FLOOD00810

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Title: Bear Creek Flood - Colorado and Kansas
• Date: 5/14/1951
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

}

It is understood that the interim report under
consideration is submitted at this time by the Army
Engineers to provide a plan for the construction of
limited facilities urgently required for flood protec-
tion at Pueblo against backwater condition and to make
effective the flood control works heretofore constructed
by The Conservancy District and now in operation. There
appears to be no reason that this seri,ous flood hazard
to property should remain unalleviated. This property
has an appraised value of $2,407,000, exclusive of the
value of personal property. The proposed improvement
should. not be delayed unti,l such time as the proposed
Gunnison--Arkansas Project, or any phase thereof, has
been authorized and constructed, particularly in view
of the fact that any flood controi benefits arising
from further flood protection measures at Pueblo and
in the Arkansas Valley remain open for appraisal as a
part of the pending comprehensive investigation of the
Army Engineers on the Arkansas River above Great Bend,
Kansas. It can be reasonably assumed that the survey,
study', and compilation of such comprehEmsive flood con-
trol report by the Army Engineers in the Arkansas Valley
will involve cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation,
which has under consideration the proposed Gunnison-
Arkansas Project.

Thus it seems clear that there is left for future
consideration the appraisal of such flood control benefits
at Pueblo, or elsewhere in the Upper Arkansas Valley above
John Martin Dam and Reservoir, as may result from, and
allocate to, the proposed Bureau of Reclamation Pueblo
reservoir; and that the recommendation and concern of
the Water Development Association of ooutheastern Colorado
have been recognized by the Army Engineers in the report
which is here reviewed.

3., Accordingly, the Colorado Water Conservation Board concludes
that flood protection of the bacl~Tater area at Pueblo, in connection with ex-
isting flood control works heretofore constructed by the Pueblo Conservancy
District, is urgently needed; that the recommended local flood protection works,
described in the subject report of the A~ Engineers, are adequate to accomplish
such purpose; that such protective measures and the plan thus recommended are
approved by the Board; and that the construction and operation of such protective
measures will not adversely affect any existing development on the river in
Colorado or any future development of native waters of the Arkansas River Basin
in Colorado or any works planned for the regulation and utilization of water which
may be imported into the natural basin.

4. It is recommended by the Color!J.'J,oWater Conservation Board that
in the investigation and prosecution of plans for the comprehensive flood control
program on the Arkansas River in Colorado above John Martin Dam reservoir and in
the allocation of flood control benefits, the Army Engineers coordinate their

- 4 -