FLOOD04039

• Designation Number: 19
• County: Larimer
• Community: Loveland
• Stream Name: Big Thompson River
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: FIR - Big Thompson River
• Date: 12/1/1971
• Designation Date: 5/1/1972
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

Flood Descriptions

During widespread floods of ~ay and June 1864, the low-

lands'ot the Big Thompson River val ley were flooded, settlers'

cabins were washed away, and farmlands damaged. According to THE

LOVELAND REPORTER of 7 June 1894, the flood of 31 Hay - I June of

that year destroyed a dam near the canyon northwest of Loveland

and the river was "fully half a mi Ie wlde.1T On 7 July 1906, a dis-

charge of 6,000 c.t.s. was recorded at the Drake station. A bridge

near Drake was washed out. The flood pea k I asted on I y a "tew hours."

THE LOVELA:-.iD DAILY HERALD of August 1919 described a cloudburst

upstream of Drake on 31 J u I Y - "a 10-foot wa II of water sweot down

through the canyon." There was no mention of damage in the

plains area.

2'-7 June I 921

General rains from 2 through 7 June 1921 measured a

total ot 5.29 inches at Longmont and 3.02 inches at Fort Collins.

Apparently, the mountain regions received less, as Estes Park

reported 2.45 inches tor the six-day period with 1.2 inches received

on 4 June. High water destroyed the recorder at the Drake station

so the time and rate of the peak flow was not recorded. The Big

Thomoson River overflowed its banks and THE lYO~S RECORDER of 9 June

of that year related "at a point near the river about half a mile

from Loveland a house, with its occupants, was washed from Its

foundation and carried near Iy ha I f a ni Ie downstream. .. " A

rai I road bridge was destroyed as shown In the fol lowing photograoh.

Flood of 4 June 1921, Big Thompson River
at Loveland. Piers are al I that remain of
the Colorado and Southern Railway Bridge.

Photo by Harold N. Dunning
of Love I and

7-10 June 1923

,
I

Rains In the eig Thompson basin during 7 through 10 June
1923 resulted in a total of 2.49 Inches at Estes Park, 2.99 inches
at Long's Peak, and 2.80 inches at Waterdale, 5.5 mi les west of
Loveland, The heaviest rain came on 9 June at these stations with
1.45, 2.55, and 1,97 inches respectively. Flows past Drake of
3,590 c.f.s. were recorded at 6:00 p.m. on 9 June and again at
6:00 a.m. on 10 June. Probably greater flows occurred between
those hours. According to the LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD ot 9 June
1923: "At four o'clock (today) flocd"aters from the 8ig Toompson
had reached West First Street in the city. . the ceme~t
paving south of Loveland is covered with water to a death of over
a foot. The Estos Pa rk road a nd the va I ley nea r the p I as te r r:l i I I s
are covered .1'

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