FLOOD02623

• County: Denver
• Community: Denver
• Stream Name: South Platte River
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Storm of May 5-6, 1973 in the Denver Metro Area: Frequency and Effect
• Date: 12/31/1973
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: USGS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

FORWARD

The U. S, Geological Survey and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control
District has been participating in a cooperative urban rainfall and runoff data
and model development program for four years. Following the storm of May 6,
1973, it was decided that the U. S.G. S. and the Urban Drainage and Flood
Control District would prepare and distribute a report on the May 6 event,
summarizing its causes and extent. The U .S.G.S. staff collected and prepared
the data and information and the District underwrote the printing, pubLcation
and distribution costs,

The purpose of the report is to document the pertinent information relative
to the May 6 storm event, Of particular concern was the magnitude and fre-
quency of peak runoff from the smaller streams tributary to the South Platte River.
Rainfall magnitudes and frequencies for sixteen gaging stations operated in the
Denver region are summarized in the report, Also summarized are the magnitudes
and frequencies of runoff from eleven gaging stations on the South Platte River
and major tributaries from gages operated by the U.S. Geological Survey and
the State of Colorado, In addition, the U. S. G. S. made indirect measurements
of peak runoff from nine smaller tributaries to the Platte River and the magnitude
and frequency of runoff of these smaller streams is also presented.