|
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />II
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />
<br />IL
<br />
<br />Background Information
<br />
<br />A.' Drainage Basin Description
<br />
<br />Kiowa Creek orginates 14.8 miles slightly west from South
<br />of the Town of Elbert in the Black Forest. Elevations range
<br />from 7700 feet at the southern extremity to 6690 feet below
<br />Elbert in the study area.
<br />
<br />
<br />As shown on Plate I the Kiowa Creek basin is quite long in,'
<br />relationship to its nearly constant width of 4.7 miles. The.
<br />upper half of the basin lies in EI Paso County, where a dense
<br />cover of primarily Ponderosa Pine dominates the terrain. In the
<br />lower half, the ridge tops are similarly covered and abound in
<br />sandstone outcrops. The valleys are generally wide and moderately
<br />sloping and are vegitated by native grasses.
<br />
<br />Kiowa Creek has an average slope of approximately 110 feet per
<br />mile in its lower reaches. The valley width is nearly constant at
<br />about 1500 feet. The east fork and mainstream creek are perennial
<br />and the very small normal flows seem dwarfed by the size of the
<br />main channel, which has been enlarged 'and straightened by past
<br />major floods. The predominate vegitation within the channel are
<br />a few scrub willows and numerous large elm trees.
<br />
<br />The total area drained above Elbert is 65 square miles.
<br />
<br />B. Past Floods
<br />
<br />Kiowa Creek has endured more than its share of major cata-
<br />strophic floods, the most notable of which are discussed below.
<br />
<br />Most of the flood producing storms over the Kiowa Creek water-
<br />shed occur during the summer months of May through August. During
<br />this period, masses tif warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and
<br />cold, comparitively dry air from the'polar regions combine over the
<br />higher ~and to cause increased thunderstorm activity. The severest
<br />storms often generate in the transitional periods of late spring and
<br />early fall when polar air intrusions are most intensive. Isolated
<br />summer thunderstorms are frequently severe but limited in the area
<br />covered. Available records indicate that snow melt has seldom con-
<br />tributed significantly to flood occurances on Kiowa Creek.
<br />
<br />1. May 21, 1878 Flood
<br />
<br />The earliest recorded flood was that of May 21, 1878.'
<br />The following is quoted from the Co~orado Magazine of July, 1937.
<br />
<br />"Among the unsolved mysteries in Colorado's history is
<br />the disappearance of a standard gage Kansas Pacific (now Union
<br />Pacific) locomotive in the quicksands of Kiowa Creek****on the
<br />night of May 21, 1878. A sudden flood had destroyed the wooden
<br />bridge that crossed the usually dry channel a short time before
<br />
<br />2
<br />
<br />v .v'".' ~"",,,-,- "'"-.~""~_,_" ".-.., ~'.' ^ ,,,,,,--,.-.., '-r-'""~':^v~"'_' """"",;_,,,,,,,,,,,,,,~,,~_,",,,.'-''''''''~-:'''"''~"<t--'''~"--.-''"-''=''''''I'Y".""'''"''''''''',~''P'''~?''''_'''''''''''''':'~.tP''''l'~'?:'''''!'>'"'f:',-:'J':~':'~''''~'~~~, .
<br />
|