FLOOD04007

• County: Rio Blanco
• Community: Meeker
• Stream Name: White River, Sulphur Creek
• Basin: Yampa/White
• Title: Floodplain Information Report
• Date: 6/1/1977
• Prepared For: Meeker
• Prepared By: Merrick & Company
• Contract/PO #: &&
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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HISTORIC FLOODING

The Town of Meeker and adjacent areas included in this study are subject

to periodic flooding from the White River and Sulphur Creek, and from runoff

from the Sanderson Heights area. The differing nature of the watersheds and

streams subjects the area to floods of three basic types: snowmelt, ice jams

and convective thunderstorms. In the past, spring runoff due to melting snow

in the high mountain watershed above Meeker has caused the highest water

levels in the White River for the longest periods of time. Ice jams, caused by

Chinook winds melting snow at higher elevations and temperature inversions

freezing the water at obstacles in the river, have also occurred in the White

River in and near Meeker. Periodic floods on Sulphur Creek occur from melting

snow, but convective thunderstorms also cause frequent and high runoff flows

of short duration.

A. U.S. Geological Survey stream gaging station on the White River 2-1/2

miles east of Meeker has been in operation every year since 1910, and the

records show that the largest yearly peaks occur in the late Spring and early

Summer with the periods of high runoff from melting snow lasting from two to

three months. The largest recorded annual flood occurred on June 16,1921,

from melting snow. According to the account in the Meeker Herald, on June 18,

1921, it was a record high water mark for the White River in Meeker, at least since

the town was founded in the early 1880' s. The recorded flow was 6,370 cubic feet

per second. Damage resulting from that flood consisted of inundation of low lying

meadowland adjacent to the White River and a washed out culvert bridge.

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