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<br />New Mexico were major hydrologic events. Many previous maxima were <br /> <br />exceeded. some several fold. In many instances. alterations of the stream <br /> <br />valleys by erosion were greater than any previous changes at least since <br /> <br />the area was settled. Undoubtedly. the chance of recurrence of such ex- <br /> <br />treme floods is very small. but there is no assurance that they will not <br /> <br />occur again next year. or even within a few months. For example. the <br /> <br />flood of July 24. only 5 weeks after the June 17 flood. on Fountain Creek <br /> <br />near Security. Colo. was an outstanding event in itself. Then there is the <br /> <br />small. but still possible. chance that one of those very rare floods. one that <br /> <br />would dwarf the floods of 1965. will occur soon. <br /> <br />Antecedent moisture conditions have a minor effect on extremely out- <br /> <br />standing floods. but rains had been fairly general and frequent since May 23. <br /> <br />According to the Weather Bureau. meteorological conditions were particu- <br /> <br />larly conducive to production of the series of torrential thunderstorms that <br /> <br />caused the floods. Near Larkspur. Colo.. 14 inches of rain fell on June 16 <br /> <br />and 10 to 12 inches were reported at several other locations. Raton. New <br /> <br />Mexico had almost 11 inches of rain June 16-18. <br /> <br />The timing of the peaks was generally fortunate. because seldom did two <br /> <br />large peaks coincide in the main stem of the Arkansas River. Damage was <br /> <br />severe in many urban areas. damage in the Lamar and Holly. Colo.. and <br /> <br />Springer. N. Mex.. areas being the most extensive and widely publicized. <br /> <br />Damage estimates by a special Congressional committee total $43 million <br /> <br />