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<br />In 1844 and 1864, reports read that "bottomlands near
<br />Denver were covered "With water bluff to bluff". By
<br />1876, encroachment into the flood plain had developed
<br />to such an extent that on May 23, 1876, the Rocky
<br />Mountain News reported that "(The South Platte River)
<br />was higher to be sure - several f~t higher perhaps
<br />in 1864 - but it was not able to work such destruction
<br />at that time as now. There was not so much town here
<br />in 1864, as now, nor as many bridges."
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<br />The most significant floods of recent times on the
<br />South Platte River occurred in 1912, 1921,1933, 1935,
<br />1942, and 1965 for which discharges of 13,000 cubic
<br />feet per second (cfs), 8790 cfs, 22,000 cfs, 12,320
<br />cfs, 10,200 cfs, and 40,300 cfs, respectively, were
<br />recorded. Cherry Creek experienced a similar flood his-
<br />tory with discharges of 25,000 cfs, 34,000 cfs, 10,700
<br />cfs, 17,600 cfs, 10,800 cfs and 39,900 cfs in 1912, 1933,
<br />1945, 1946, 1963, and 1956, respectively. In interviews
<br />held in Watkins, Strasburg, Byers, and Deer Trail
<br />regarding flood histories on Box Elder Creek, Comanche
<br />Creek, West Bijou Creek, and East Bijou Creek, residents
<br />recalled severe damage and lives lost in floods occurring
<br />in 1905, 1935, and 1965.
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<br />All these floods of record on the South Platte River
<br />and tributaries have been generated near their headwaters
<br />on the slopes of the Honument Divide, a high ridge
<br />located between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs and
<br />extending from the Rocky Mountains down into the plains
<br />near Limon, Colorado. Past floods of the mountain
<br />tributaries have resulted from snow melt. Intensive
<br />rain storms cause flooding in both the mountain tribu-
<br />taries and the eastern tributaries.
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<br />In 1912, Cherry Creek swelled to flood stage from
<br />cloudbursts centered simultaneously over Denver and
<br />the upper reaches of the creek. Then again in 1933,
<br />similar circumstances caused the Castlewood Dam above
<br />Franktown in Douglas County to burst, sending 34,000
<br />cfs of water thundering down the canyon and into Denver.
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<br />In 1965, the whole South Platte River Basin was drenched
<br />by a unique combination of orographic effects and
<br />meteorological condiotions that caused the worst flooding
<br />in the region's recorded history. Severe thunderstorms
<br />had formed over the ~:1eadwaters of Plum Creek and Cherry
<br />Creek on June 16th and moved slowly to the northeast
<br />down the creeks; thus, the heavy rains tended to follow
<br />and augment the peak flows. More than 14 inches of
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