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<br /> <br />cated in an upper drainage of the Lefthand <br />Creek basin. Because of its relatively remote <br />location and geographical setting at the con- <br />fluence of two streams with an extensive his- <br />tory of flooding, Jamestown is highly <br />vulnerable to flood hazards. Floods in the area <br />commonly occur during the period of May <br />through September. Serious flooding can re- <br />sult when a heavy spring rain accompanies <br />snowmelt in May and June. Typically, in such <br />a Rain on Snow Flood, rainfall occurs over a <br />small area of the upper watershed and the <br />resulting flood is of short duration. <br /> <br />Another type of flood that has great potential <br />to affect Jamestown is a Flash Flood resulting <br />from intense summer thunderstorms in the <br />westem reaches of the drainage. This flood <br />event would be characterized by an intense <br />cloudburst, a sudden rise in stream level, <br />short duration, and little or no warning. Typi- <br />cally, the Flash Flood season in Colorado <br /> <br />stretches from July to October. This type of <br />flood heavily damaged nearby Drake, Colo- <br />rado in the Big Thompson Flood of 1976. <br /> <br />Jamestown is also subject to flooding caused <br />by general rainfall events in which rain occurs <br />over a wide geographic area for several days, <br />totally saturates the shallow soils, and in- <br />creases surface runoff on the steep mountain <br />slopes. Genera] Rain F]oods are characterized <br />by a slow, steady rise in the stream level and <br />a peak discharge oflong duration. Because of <br />the slow rate of stream rising and the time <br />available for warning, few lives are usually <br />lost in this type of flood event. Damage to <br />property, however, is not in any less danger. <br /> <br />Flood History of Jamestown <br /> <br />As discussed previously, flooding presents a <br />serious potential environmental problem in <br />Jamestown. The history of the community is <br /> <br /> <br />Figure. 7 - 1913 Flood. Jameotown <br /> <br />6 <br />