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<br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br /> <br />HYDROLOGY <br />CLEAR CREEK <br />JEFFERSON AND ADAMS COUNTIES, COLORADO <br /> <br />The most significant floods of the front range streams have been <br /> <br />caused by rainfall. However, the peak annual floods recorded at the <br /> <br />stream gaging stations are predominantly caused by snowmelt. A statis- <br /> <br />tical analysis of the snowmelt-influenced records typically predict <br /> <br />discharge values which are too low for the rare floods. To overcome <br /> <br />this problem, this analysis was conducted using mathematical models based <br /> <br />on rainfall, runoff, and routing considerations to predict the rare floods. <br /> <br />The model permitted a systematic method for predicting frequency-discharge <br /> <br />relationships between stream gaging stations and provided a means for <br /> <br />considering urbani:zation effects now in progress. The gaging information <br /> <br />provided guidance :for adjusting the mathematical model. <br /> <br />It is recognized that the prediction of rare flood events poses <br /> <br />significant cost considerations either in the form of preventive works or <br /> <br />in the form of flood damages. It is believed that the methods used in <br /> <br />this analysis provide discharge values which reasonably represent the <br /> <br />flood potential without becoming excessive. <br /> <br />The following text provides an expanded discussion of the analytical <br /> <br />processes used. <br />