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<br />STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />Community Description <br /> <br />Salida is located in central Colorado in the Rocky Mountains. It is the county seat of Chaffee <br />County, and is located approximately 65 air miles southwest of Colorado Springs and <br />approximately 100 air miles southwest of Denver. Highway 50 is the major east-west highway that <br />serves the city. The city sits along the Arkansas River at an elevation of about 7,000 feet. The area <br />studied for the PIS is the incorporated areas of the City of Salida as of March 30, 1982. Section 2,2 <br />of the PIS provides additional information regarding the community. <br /> <br />Watershed Description <br /> <br />Salida is located in the Upper Arkansas River Valley in southeastern Chaffee County. The <br />Arkansas River flows through Salida just above it's confluence with the South Arkansas River, <br />which is a major right bank tributary. The Arkansas River and the South Arkansas River are the <br />two major flooding sources within the incorporated areas of the city. The headwaters of the <br />Arkansas River originate at the Continental Divide with elevations in excess of 14,000 feet. The <br />majestic peaks of the Collegiate Range are located just to the north and west of SaIida. Section 2,2 <br />of the PIS provides additional information regarding the watershed. <br /> <br />Floodine Problems and FloodimJ History <br /> <br />Flooding in Salida generally occurs during the spring and summer months as a result of flooding <br />from rapid snowmelt runoff, thunderstorms, general rainstonns, or a combination thereof. <br />Snowmelt flooding is characterized by moderate peak flows with a large volume of water over a <br />relatively long duration. Rainfall flooding is characterized by higher peak flows with a smaller <br />volume of water over a shorter duration. The majority of the flood problems along the two major <br />streams in Salida are caused by rapid melting of heavy snowpack in the spring and summer. <br />Flooding potential also exists from short and long duration rain storms. <br /> <br />There have been numerous high water events in the past on the Arkansas River and South Arkansas <br />River at SaIida. The most recent high water occurred during 1995. During the summer of 1995, a <br />significant peak flow was recorded on the Arkansas River at the Wellsville gage, which is <br />downstream of Salida. Significant high water in the city also occurred in 1901, 1923, 1924, 1947, <br />1948, 1957, 1973, 1980, and 1983. The highest recorded peak flow was 9,220 cfs in 1957. Section <br />2.3 of the PIS provides additional information regarding the flooding problems and flooding <br />history. <br /> <br />2 <br />