FLOOD10401

• County: El Paso
• Community: Colorado Springs
• Stream Name: Fountain Creek
• Basin: Arkansas
• Title: Fountain Creek Drainage Basin Planning Study - Volume 1
• Date: 7/1/1994
• Prepared For: Colorado Springs
• Prepared By: Muller Engineering Company, Inc.
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

--

I
I
I
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I

4.3 STREAMFLOW

Stream gage and discharge records are available from the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) for three stations within the Fountain Creek drainage basin study and for
one station located downstream of the study boundary. Gage 07103700 (the Manitou
Gage) is located near the west ci ty 1 imits of Colorado Spri ngs, approximately one
mile downstream of Sutherland Creek, and has a period of record from April 1958
to the current year. The peak flow rate for this period of record is a discharge
of 2,630 cfs, on August 4, 1964. Natural flows upstream of this station are
affected by storage reservoirs, power generation developments, diversion for
irrigation and municipal use, and at certain times, transbasin diversion from the
Beaver Creek drainage and transmountain diversions from the Colorado River Basin.

Gage 07105500 (the Tejon Gage) is located 31 feet upstream from the bridge on
Nevada Avenue, approximately 1.3 miles downstream from the confluence of Monument
and Fountain Creeks. The gage has a period of record from October 1921 to
September 1924, and January 1976 to the current year. The peak flow rate for
this period of record is a discharge of 5,300 cfs, on July 29, 1978. Natural
flows upstream of the gage are affected by storage reservoirs, power
developments, groundwater withdrawals, diversions for irrigation and municipal
use, return flows from i rri gated areas and discharges from sewage treatment
facil ities.

Gage 07105530 (the Janitell Gage) is located on the upstream side of the newly
constructed Janitell Road bridge. The gage has a period of record from October
1989 to September 1990. This gage was not considered in the gage analysis due
to the limited period of recorded data.

Gage 07105800 (the Security Gage) is located downstream of the study boundary at
Securi ty. The gage is on the upstream side of Carson Road bri dge and has a
period of record from October 1964 to the current year. The peak flow rate for
this period of record is a discharge of 25,000 cfs, on July 24, 1965. Natural
flows upstream of the gage are affected by reservoirs, power generation
developments, diversion for irrigation and municipal use, return flows from
irrigated areas and flows from sewage treatment facilities. Refer to Figure 4.3-
1 (Volume II) for gage locations.

The positioning of the Manitou, Tejon and Security gages and their period of
record permits them to be used as hydrologic index locations for the purposes of
the computation of design hydrology.

4.4 FLOOD HISTORY

Historical documents, newspaper files, publications by the U.S. Geological Survey
and the Colorado Water Record were utilized as sources of past flood damage and
flood discharge estimates within the drainage basin. Documentation on past flood
events from historical sources indicate that several floods have inundated and
inflicted damage in some portions of the study area since 1864. Historical
records on flooding are generally informative; however, specific information on
intensity, duration, and magnitude of the storms and corresponding floods are
lacking.

4.0-3