No. The South Englewood Flood Reduction Project, along with other South Englewood Drainage Basin stormwater projects, are being designed to manage flows from a storm event that has a 4% chance of occurring in any given storm event, also called a 25-year storm. Based on current National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admiration (NOAA) data, a 25-year storm for Englewood has a rainfall depth of 1.66 inches of rain in one hour. Rainfall greater than 1.66 inches in an hour can still potentially create street flooding after this project is complete, but significantly less than it would historically prior to installation of the South Englewood Flood Reduction project and related upstream improvements in the South Englewood Drainage basin. Englewood City Council determined in 2020 that designing for a 25-year storm event was an appropriate balance between flood reduction and overall project cost. Additional surface improvements are being considered to keep higher flows within the public streets and right of way.

I live in the project area; how will I be impacted?

Answer: Residents can expect to see vehicular and pedestrian detours in the project area. Residents can also expect to see an increase in construction related traffic along Navajo Street, Windermere Street, Stanford Ave and Quincy Avenue as well as in the Rotolo Park area.

When will the construction be complete?

The majority of major construction efforts are scheduled to be completed in Winter 2025. Some final work, such as landscaping, will take place in Spring 2025.



  • Road Closure Updates 3/27/24

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    As part of the ongoing South Flood Reduction Project, there will be some temporary road closures and detours to keep everyone safe and sound.

    🚦 Navajo St. Detour:

    S. Navajo Street will be closed from Stanford Avenue to Quincy Avenue in both directions.

    For those wanting to travel south towards S. Navajo Street, please follow the detour route below:

    • All traffic will be redirected onto eastbound Oxford Avenue
    • Turn south onto South Broadway towards Belleview Avenue
    • Finally, turn west onto Belleview Avenue to Windemere Street

    Northbound traffic on S. Navajo Street will be detoured onto S. Windermere Street.

    🚦 Westbound Quincy Detour:

    Westbound Quincy Avenue will be detoured onto Jason Street. W. Quincy Avenue will continue to be closed at the Navajo intersection. Eastbound Quincy Avenue will be open to one-way traffic from S. Windemere Street towards S. Navajo Street.

    Pay close attention to detour signs and follow the designated routes.

    The current phase involves sanitary updates as well as storm drain work. This crucial work aims to enhance our community's resilience and safeguard against flooding.

  • Road Closure

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    As part of the ongoing South Flood Reduction Project, there will be some temporary road closures and detours to keep everyone safe and sound.

    🚦 Westbound Quincy Detour:

    Westbound Quincy will be detoured onto Jason St.. Please note that the road will be closed for through traffic at this point.

    🚦 Navajo St. Detour:

    For those traveling south on S. Navajo St., you'll be detoured onto S. Windemere St. Northbound traffic on S. Navajo St. will be detoured onto W. Stanford Ave.

    Pay close attention to detour signs and follow the designated routes.

    The current phase involves creating the tie-in point with the new storm line and the existing network. This crucial work aims to enhance our community's resilience and safeguard against flooding.

    The detour is expected to remain in place for approximately one month. We'll keep you posted on any updates.


Page last updated: 28 Mar 2024, 09:03 AM