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<br />the vicInity of the g~ging shtlon. Through the remainder of the study
<br />area, floodwaters will tend to parallel the river channel In a swiftly
<br />flowing band, 300 to 500 feet wide.
<br />
<br />FloodlngalongL1ghtnerCreekwlll Inundate rost of Its valley and a
<br />long section of U. S. HIghway 160. FloodwaTers would closely pllrallel the
<br />streamcourse In a floodway 200 to 300 feet wide. Above Durango, Junction
<br />CreekfIQOdwaters..illlnundatealargeportlonofthevalley. Flooding
<br />along Dry GulCh Creak wi 11 inundate most of Its narrow ""I Icy above
<br />DolwoodAvenue. In the lower roaches of Junction and Dry Gulch Creeks,
<br />floodwaters would combine In a common sheetflow area extending from the
<br />vicinity of Qelwood Avenue downstream to the AnImas River. Another small
<br />sheetflow ~rea woyld occur ~Iong Junction Creek In the vicinity of Jynetlon
<br />Creek Ro~d.
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<br />The ~rea th~t would be Inyndated by an Intermediate Regional Flood
<br />totals about 1,780 acres, of which 1,270 acres are open or agricultural
<br />lands, 330 acres are urban, ~nd 180 acres are streamway.
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<br />Flood damage would be mainly residential and cOlMlerclal In natyre,
<br />except In the Animas Valley above Durango where flood damage woyld be
<br />prlmarIIY!lgrlcultyral. Losses In residential areas would lnclyde damage
<br />to foundations, floors, walls, furnishings, lawns, and gardens. Com-
<br />merclallosseswouldincludestructyralllndequlpmentdamage,terr.porary
<br />loss of bYslness, replacement of Inventory, end oosts of cle~nup and
<br />repair. Also subject to damage would be roadbeds, bridges, stream
<br />channels, railroad tracks ~nd embankments, communication and power
<br />distribution systems, the State fish hatchery, and the sewage disposal
<br />plMt. Agricultural losses would consist of erosion and deposition of
<br />debris "nd silt on crop"ndp"sturo land; loss of crops; poultry, Md
<br />livestock; anddarnagetofann improvements such as irrigi:ltlonsyst ems,
<br />tencos,andbuildlngs.
<br />
<br />Standard Project Floods on the streams under study would have higher ve-
<br />locities of flow, greator depths, and longer duration of Inundation than
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<br />Intermediate Regional Floods. However,slnce-thefIOO<Jedareasarenot
<br />significantly larger, the damage caused by Standard Project Floods woyld
<br />not be appreCiably greater than that caused by Intermediate Regional Floods.
<br />Plates 10-25 show high water profiles of the Intermediate Regional and
<br />S-tandard ProJect Floods. DepthofflO" rn The stream chllflnelS can be
<br />estimated from these Illustrations. Typical cross sectIons of floodplains
<br />at selected locatIons In the study ~rea, together with the water surface
<br />elevatIons of the Intenmedlate Regional and Standard Project Floods, are
<br />shown on Plates 26-29.
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<br />The Impact of flooding Is not limited to areas actually flooded. For
<br />example, floodwaters may Interrupt or contaminate water supply, render the
<br />sewage disposal plant Inoperable for extended periods, or break sewer mains
<br />that an entire communIty depend upon, thus creatIng widespread Inconvenience
<br />and potential serious hlllllrds to health. Interruption of sudace transpor-
<br />tation and electrical, natural gas, and communIcation services by floods may
<br />affect areas other than those actually flooded and result 11'1 personal dis-
<br />comfort and InconvenIence, cessatIon of Industrial and commercial activities
<br />(and attendant loss of business and worker income), and create emergency
<br />situations very difflcylt to deal with dYe to lack of communication or trans-
<br />portatiOn. Meetlngthecostsofemergencyfloodrolief,tloodflghflng,
<br />other flOOd emergency activities, cleanup, and the repair and restoration of
<br />public fact lltles darflaged or destroyed by floods hilS ,,1'1 Impact that far
<br />transcends the flooded areas beCause city, county, State, and Federal tax
<br />revenues must be used, thus redyclng rovenues avallabletoroth lIrservlces,
<br />especially on the local !.wel. Other results of flooding nat have an
<br />impact outside the flooded areas ~~y also Include closed schools and long-
<br />term Inconvenience to tho traveling public. A tourist center such ~s
<br />Durango could suffer from loss of byslness activity when tourist attractions
<br />sllCh"stho railroad are made inoperable for long periods of tlmo.
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