WSP08574

• File Number: 8141.100
• Description: Fryingpan-Arkansas Project - Project Description
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Date: 1/1/1969
• Author: US DoI BoR
• Title: Flood Control Fryingpan-Arkansas Project Eastern Slope Features
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Project Overview

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27. FLOODS. - Historical records incl~de re'feren~e to many f~;oods
in the.Arkansas valley above John Martin Re~ervoi!. The earliest known
flood 1n the area occurred in 1826, long before p:ermanent settlement in
the valley. Other reported floods occurrediin 1~59, 1864, 1869, 1886,
and 1894. These floods were generally conf~ned t'o the reach from Pueblo
downstream to below the present site of JOhil, Martin Reservoir.

28. FLOOD OF JUNE 1921.- Weather Bur~au r~cords show that during
the period 2-4 June 1921, precipitation over the watershed between Canon
. City and Pueblo was from three to five inch~s for the 48 hours ending
the afternoon of 4 June. The streams that ~nter 'the Arkansas River'
between Canon City ana the mouth of Chico Creek, '16 miles below Pueblo,
were the principal contributors to the flood. T"e flood wave increased
rapidly as it progressed downstream. Floodflows .from many tributaries
contributed to flooding at Pueblo and caused the ;flood of record. The
peak discharge at Pueblo was 103,000 c.f.s.) whi~h increased to 200,000
c.f.s. when it reached La Junta. Above La ~unta 'the effects of valley
storage on peak attrition was obscured by tribut~ry inflow. Belo~ La
Junta the tributary inflow was small 'and the valley storage effect more
marked, as evidenced by the decrease in peak discharge to 187,000' c.f.s.
at Las Animas and to 165,000 c.f.s. at Lamar. '

29. FLOOD OF MAY 1935.- The flood of 30 May 1935 on Monument
Creek, the principal tributary to Fountain Creek. was the maximum known
but resulted in little damage at Pueblo where Fountain Creek flows into
the Arkansas River. The flood peak, which was considerably reduced by
the time it reached Pueblo, was estimated tp be 35,000 c.f.s. near the
mouth of Fountain Creek. This flood was prpduce4 by an excessive: rain-
fall of short duration over an area or-less! than :100 square'miles in
the Monument Creek watershed, following a period!of general precipitation.
There were reports of as much as seven and eight linches of rainfall in
24 hours at several locations in the storm area. ' This flood caused
severe property damage and the loss of four live~ in Colorado Springs
and vicinity.

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30. FLOOD OF APRIL 1942. - The month' pf Aptil 1942 was one of the
wettest months in Colorado's history. The ~verage precipitation of
4.53 inches was the second largest of record for 'the State at that time.
This amount was exceeded only by the 5.96 ihches of precipitation during
April 1900. Heavy precipitation, much of i~ in the form of snow, oc-
curred during 16-20 April over the Purgatoire River watershed. Rainfall
during the period 22-25 April hastened the melting of heavy snow deposits
causing high flows on the Purgatoire River ,at Las Animas. Precipitation
over the Arkansas River watershed above Las! Animas produced a peak of
12,000 c.f.s. at Nepesta, 34,000 c.f.s. at !La Junta, and 23,600 c.f.s.
at Las Animas. Although there was major fl100ding at ,Trinidad, where
the peak flow on the Purgatoire reached 27,iooo c.f.s., the principal
damage in the Arkansas River valley was to ~ransportation and irriga-
tion systems.

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