FLOOD10942

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Colorado Water Conservation Board - 2001 Colorado Flood Documentation Report
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

Executive Summary

. This storm produced significant crop damage on farms in the surrounding area of Phillips
County. Hail and high winds defoliated sugar beets and corn and shelled beans. Estimated
crop losses included 10% to 15% of the corn in the region, and 60% of the irrigated beans.
Damage estimates were not available.

. No emergency flood fighting efforts were implemented.

Meeker/Rio Blanco County

. During the latter portion of July and through the majority of August 2001, sizable areas of
Rio Blanco County were partially inundated with flash flooding and debris flows as a result
of several separate precipitation events. No precipitation data was reported for individual
events.

. The majority of the effects of these precipitation events were in the southeastern portion of
Rio Blanco County near the Town of Meeker. Lesser effects were also reported near
Rangley. Approximately a 50-square-mile area was impacted by flooding. The watersheds
most affected by these flood events were the Piceance Creek basin, the White River basin,
and the Yellow Creek basin.

. Several County roads and local streets were inundated with mud and debris as a result of
flash flooding.

. Most of the flooding seemed to occur along several intermittent streams prone to flash
flooding during heavy, short-duration rain events. No flow data is available for these
streams.

. Flows in Piceance Creek where actually below normal except for one large spike in the latter
portion of August, which was equivalent to approximately a 1.5-year frequency event.

. Mudslides, as a result of the heavy rainfall and flash flooding, filled and covered drainage
ditches, culverts, and roadways with mud and other related debris. Many County roads were
inundated and impassable by motorists.

. Most of the private property damaged was agriculture related, as debris from mudslides was
deposited on privately owned agricultural land. No reports of residential or commercial
building damages were obtained. No private expenditures were reported, and no emergency
flood fighting efforts were implemented.

. CDOT Maintenance in Craig, Colorado reported that minimal cleanup activities were
required as a result of mudslide debris deposits on State Route 64 just west of Meeker;
drainage ditches and culverts required cleanup following the events. The estimated cost to
CDOT for these activities was approximately $20,000.

New Castle

. On August 14, 2001, a strong thunderstorm over the Town of New Castle produced very
heavy rain and small hail. The majority of the affects of this storm were in the eastern
portion of Garfield County, in particular in the Town of New Castle. The watershed most
affected by these flood events was the Colorado Headwaters-Plateau basin.

URS

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