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2.3 Principal Flood Problems Low-lying areas in the western part of Hayden are subject to periodic flooding caused by overflow of Dry Creek. Flooding that is caused by ponding of runoff and overflow from two irrigation ditches that intercept runoff from a small watershed southeast of the town occurs in low-lying areas in the easter~ and central parts of the town, The flooding generally occurs in early spring as a result of snow- melt or a combination of snowmelt and rain. According to a report published by the u.s. Army Corps of Engineers in February 1976, the worst known flooding in the Steamboat Springs area occurred in June 1921 and April 1974 (Reference 2), The 1921 flood, wr.ich was caused by a combination of rapid snowmelt and heavy rains, occurred principally on the Yampa River and on Soda Creek. Exact dates and flow rates are unknown, other than those recorded at the Yampa River gaging station. Information regarding flows and date of maximum floodflow is not available. The effect of historjcaJ floodflows from the Yarnpa River has been essentially negligible due to the protection provided by t~e rail- road earth embankment that parallels the town's northern corporate limits. 2.4 Flood Protection Measures The northern corporate limits o~ Hayden, which borders the southern limits of the Yampa River flood plain, is protected by ar. earth embankment of t~e Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. Immediately upstream from the railroad crossing on Dry Creek, a levee has been constructed on the left bank looking downstream. Another levee, also on Dry Creek, is located on' the right bank, just upstream from the county road crossing west of the county fairgrounds. Erosion of these levees through the years has caused considerable deterioration, and overtopping by high water could result. Several small reservoirs or stock ponds, including J.e. Temple Reservoir, are located in the Dry Creek Basin, south of the corporate limits. Although these structures were not designed for flood protection, they may retain or retard a portion of the runoff, thus reducing peak flows at H~ydcn. The Town of Hayden imposes a city restriction on land subdivison in that 5 percent must bo left undeveloped as greenbelt areas. The totoJn also requires drainage easements. 3.0 ENGINEERING METHODS For flooding sour~es studied in detail in tho community, standard hydro- logic and hydraulic study methods were used to determine the flood hazard data required for t~is study. Floods having recurrence intervals 4