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large magnitude of rainfall and is considered to be a rare event for the area. According to the statistics and the available published data, the chance of having a similar event in any given year is quite small. However, this does not mean that the flood threat is minimal. It is important to note that the flood peaks on Sand Draw, Spring Gulch, Buffalo Creek, and other nearby tributaries occurred within less than one hour from the start of the heavy rainfall. Flow velocities in some streams were at least 15 to 20 feet per second. This situation, known as flash flooding, is extremely dangerous. Residents, recreationists, and visitors should be aware of and prepared for future flash flooding that could potentially occur in the area. Property damage and loss of life is always a possibility during flash flooding. As the Buffalo Creek residents are well aware, the power of a flash flood event should not be underestimated! B. HIGH HAZARD AREAS Due to the burned areas in the Buffalo Creek and adjacent watersheds, several streams have been identified as having unusually high flood potential until such time that their watershed areas recover from the forest fire. Following are examples of the high hazard streams in the area: Stream Name Hi!!h Hazard Reaches Buffalo Creek From the confluence with the North Fork upstream to the intersection of Forest Roads 543 and 550 Sand Draw From the confluence with Buffalo Creek upstream to the headwaters Spring Gulch From the confluence with Buffalo Creek upstream to the headwaters Shinglemill Creek From the confluence with Buffalo Creek upstream to the headwaters Morrison Creek From the confluence with Buffalo Creek upstream to the headwaters Spring Creek From the confluence with the South Platte River upstream to the headwaters North Fork of South Platte River From the confluence with the South Platte River upstream to the confluence with Buffalo Creek South Platte River From Strontia Springs Reservoir upstream to the confluence with Spring Creek C. WATERSHED RECOVERY The natural recovery of the burned areas in the Buffalo Creek vicinity could be a long process. Fortunately, with the aggressive reclamation actions by the U.S. Forest Service and the Colorado State Forest Seryice, the initial stages of the recovery should be enhanced and accelerated. The hydrologic response of the burned watersheds will likely depend on the level of vegetative and soil surface recovery. Following are some key phases to the recovery process: . Break-up of hydrophobic (water repellent) soils . Recovery of native grasses, forbs, and shrubs 8