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<br />In describing this flood, which was the greatest known on Monument Creek, the <br />Colorado Sprinjl:s Gazelle, on May 3], 1935, stated: <br /> <br />The destructive flood waters from half a dozen cloudbursts swept <br />through Monument Valley ... shortly after noon. Earlier, a <br />cloudburst had sent Sand Creek, east of Colorado Springs, on a tear <br />... four lives were lost in Colorado Springs and the property <br />damage, exclusive of that suffered by the railroads, was estimated <br />by the city engineer as $1,215,000.00. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />I n Colorado Springs, Monument Creek reached flood stage in less than I hour, <br />attained its peak 1.5 hours later, receded slightly for].5 hours, and was back within <br />its channel 1.5 hours later. <br /> <br />Developments subject to flood damage consist of residential properties and commercial and <br />light industrial establishments. Some bridges and culverts across the streams are constrictive <br />to floodflows and contribute to flooding problems. Generally, the bridges across Fountain <br />and Monument Creeks will pass at ieast the ]OO-year flood, with the most constrictive bridges <br />and culverts being on the smaller streams. Other obstructions to floodflows include landfills <br />and isolated levees that have been constructed to protect commercial and residential properties <br />from flooding. Large floods are relatively unaffected by these levees. The greatest <br />obstruction is that of houses adjacent to the banks of streams. This usually occurs in the <br />mountainous and hilly basins such as Upper Fountain Creek. <br /> <br />Man-made and natural obstructions in the floodplains impede the flow of water, creating a <br />backwater effect and increasing flood heights. These obstructions in Manitou Springs take <br />the form of trees, brush, and numerous footbridges and planked crossings throughout the <br />study area. This material is carried downstream to create dams at bridges and in areas where <br />the channels are restricted by building foundations and other forms of encroachment. <br /> <br />Severe flooding has occurred several times in Manitou Springs. In July ]882, a cloudburst <br />in the city caused flooding on Fountain Creek, Williams Canyon, and Ruxton Creek. A wall <br />of water came down Williams Canyon and flooded Fountain Creek and the lower part of <br />Ruxton Creek. Most houses in the area sustained some damage and one person was killed <br />in Williams Canyon. Hailstones were found to be I] inches in circumference (Reference 12). <br /> <br />In May 1894, a ramstorm of several days' duration caused flooding in the area; however, <br />flood heights were not as high as they couid have been, had much of the precipitation not <br />fallen as snow. Fountain Creek, Ruxton Creek, and Williams Canyon all flooded. Canon <br />Avenue was described as a mountain torrent with hundreds of tons of rock washing down <br />(Reference ]]). <br /> <br />A cloudburst over Williams and Waldo Canyons in May 1947, caused flooding on Williams <br />Canyon and Fountain Creek. Many small bridges were washed out, and the debris created <br />dams that eventually broke and caused further damage (Reference 13). <br /> <br />A correlation between the elevations of previous floods and the elevations of possible future <br />floods as presented in the study for Manitou Springs is difficult to determine because of <br />changes in the streams channels as a result of high flows and subsequent development. At <br />Fountain, Colorado, approximately 25 miles downstream from Manitou Springs, a 40-foot- <br /> <br />13 <br />