FLOOD04705

• County: Statewide
• Community: Foothills Areas of Colorado
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: A Plan for Study of the Flood Hydrology of Foothill Streams in Colorado
• Date: 9/1/1979
• Prepared By: USGS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

Research emphasis will be placed on stream reaches between elevations of
7,000 to 10,000 feet above mean sea level (8,000 to 11,000 feet above mean sea
level in the Arkansas River basin) and at major tributaries. A tentative schedule
for research activities for several foothill basins is presented in table 5.

Table 5.--Basins in which research studies on channel geometry,
geomorphology, and botany will be conducted

lA, Arkansas River basin; C, Colorado River basin;
5, South Platte River basin]

Basin

Boulder Creek (5)*
Bear Creek (5)*
Big Thompson River (5)*
Fountain Creek (A)*
Animas River (C)*
Sweetwater Creek (C)*
San Juan River (C)
St. Vrain Creek (5)
Purgatoire River (A)
Clear Creek (5)
Huerfano River (A)
Turkey Creek (5)
Cache la Poudre River (5)
Cucharas River (A)
Roaring Fork River (C)
Grape Creek (A)
Whi te River (C)
Fourmile Creek (A)
Beaver Creek (A)
Yampa River (C)
Eagle River (C)
Dolores River (C)
San Miguel River (C)
St. Charles River (C)

*Research studies started in 1978.

Studies of channel hydraulics and geometry.--The operational hypothesis in
this part of the study is that discernible changes occur in channel features as
elevation increases in foothill basins, and that these changes can be related to
the type of flood-producing event. Field measurements of channel features such as
width, depth, and slope are being made at selected locations along foothill
streams. These data are being studied to identify channel-characteristic changes
with elevation or to reject the hypothesis that discernible patterns exist. If
the hypothesis is accepted, additional study will be made of the degree of
association of channel-characteristic changes among basins.

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