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REPLY TO ATTENTION OF DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY U,S, ARMY ENGINEER DISTRICT, SACRAMENTO CORPS DF ENGINEERS 1325 J STREET SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 95814,2922 January 6, 1998 RECEIVED JAN 0 R 1998 Colt.:. Conser',. Regulatory Branch (199775508) '/'1 ~ ? ~C?~~ Mr. Jerry Henson Lower Elk River Flood Association Post Office Box 774871 Steamboat Springs, Colorado 80477 Dear Mr. Henson: I am writing in response to a November 12, 1997 letter sent to you by Mr. Larry Lang of the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). This letter pertains to an October field inspection and flood reconnaissance investigation performed by the CWCB on the lower Elk River near your home just above its confluence with the Yampa River. The purpose of our letter is to provide comments on the CWCB letter and advise you and the Lower Elk River Flood Association of our responsibilities in accordance with the Clean Water Act. Firstly, we do not understand the CWCB basis for the following statement: " the June 1997 high flow is considered to be the flood of record for this stream reach. The return period associated with the peak flow is more than a 100-year event, and is likely to be in the range of a 200-year event." While the June 1997 runoff was above average, we have coordinated with the U.S. Geological Survey (Mr. Rich Carver in Meeker and Mr. Rick Crowfoot in Denver) and they are unable to confirm the above statement. According to their records, the stream gage was operable and accurately estimated a gaged peak flow for the Elk River near Milner at 5,370 cfs on June 3, 1997. This flow corresponds to a 12-year flood event which equates to a 1 in 12 chance (12%) or risk of flooding at such volume in any given year. These findings are quite different than CWCB's "likely 200-year event" estimate. We believe it is important to put flow events into the proper perspective when identifying floodplain function and flooding problems to homes and infrastructure located within the floodplain.