FLOOD00051 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

32 THE ARKANSAS RIVER FLOOD OF ;rUNE 3-5, 1921. - - are the largest. In its upper course Fountain Creek flows through canyons and has a heavy fall, which in the lower part of Ute Pass amounts to 300 feet in: a little more than half a mile. Near Colorado Springs the creek leaves the mountains and enters upon the plains, across which it flows southward to its mouth a short distance below Pueblo. At Colorado Springs it is joined by Monument Creek, which rises in Palmer Lake, on the divide between the Arkansas and South Platte drainage basins. Other important tributaries are Rocl~ and Little Fountain creeks, which rise in the mountains south of Colorado Springs. Fountain Creek flows over a sandy bed, and although it has co?siderable underflow, ordinarily it carries very 1 little water at the surface. Its drainage area is 932 sqnare miles. I The only marked topographic features on the generally level sur- face of the plains consist of scores of little conical hills called" tepee buttes," most of them less than 50 feet high. The followi.ng table has been compiled from topographic maps: Elevatioll.~ alld di-5/allcc8 along Fountain .Greek trom MOllument Creek to mouth. Di.~tanco. Descent betWCtln Elcva- points. tion Point. above From sea Monu- Point to Per level. ment point. ' TotaL mile. Creek. Fed. ,lfila. .lfila. Fed. Fed. ~{onurnentCreek................""""'~""""" 5,960 ~......... .......... ......7iiJ. .......... Near Widefield....... ...... ........ ........ ......... 5, 700 10.0 10.0 26 lrountain...--.......--....--..................--.... 5,500 16.1 6.1 200 33 lluttes............................................... 5,300 23.. 7.3 200 7:1 ~~~~.~~:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 5,200 28.0 ..6 100 22 5,000 36.2 8.2 200 ~ ~~~~~::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: .,850 ~.8 7.6 150 ro ., 700 .9.6 5.8 150 26 ~{outh............................................... .,660 52.0 2.. ~ 17 / On June 3 a heavy rain that extended over the greater part of the drainage' basin began about 9 p. m. and lasted all night From Foun- tain station to Pueblo, according to local residents, the storm was the worst in many years, but no estimates ,have been made regarding the total rainfall. At Colorado Springs, near the north end of the basin, the 'Weather Bureau record ~ho\Yc(l the rainfall for the 24 h0I11"5 rndin<r ~ a. m. .Tun!' .~ to be l.S7 in('hrs. It was evidently ~ _ . .. w heln'ic\" {:ll"thel" south. as illrlieatcd hy thl~ st:llcrncnts r('!::~nlin~ the st01"III, bl1t it is not belicH'!1 to haye Ill'en as Sl'\Tl"I~ as that in the areas of intense. rainfall.