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<br />1.4 Overview of Problems <br /> <br />1.4.1 Flood Control <br />The location of Creede and the historical mining district is rather precarious from a flood control <br />perspective. The town and historical mining district were built in the historic floodplain of <br />Willow Creek surrounded by steep canyon walls. The relatively small average flow of Willow <br />Creek, and a preoccupation with the present instead of the future, may have led early builders to <br />not be concerned as they quickly built a boomtown surrounding the creek. In the mining areas, <br />the creek was contained and controlled with pipes and flumes as the miners filled the creek's <br />canyon with waste rock and tailings. The miners may have not been thinking of hundred year <br />floods as they moved and manipulated the stream. Most hydraulic conveyance structures are <br />undersized to pass large floods. However, the very steep mountain watershed of Willow Creek <br />has the potential to increase streamflow exponentially and turn Willow Creek into a very <br />powerful and dangerous force. <br /> <br />A large flood in Creede could be a significant risk to public safety. Flooding could also wash a <br />huge load of sediments and mine related tailings into the creek and even the Rio Grande, <br />potentially degrading water quality and fisheries. Flood damage to structures and historical <br />mining areas is also a critical concern. The Creede area may now be one of the best historical <br />preservations of Colorado's rich mining past. The historical character of Creede and its natural <br />beauty is also a very important economic resource for the residents of Mineral County. <br />Therefore, quantifying the actual risk of flooding and developing solutions to avoid flood <br />damage is of great concern to both Mineral County residents and visitors who value the area. <br /> <br />Figure 1.4.1 shows locations that were <br />identified by the Willow Creek Reclamation <br />Committee as possible flood control problems <br />and were examined. The following paragraphs <br />briefly describe these problem areas. <br /> <br />Figure 1.4.1. (Right) Locations of flood control <br />problem areas <br /> <br /> <br />1-5 <br />