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3S,G00 c.f.s. The flood resulted from rainfall reportedly as high as 18 inches in 24 hours over an area of less than 100 square miles in the Monment Creek watershed. Flood of April 16, 1942: The month of April 1942 was one of the wettest in Colorado's history. The average precipitation of 4.53 inches was the second largest on record for the State at that time. The amount was only execeeded by the 5.06 inches of precipitation during April 1900. Heavy precipitation, much of it in the form of snow, occurred between the 16th and 20'h of April over the Purgatoire River watershed. Rainfall between the 22'd and 25'h of April hastened the melting of the heavy snow pack causing high flows on the Purgatoire lRiver at Las Animas. Rainfall over the Arkansas River watershed produced a peak flow of 12,000 c.f.s. at Nepesta, 34,000 c.f.s. at La Junta, and 23,600 c.f.s. at Las Animas. Although there was major flooding at Trinidad, where the peak flow on the Purgatoire reached 27,000 c.f.s., the principal damage in the Arkansas River valley was to transportation and irrigation systems.. Flood of May 17, 1955: Between the 17'h and 20'h of May 1955, heavy precipitation occurred over the lower mountains and plains of eastern Colorado and moved over northeastern New Mexico and western Kansas. Precipitation over the mountains was principally in the form of dense wet snow while heavy rains fell over the plains. Major flooding occurred in the Arkansas River watershed from Pueblo to John Martin Reservoir and along the entire reach of the Purgatoire River from Trinidad down to the mouth. The flood on the Purgatoire River approached the magnitude of the 1942 flood at Trinidad ~md was the largest of record on the lower reaches with a peak flow of 70,000 c.f.s. at Las Animas. At Pueblo, the Arkansas River peaked at 11,000 c.f.s. Downstream the flood peak increased to 50,000 c.f.s. at La Junta and caused major flood damage to North La Junta. At Las Animas, the peak measured 44,000 c.f.s., but a successful flood fight prevented serious flooding. The peak inflow into John Martin Reservoir was 88,000 c.f.s. There was very little contribution from the upper tributaries. Fountain Creek had a peak of 5,000 c.f.s. The St. Charles River had a peak of20,000 c.f.s. at the mouth. The peak flow on the Huerfano River Undercliffe was 11,300 c.f.s. The peak flow on the Apishapa River near Fowler was 17,000 c.f.s. and for Timpas Creek near Rocky Ford the peak was 7,500 c.f.s. Flood ofJune 14, 1965: The most recent and destructive general flood since 1921 began on June 14, 1965. The storm system produced extremely heavy rainfall over a 4-day period, centered over the upper Fountain Creek and Chico Creek watersheds, producing floodflows on Fountain Creek up to a record 47,000 c.f.s. from Colorado Springs to Pueblo, on Chico Creek, and on the Arkansas River from Pueblo to John Martin Dam. A severe storm cell northeast of Colorado Springs produced a maximum peak discharge of 124,000 c.f.s. on Jimmy Camp Creek. This approached the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) for this stream. Rainfall over the Black Squirrel Creek watershed produced a peak flow of 141,000 c.f.s. These two relatively small streams produced most of the floodwaters along the Arkansas River from Pueblo to Las Animas. Jimmy Camp Creek was the primary contributor to the flood on Fountain Creek, which resulted in the 47,000 c.f.s. flood of record at Pueblo. The contribution from Black Squirrel Creek caused Chico Creek to produce 50,900 c.f.s. at the mouth. The Avondale gage on the Arkansas River just upstream of the town of Avondale and the confluence with Chico Creek recorded a measured Post Flood Assessment Report Chapter 2 - History of Flooding and Flood Protection 7 Dmjt Revised 09/09/99