FLOOD03286

• County: Adams
• Community: Wheat Ridge, Arvada
• Stream Name: Lower Clear Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Major Drainageway Planning
• Date: 10/1/1981
• Prepared For: Adams County
• Prepared By: UDFCD
• Contract/PO #: &&
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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SECTION I
SUMMAR Y

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SUMMARY OF SELECTED PLAN

This Phase B report contains the prel iminary design of the Major Drainageway
Pl an for lower Cl ear Creek. The pl an and profil e drawi ngs at the end of
this report graphically illustrate the recommended improvements chosen by
the Cities of Wheat Ridge and Arvada, and AdifTls County following evaluation
of the Phase A portion of this study. Drainage problems were defined and
alternative solutions were addressed and presented in the Phase A report,
published in September, 1980.

REACH III B (Station 559+00 to Station 658+00)

The adopted strategy for Reach III B, from Youngfield to 800 feet west of
Kipl ing, is Floodplain Preservation. This segment of the streifTl is located
within Wheat Ridge and the floodpl ain is, for the most part, dedicated to
park, recreation and open space uses.

REACH III A (Station 449+00 to Station 559+00)

Section I of this report provides a synopsis of the recommended drainageway
strategy and improvements presented in thi s report. Specific direction for
the prel iminary pl an was received from the Urban Drainage and Flood Control
District by means of the "Selected Phase B Plan", reproduced at the end of
Section V. The "Selected Phase B Plan" resulted from fonnal decisions and
resolutions by Wheat Ridge, Arvada, and AdifTlS County after they evaluated
the infonnation presented in the Phase A report.

The floodplain management strategy for Reach III A, from 800 feet upstream
(west) of Kipl ing to Wads\\Orth, includes a combination of Floodplain Prese':,-
vation and Channel Improvements at Kipling Street and at the confluence of
Lena Gulch. The improvements at Kipl ing include an additional 50-foot
bridge span at Kipl ing, a low water crossing at Lena Gulch, and 1800 feet of
rock- lined channel on either side of Kipling.

On e of the adopted strateg i es for many of the reaches of lower Cl ear Creek
is Floodplain Preservation, used solely or in combination with channel
improvements. Floodplain Preservation refers to using floodplain zoning,
with no significant changes in existing road and channel structures, to
control further flood damage potential. Flood difTlage \\Ould still occur in
existing developed areas of the floodpl ain (and outside the 100- year
floodpl ain for floods of greater magnitude). This alternative asslll1es
enforcement of the existing floodplain ordinances in areas that are now
undeveloped. The principles of Floodpl ain Preservation and Management are
discussed in detail in Section VI.

REACH II B (Station 272+00 to Station 449+00)

Study Reach II B, from Wads\\Orth Boulevard dO\'KIstre<rn to 1,400 feet upstre<rn
of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, is designated for Floodplain
Preservation and Channel Improvements. Much of this segment of Clear Creek
is being channel ized by the Colorado State Division of Highways (CSDH) as
part of the 1-76 project. Major drainageway improvements at Tennyson Street
and Lowell Boulevard crossings have been included in the Plan to reduce the
upstreifTl flow profi 1 e depth increases resul ting from the proposed CSDH work
on Interstate-76 (1-76).

REACH II A (Station 153+00 to Station 272+00)

Study Reach II A, from 1,400 feet upstreifTl of the Denver and Rio Grande Wes-
tern Railroad (D&RGW) and dO\'KIstreifTl to Huron Street, is designated for
Floodplain Preservation and Channel Improvements. Pl ans for the segment
from 1400-feet upstream of the D&RGW bridge to 900-feet downstream of Fed-
eral, incl ude a rock-l ined channel and a new bridge span at D&RGW. A chan-