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<br />were awesome, accordin~ to witnesses. <br /> <br />Another storm cell dumped its watar upon the upper reaches of <br />Cherry Creek, southeast of Denver. That flood also swept <br />away bridges, bui ldin:;ls, and other structures in its path <br />before being stopped by Cherry Creek Dam. Jther storm cells, <br />plus rain in uenver and its environs soon had local drainage <br />channels choked with water and debris. <br /> <br />Jy late afternoon, flood warnings were out as frightening <br />reports came in from upstream on the South Platte and Plum <br />Creek. The flood crest moved on. 3y nightfall it was <br />washing away bridges, homes, trai lars, cars, and taking human <br />I ives in Denver and its suburbs. Shortly before midnight the <br />flood crest was well out of the rivar banks and sweeping <br />across the low-lying business and industrial districts. It <br />moved through a start I ed, d i sbe I i ev i n9 city, as major br i dges <br />seemed to dissolve into the water as it lapped at the main <br />spans. For the next several hours the flood's irresistible <br />power churned its way downstream with slowly diminishing <br />havoc, leaving behind a soggy, mud-choked scene of wreckage <br />and human misery. <br /> <br />I n retrospect, the flood was a pred i ctab I e natura I event. <br />The property damage was entirely due to human activities and <br />construction in 'Jeologically and hydrologically definable <br />hazard areas. Since the flood, Chatfield Dam has been bui It <br />at the confluence of the South Platte River and Plum Creek <br />south of Denver. It is designed to hold back flood waters, <br />should a simi lar incident occur. However, it wi II not <br />protect property upstream. dear Creek Dam, on a principal <br />stream feed i ng I nto the South Platte River in the Denver <br />metropo 1 I tan area, a 1 so has been bu i I t to prov i de protect i on <br />to the developed downstream flood plains. <br /> <br />8 <br />