FLOOD10503 ‎(2)‎

• County: Clear Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Clear Creek County Hydrologic Analysis Document Correspondence
• Date: 2/1/1998
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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Land Use
Land use in the upper Clear Creek watershed consists mostly of national forests. Mining, some
pasture land, and low-density residential areas comprise portions of the land use in the lower
basin areas. .

Climate
The Clear Creek basin is classified as a mountainous highland interior climate. Typical weather
for this region consists of cool summers and cold, dry winters. The average temperature is 33
deg. F with extremes ranging from 92 deg. F in June and July to 28 deg. F below zero in January.
July and August are generally the only frost-free months, although frost can be observed at any
time of the year in the higher elevations.

Precipitation
The average annual precipitation for the upper Clear Creek basin is approximately 14.8 inches
with about 70 percent of it occurring during the 6 month period from April through September.
The largest annual precipitation amount recorded at the Georgetown station was 22.5 inches in
1957, and the least amount was 8.3 inches in 1962. Snowfall amounts average approximately 78
inches per season with seasonal extremes ranging from a low of 32 inches to a high of more than
157 inches.

Climatological Data
Georgetown, CO Station
(Period of Record 1948-1980)
Temperature (OF) Precipitation (inches)
Record Record Max Mean Min Mean
Month High Mean Low Month Month Month Snowfall
Jan 60 10 -28 1.44 0.52 0.00 8.53
Feb 62 10 -20 1.27 0.55 0.00 7.82
Mar 65 25 -12 2.16 1.03 0.20 12.55
Apr 76 30 -3 4.25 1.67 0.12 13.59
May 78 45 12 6.82 1.78 0.05 6.03
Jun 92 45 24 3.64 1.41 0.14 1.14
Jul 92 55 31 6.40 2.08 0.22 0.00
Aug 88 55 30 5.60 2.07 0.42 0.00
Sep 86 50 8 4.35 1.30 0.02 1.86
Oct 77 40 -4 3.96 0.94 0.03 6.57
Nov 68 20 -12 2.13 0.72 0.01 9.62
Dec 60 15 -15 2.73 0.71 0.00 8.40

Streamflow Records
There is a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) gaging station located on Clear Creek near Lawson.
and one at Golden. The Lawson gage is located 2 miles downstream from the West Fork
confluence with Clear Creek. The period of record fot this gage is from 1946 to 1986. A
streamflow gaging station network for the county was installed in 1994. The crest-stage gages

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