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<br />2.3 Principal Flood Problems <br /> <br />Flooding in the Town of Hotchkiss has been the result of rapidly <br />melting snow, sometimes augmented by general rain, during the <br />period from May through July. Snowmelt flooding is characterized <br />by moderate peak flows, large volume of runoff, long duration, and <br />marked diurnal fluctuation of flow. Flooding from general rain is <br />characterized by high peak flows and moderate duration of flood- <br />flows. Flooding from convective-type cloudburst storms is <br />characterized by high peak flows, short duration of flow, and <br />relatively small volumes of runoff. Because cloudburst storms are <br />small in areal extent and short in duration, they do not consti- <br />tute a flood threat on streams as large as North Fork Gunnison <br />River. <br /> <br />According to records from u.S. Geological Survey stream gage No. <br />09132500 on North Fork Gunnison River, upstream from Hotchkiss, <br />near Somerset, the highest flow of record occurred on June 4, <br />1957, with a record peak of 7,680 cubic feet per second (cfs). <br />The 1957 flood had an estimated recurrence interval of <br />approximately 45 years at the gage site (References 4, 5, and 6). <br /> <br />Peak flows of the larger historical floods on North Fork Gunnison <br />River are shown below (Reference 7). <br /> <br /> Year Date Peak Flow (cfs) <br /> 1922 May 6 5,1301 <br /> 1928 May 13 6,4501 <br /> 1929 May 15 7,3101 <br /> 1932 May 12 8,5901 <br /> 1937 May 15 4,7202 <br /> 1938 May 16 5,3602 <br /> 1941 May 31 5,8502 <br /> 1944 May 16 5,8502 <br /> 1952 May 4 5,3202 <br /> 1957 June 4 7,8602 <br /> 1962 May 13 4,8802 <br />1 <br /> Measured at U.S. Geological Survey Stream Gage No. 1330 Near Paonia <br />2 Geological <br /> Measured at U.S. Survey Stream Gage No. 09132500 Near Somerset <br /> <br />5 <br />