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<br />CHAPTERIl; <br />HISTORY OF FLOODING <br /> <br />Substantial damage was sustained by the Denver and Ric Grande Railroad yards <br />between Henson Street and the Lake Fork. The Gunnison Avenue bridge across <br />Henson Creek '~as waShed out. The Power and Light Plant at Crooke's Hill above <br />Lake City and the municipal water system were also washed out. <br />Local Input <br />During the past 20 years, both the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and <br />Henson Creek have stayed within their bankS during flooding due to constant <br />and continuous efforts at keeping the channels clear and by making regular <br />additions of heavy rlprap to the banks_ While there have been numerous threatening <br />floods during this time, none succeeded In breaking through the bankS due to <br />the diligent efforts of the local citizens. <br /> <br />Excerpts from Local Papers <br />Little definitive data is available on past flooding in the Lake City <br />area. Knowledge of past flooJillg in Lake City is primarily based on ne'~spaper <br />records existing from 1884 to about 1933 and after 1979. U.S.G.5.gau9ing <br />records are available from 1917 to 1937 and from 1981 to 1985. Memories of <br />long-time residents were especially valuable for flood history during the <br />past 20 years. According to a 1981 newspaper story from the Silver ~orld <br />on fJooding in Lake City; "while there have been numerous flood "scares" <br />through the years, the community has for the most part been very fortunate <br />in the only minimal flood damage which has been experienced in Lake City's <br />106 years of existence". <br />The worst flooding ever experienced In the upper Lake Fork Valley came in <br />mid June of 1921 (Reference 1), when unusually high spring runoff caused the <br />lake Fork and Henson Creek to suddenly spillover their banks and threaten to <br />engulf the Lake City c~unity. Damage during the flood of 1921 was primarily <br />restricted to road and railway beds in the immediate viCinity of Lake City. <br />A concerted effort by the town's population in building cribbing for the river <br />banks kept the majority of the flood waters frooentering the more p opulated <br />areas of the community. <br />The 1921 high water can be attributed to an unusually heavy snowmelt, which <br />did not begin to melt until June because of cool temperatures. ~hen the spring <br />melt did come, however. it came all at Orlce and rivers rose rapidly. Inaddition <br />to the runofftnat spring, it was estimated that the Lake Fork Valley received <br />upwards of seven inches of rain in one week, between June 3 and June 10. <br />Around June 14, the bankS of Henson Creek gave way between Gunnison Avenue and <br /> <br /> <br />th", mOlith of th", canyon and the..-ater began its rush to';;;lr::l the downtown ~J.ke <br />City business section. The main thrust angled off from the mai,n channel of the <br />creek and cut a new channel across Gunnison Avenue and WdS at points as wide <br />as 18 feet and several feet deep. A portion of the flood waters several <br />inches deep continued down Silver and 4th Streets. No substantial bUIlding <br />damageoccurredinthisarea: however, severe erosion occurred to streets and <br />private lots. <br /> <br />Figure 1 -Jline <br /> <br />1921 Flood-Froothemouthof Henson Canyon <br />looking north and east <br /> <br />11 <br /> <br />12 <br />