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'=--< , ,-" .... '-1 '-i .L .i. I ,,31. FLOOD OF MAY 1955.- During the period 17-20 May 1955, heavy . ""precipitation occurred over the lower mountains and plains of eastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. Heavy rain also occurred over western Kansas. Precipitation over the mountainous area was principally in the form of dense wet snow while heavy rains fell over the plains. The storm began on the afternoon of 17 May over the entire area and continued through the 19th in New Mexico and Kansas. Precipitation ended at most Colorado stations during the afternoon of the 19th.' In northeastern New Mexico 13.59 inches occurred in 48 hours, with 11.28 inches measured during the 24-hour period ending at 4;00 p.m. on the 19th. '- 32. Major flooding occurred in the Arkansas River watershed from Pueblo to John Martin Reservoir and in the entire reach of the Purga- toire River from Trinidad to the mouth. The flood on the Purgatoire River approached the magnitude of the 1942 flood at Trinidad and was the largest of record on the lower reaches. The Arkansas River at Pueblo peaked at 11,000 c.f.s. As the flood progressed downstream, the peak increased to 50,000 c.f.s. at La Junta and caused major flood damage to North La Junta. At Las Animas the peak measured 44,000 c.f.s. but due to a very successful flood fight no serious flooding occurred. The peak inflow to John Martin Reservoir was 88,000 c.f.s. and the flood volume at the dam was 260,000 acre-feet. .. 33. Very little inflow was produced by the upper tributaries. Fountain Creek had~peak of 5,000 c.f.s. at its mouth just below Pueblo. The St. Charles River had a peak of 20,000 c.f.s. at the mouth. The peak discharge for the Huerfano River at Undercliffe was 11,300 c.f.s. The peak discharge for the Apishapa River near Powler was 17,000 c.f.s. and for Timpas C?eek near Rocky Ford, the peak was 7,500 c.f.s. The peak flow of the Purgatoire River near Las Animas was 70,000 c.f.s., but as mentioned above, the flood produced the largest peak of record in the entire lower reach of the Purgatoire River. \...., 34. FLOOD'OP'dUNE 1965.- During the period 14-18 June 1965, heavy precipitation occurred over the plains of southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. Heavy rains also occurred over the upper Fountain Creek watershed and the headwaters of the South Platte River south of Denver, Colo. The storm produced over ,18 inches of rainfall in three days in the-vicinity of Two Buttes in southeastern Colorado. In the area along the Arkansas River-South Platte River divide, north- east of Colorado Springs, as much as 12 inches of rain in 6 hours were reported. The storm produced unprecedented peaks from all the right bank tributaries of the Arkansas River from John Martin Dam to the Colorado-Kansas State line. Runoff from these tributaries produced floods of record on the Arkansas River from immediately below John Martin Dam to central Kansas. 35. A severe storm cell northeast of Colorado Springs produced a maximum peak flow of 124,000 c.f.s. on Jimmy Camp,Creek. This approaches 11