<br />cubic feet per second compax'ed to a previous record peak of 3,800 CUD1.C
<br />feet per second. The South Platte River at DenvE~r peaked with a flow
<br />of 36,000 c.f.s. on June 17th while the previous record high was 22,000
<br />c.f.s. in September, 1933, and at Balzac the peak flow was estimated at
<br />55,000 c.f.s. on June 18th compared to the previous record peak of
<br />31,200 c.f.s. in June, 1921. Possibly the most unbelievable peak oc-
<br />curred at the mouth of Bijou Cre,~k which had an E~stimated flood peak on
<br />June 18th of 300,000 c.f.s. in contrast to no previous recorded peak.
<br />
<br />The Arkansas River Basin
<br />
<br />Thunderstorms late in the afternoon of Monday, June 14th, fol-
<br />lowed by hail measuring up to th,e size of baseballs, resulted in an
<br />estimated $500,000 worth of damages to El Paso County roads, highways,
<br />and bridges and to homes in Stratmoor Hills, Stratmoor Meadows, and
<br />Security Village south of Colorado Springs. Downstream, the City of
<br />Fountain suffered very little in damages from this storm which had an
<br />estimated total rainfall of four inches.
<br />
<br />During the next few clays, however, a seri~~s of shower~; and
<br />thunderstorms in the Arkansas River watershed produced flooding in
<br />many of the river's tributaries. The afternoon of Thursday, June 17th,
<br />more than 12 inches of rain fell at Falcon, with intensities of seven
<br />and three-fourths inches in three hours, causing damages from Falcon
<br />to Peyton, and producing flooding on Black Squirrel, Minny Camp, and
<br />Sand Creeks, tributaries of Fountain Creek and the Arkansas River,
<br />and, to the east, Big Sandy Creek which enters the Arkansas River at
<br />Lamar.
<br />
<br />The flood proceeded down the Arkansas Riv'~r fed by crElsts out of
<br />Black Squirrel and Horse CrEleks from the north and Crooked Arroyo and
<br />Muddy Creeks on the south. By the time the floods on Fountain Creek
<br />had joined the Arkansas River at Pueblo and proceeded to the Pueblo
<br />County line, extensive damages had been sustained and an estimated
<br />peak flow of 186,000 c.f.s. was attained.
<br />
<br />Below Pueblo, a flood CI'E!st from the Purg,atoire River joined t:,.
<br />flooding Arkansas River and the rampaging waters moved eastward.
<br />Fortunately, the combined w,lter from these floods was contained in the:
<br />John Martin Reservoir, totaling an estimated 280,000 acre feet.
<br />
<br />Downstream from the John Martin Reservoir, thundersto:rms start-
<br />ing with a two-inch rain thE! 14th of June on Cro,oked Arroyo Creek were
<br />followed by additional storms on the 15th, 16th, and 17th falling on
<br />nearly every watershed south and some of those north of the I\rkansas
<br />River. Rainfall varying from five inches to 15 inches was r'~ported
<br />over a 40-hour period. At Holly the Arkansas River was repo:rted to haVE!
<br />had flood crests of 160,000 c.f..s. The towns of Lamar, Koen, Granada,
<br />and Holly were inundated by depths up to four feet over most of the
<br />town areas.
<br />
<br />A total of 43 million dollars in damages was estimated for the
<br />Arkansas River basin in Colorado by the Army Corps of Engine'~rs, with
<br />the John Martin Reservoir b~~ing credited with preventing an i~dditiona 1.
<br />$3,500,000 in damages. As pointed out :in Table II, based on informa-
<br />tion compiled by the American RE!d Cross, ten persons died as a result
<br />
<br />- 5 -
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