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FLOOD00457
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Last modified
11/23/2009 1:29:28 PM
Creation date
10/4/2006 9:17:00 PM
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Template:
Floodplain Documents
County
El Paso
Community
Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs
Title
Paleohydrologic Flood Investigations for Streams in Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs
Date
12/3/1987
Floodplain - Doc Type
Flood Documentation Report
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<br />dramatically with increasing elevation. Below 7,500 feet large <br />rainfall floods (with peak discharges exceeding 100,000 cubic feet per <br />second and with unit discharges exceeding 2,200 cubic feet per second <br />per square mile) have occurred. Above 7,500 feet, streamflows from <br />snowmelt or low intensity rain have been less than 100 cubic feet per <br />second and less than 50 cubic feet per second per square mile. See <br />Figure 5 (from Jarrett, 1987) for the unit discharge and elevation <br />relation for all of the Arkansas River Basin streamflow data which <br />shows sim~lar and complimentary results. <br />An important point is that there have been extensive streamflow <br />records collected by the Southern Colorado Power Company for small <br />basins in the vicinity of Manitou Springs, however there is no <br />indicat~on of significant rainfall runoff above 7,~00 feet. If <br />intense rainfall and frequent were to occur above this elevation, <br />certainly one of the stations would have recorded such an event. This <br />would indicate that rainfall flooding above 7,500 feet is less common <br />than previously expected. <br /> <br />DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION <br />Paleohydrologic investigations were done in streams draining into <br />Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs. These investigations indicated <br />the approximate magnitude of recent (or frequent), medium, and the <br />largest floods to occur in these basins (Figure 1). Alsa, a review of <br />available streamflow records was made, and with the paleoflood <br />investigations, indicates that significant rainfall flooding occurs <br />very infreqently above 7,500 to 8,000 feet in the Manitou Springs and <br />Colorado Springs area; no significant flood deposits were found. <br />Earlier onsite paleohydrologic investigations in the Palmer Lake area <br />support the 7.500 to 8,000 feet elevation limit. <br />Review of all paleoflood information suggests that there is a <br />preference for floods on basins facing to the southeast (towards the <br />prevailing flow of moisture); for example Williams Canyon and Camp <br />Creek. Camp Creek appears to have the greatest potential for flooding <br />of the streams investigated. Whereas, basins facing towards the <br />northeast (away from the prevailing moisture source) seem to have <br />lower magnitude floods; for example, Ruxton Creek and Sutherland <br />Creek. Ruxton Creek appears to have the lowest potential for <br />flooding. The, infrequent rainfall flooding that has occurred in the <br />in the ManitoJ Springs and Colorado Springs tributaries has resulted <br />from runoff from the drainage area below 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Since <br />flooding occurs in such a small area (and on extremely steep slopes), <br />there will be minimal time for a flood warning. Additional <br />~nvestigation of the meteorological causes appears to be needed <br />because streams with the greatest flood potential (such as Ruxton <br />Creek) may have the lowest flood potential. This needs to be factored <br />into the design of the flood-warning system. <br />This analysis suggests that there appears to be a lower flood <br />risk in the study area streams than previously thought and needs to be <br />evaluated further. The flood discharges (U.S. Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency, 1983, Table 1) indicates that on all tributaries <br />the 10-year peak discharges are between 1,930 and 2,630 cubic feet per <br /> <br />1~ <br />
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