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<br />Abov~ th~ Colorado & Southern Railroad near South College Avenue, basin develop- <br /> <br />:nent is sporduic bJt ir.credsing ra~idly. The genera 1 development of the ~asin <br /> <br />is moving upstrea:1 to Taft Hill Road and beyono:!. [)evelopmentisalmostexclu- <br /> <br />sivelyresidential. <br /> <br />Flood History <br />Flooding on Spring Creek before the cOiWletionofHorsetooth Res ervoiroccurred <br /> <br />in 1902, 1904, 1938 and 1949. <br /> <br />The 1902 flood occurred on September 21, when 4.3 inChes of rainfall was recorded <br /> <br />in a 24-hourperiod. little damage occurred other than the flooding of streets <br />and sidewalks. lnlg04, floodi:Jgwasmoreseriousand,a 7-yearoldboywas killed <br />East of Fort Collins during a rainstorm that dropped 3.0 inches in a 24-hour <br />period. Most of the dal'1(\ge from the stonn was not caused by Spring Creek,and no <br />mel1tionwas made of where thlO boy was drowned (References3,4and5) . <br /> <br />The most serious flooding on Spring Creek occurred on September 4, 193e, when <br />the 24-hour rainfall was recorded as 3.S inches. Flooding of Sprin9 Creek did <br /> <br />1 i HllO dalTklglO to the town, but extett~ive ud,nage occurreu to the h ighwdY' and <br /> <br />bridges in Sprirog Canyon. An eye-witness claimed th~t ~ w~ 11 of water 7-feet <br />high came down Spring Creek tl,rough the mouth of the canyon. Some loss of cattle <br />wJsreported further downstream (References 5.1n(6). <br /> <br />lne following quotation was taken from the "fort Collin, b(press Courier" of <br /> <br />September4,1938: <br /> <br />"Andr<?W II. Johnso~. Ch~innan of Larimer C()unty Cornmi~sioners, e1timatf>d <br /> <br />Saturday that .damages to highways in Buckhorn, Masonville. Bcllvuc, Poudre <br />and Spring Cr'eel< Oistricts will amount to S13,OOO. <br />The Highway crews are blocking travel indll parts of the county where l<atE'r <br /> <br />-9- <br /> <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />ha~ eaten into the sides of the roads. Bridges and gravel roads in Rist <br /> <br />Cdnjon,S.oldierCanyorl,SprinyCdnyondndDixonCdnyorlwerereportedde- <br /> <br />mol iShed and traffic in these sections was ~t a standstil 1". <br /> <br />A recorded rainfall of 3.5 inches over a time of 24-hours occurred in MdY of <br />19~9, but flooding was not serious and little or no damage was reported (Re- <br /> <br />ferences5ll:7}. <br /> <br />InAugustof1951,seriousfloodingwasexperiencedthroughoutLarimer County <br />wl\ereseven people were killed ina two-day period with rainfall tota.lling6.1 <br />inCheS. There were reports of the New Mercer Ditch and the Larimer County #2 <br />Ditch overflowing and flooding buildings, and the Colorado A&M campus in Fort <br />Collins. Both these ditches traverse the Spring Creek basin, however, fl()oding <br />along Spring Creek was not referenced. (References 5 & 8). <br /> <br />After completion of Korsetooth Reservoir in the early 1950's. no seriOus damages <br />have been experienced from flooding on S.pring Creek. High water has been observ- <br /> <br />edollthe stream in 1961 (24-hourrainfall of3.2inches),1975(24 -hour rainfall <br />of2.2inChes) and 1977 (24-hourrainfall of4.4inches [References 5&9]}. <br /> <br />The 1975 rainstorm had rainfall intensities of 1.5 inches per hour and the "Fort <br />Collins Coloradoan" reported a minor flash flooo on Spring Creek. Inl977,a <br />serious flood watch was broadcdst to the residents of Fort Collins, Spring Creek <br />cl'€sted,lJutneveractuallyoverfloweditsbanks. [)uringthisstorm.thelarimer <br />Coun ty ~2 Calla 1 Company reported intercepti ng some 500-acre feet of s tonn water <br /> <br />in their canal (References 10 and 11). <br /> <br />-10- <br />