FLOOD01227

• Designation Number: 208
• County: Mesa
• Community: Grand Junction
• Title: FIS - Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado
• Date: 7/1/1982
• Designation Date: 1/1/1983
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

Soil Conservation Service; Colorado State Department of Highways;
Arix Engineers; Grand Junction Daily Sentinel; Grand Valley Project,
Bureau of Reclamation, Grand Junction
'f ice; dUel L11~ Ncl Li.vual Weatl~er Cer.... ice.

On January 25, 1979, an intermediate coordination meeting was
held to discuss the progress of the study and the limits of work.
In attendance were representatives of Grand Junction, Mesa County,
the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the study contractor.

The final coordination meeting was held on June 18, 1981, and
was attended by representatives of the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, the study contractor, and the city. All problems raised
at the meeting were resolved.

2.0 AREA STUDIED

2.1 Scope of Study

This Flood Insurance Study covers the incorporated areas of the
City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, Colorado. The area of study
is shown on the Vicinity Map (Figure 1).

The limits of detailed study in the City of Grand Junction were
determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, with community
and study contractor consultation, at the initial coordination
meeting. The flooding sources identified to be studied by detailed
methods included Colorado and Gunnison Rivers and Indian Wash
within the corporate limits of Grand Junction. At a subsequent
intermediate coordination meeting, it was decided not to study
Gunnison River because its flooding does not affect Grand Junction.
A detailed analysis of Horizon Drive Channel (otherwise known
as Independent Ranchmens Ditch) was added from the Mesa County
Flood Insurance Study (Reference 1).

Those areas studied ,by detailed methods were chosen with considera-
tion given to all proposed construction and forecasted development
through 1985.

2.2 Community Description

Grand Junction is located on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains
in central Mesa County in western Colorado. It is surrounded
by the unincorporated areas of Mesa County. It is situated approxi-
mately halfway between Salt Lake City, Utah, and Denver, Colorado,
and is a regional center for transportation and trade for an area
of over 60,000 square miles.

.

The Ute Indians were the earliest residents of western Colorado.
In 1868, the Ute Indians were put on a reservation which included

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