Kane v. Town of Estes Park

This case stems from the 1982 failure of the Lawn Lake Dam. The dam failure caused a massive quantity of water to rush downstream, overwhelming the small Cascade Dam and Reservoir, owned and operated by the Town of Estes Park (Estes Park). The combined waters proceeded onward, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. The issue in this case is whether Estes Park can be held liable, on theories of strict liability or negligence, for the resulting personal injuries and property damage. The trial court granted summary judgment in favor of Estes Park. It held that Estes Park was exempt from…