FLOOD01997

• Designation Number: 71
• County: Adams
• County: Arapahoe
• County: Douglas
• Community: Denver Metro Region
• Stream Name: Sand Creek
• Title: Flood Hazard Area Delineation - Sand Creek
• Date: 3/1/1977
• Designation Date: 7/27/1977
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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2

Acknowledgements
This report was prepared by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District
at the request of Commerce City, Denver, Aurora, Adams County, and Arapahoe
County. It is intended that the report be used by the local governments in
such a way that flood hazards and future flood damages are minimized.
Hydrologic and hydraulic data was provided by the Omaha District, Corps of
Engineers. The data was developed by the Corps under the authority of their
Metropolitan Denver and South Platte River and Tributaries Study.
All mapping, survey and topographic data for this study was collected and
compiled by Bell Mapping Company, Denver, Colorado. Drafting of the plan and
profile sheets was completed by Bell Surveying Company, Denver, Colorado.
Additional drafting assistance was provided by Leonard Rice Consulting Water

- STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION -

Stream, Valley, and Drainage Area
Sand Creek is an east-bank plains tributary of the South Platte River. The
Sand Creek basin lies in north-central Colorado, to the east and northeast of the
Denver Central Business District. The basin is long and narrow, with a length of
32 miles and an average width of 6 miles; Portions of Elbert, Douglas, Arapahoe,
Denver, and Adams Counties are included in the drainage area. Sand Creek originates
at the confluence of Coal Creek and Murphy Creek near the eastern boundary of
Buckley Air National Guard Base. Coal Creek headwaters are located on the Doug1as-
Elbert County line, about 6 miles northeast of Franktown. Murphy Creek originates

near SmokY Hill Road in Arapahoe County.

In the Denver metropolitan area, Sand Creek flows through Arapahoe County,

Aurora, Adams County, Denver and Commerce City. The creek joins the South Platte

River at Commerce City just north of the Denver city limits. Principal tributaries

of Sand Creek are Toll Gate and Westerly Creeks. The Sand Creek basin is shown

Engineers, Inc., Denver, Colorado.

Copies of this report and information on its use are available from the
Urban Drainage and Flood Control District and from the local governments. The
District and the Corps of Engineers will provide technical assistance to federal,
state and local agencies in the interpretation and use of data presented herein
and will provide other available flood data related thereto.

on Figure 4. Approximate drainage areas are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1

Location of Data
Survey, hydrologic, hydraulic and other pertinent data used in this study
are on file at the Omaha District, Corps of Engineers. Survey data and summaries
of the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses are on file at the Urban Drainage and
Flood Control District.

Drainage Areas

Location

Drainage Area (sq. mi.)

Sand Creek (at mouth)
Toll Gate Creek (at Sand Creek)
Coal Creek
Murphy Creek
Westerly Creek (at Sand Creek)

189
39
95
13
18