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<br />4.1.12 BIG AND LITTLE THOMPSON RIVER BASIN
<br />
<br />Flood Historv, lillie information is available relative to historic flooding on the Lillie
<br />Thompson River probably because of its rural nature which has resutted in lillle flood
<br />damage during flood events, Some flood accounts are however, available on the Big
<br />Thompson River, Past records of floods in the Loveland area show that overbank flows
<br />can last from "a few hours" to more than 12 hours, The following accounts ot flooding on
<br />the Big Thompson River are representative of typical floods for which information is
<br />available,
<br />
<br />Flood of 31 Mav-1 June 1984, During widespread floods of May and June 1864, the
<br />lowlands of the Big Thompson River valley were flooded, selllers' cabins were washed
<br />away, and farmlands damaged, ACcording to The Loveland Reporter of 7 June 1894, the
<br />flood of 31 May - 1 June of that year destroyed a dam near the canyon northwest of
<br />Loveland and the river was '1ully hall a mile wide",
<br />
<br />Flood of 7 Julv 1906, On 7 July 1906, a discharge of 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs)
<br />was recorded at the Drake station, A bridge near Drake was washed out. The flood peak
<br />lasted only a '1ew hours",
<br />
<br />Flood of 31 Julv 1919, The Loveland Daily Herald of 1 August 1919 described a
<br />cloudburst upstream of Drake on :)1 July "a 10-foot wall of water swept down through the
<br />canyon:' There was no mention of damaue in the plains area,
<br />
<br />Flood of June 1921, General rains from 2 through 7 June measured a total of 5,29
<br />inches at Longmont and 3,02 inches at Fort Collins, Apparently, the mountain regions
<br />received less, as Estes Park reported 2.45 inches for the 6-day period with 1,2 inches
<br />received on 4 June, High water destroyed the recorder at the DraKe Station so the time
<br />and rate of the peak flow was not recorded, The Big Thompson River overflowed its bank
<br />and The Lyons Recorder of 9 June of that year related "at a point near the river about hall
<br />a mile from Loveland, a house, with its occupants, was washed from its foundation and
<br />carried nearly hall a mile downstream, , ."
<br />
<br />Flood of June 1923. Rains in the Big Thompson basin during 7 through 1 0 June
<br />resutted in a total of 2.49 inches at Estes Park, 2,99 inches at Long's Peak, and 2,80
<br />inches at Waterdale, The heaviest rain came on 9 June at these stations with 1.45, 2,55,
<br />and 1,97 inches, respectively, Flows past Drake of 3,590 cfs was recorded at 6:00 p,m.
<br />on 9 June and again at 6:00 a,m. on 10 June, Probably greater flows occurred between
<br />those hours, According to the Loveland Reporter-Herald of 9 June 1923: "At four o'clock
<br />(today) floodwaters from the Big Tllompsoll ", had reached West First Street in the city".
<br />tile cement paving south of Loveland is covered with water to a depth of over a foot. The
<br />Estes Park road and the valley near the plaster mills are covered:'
<br />
<br />Flood of Seotember 1938, On 2 September after heavy cloudbursts, the Big
<br />Thompson River valley was again flooded, The highway in the canyon was damaged and
<br />closed for repairs, Many bridges were destroyed and some homes were damaged. On
<br />11 and 12 September, heavy rains again caused serious flash flooding in the canyon and
<br />
<br />Colorado Flood
<br />Hydrology Manual
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<br />4,17
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<br />CRt!f-=r
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