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channel and the road and railroad embankments and bridges which cross the flood plain. During periods of hisrh water, these fa- cilities tend to impede flood flows cauBing backwater conditions which increase flood heights upstream and flood velocities down- stream. Debris which is washed away by flood wa.ters is carried dOlvnstream to collect and obstruct downBtream bridges and cul- verts and thus raises flood waters in these areas. The accumu-' lation of debris greatly increase Ci icy of Brush. There are no existing or impending flood control struct:ures in the study area or upstream of thE' study area 'which would tend to reduce the present flood hazard. Many small irrigation water storage facilities and farm stock ponds exist: along' Beaver Creek and within the Beaver Creek basin; however, these facilities have li1:tle, if any, impact on regulating or controlling the impact of ma:ior flood waters downstream. on the Burlington Northern railroad the threat and severity of flooding bridge within would the HISTORY OF FLOODING The history of flooding on Beaver Creek in and around Brush lS vague and incomplete. Available records indicate major flood events occurred in 1935, 1955 and 1965. Even though there are no published, formal flood records on Beaver Creek prior to 1935, it is certain tha,t floods did occur. Co~orado was settled in the late 1850's, but before that time, travelers, hunters and immigrants, on the locg trek to the far west, recorded the occurrence of many flood E,vents. The earliest floods recorded in Colorado were those on the Arkansas and Republi- can Rivers in 1826. Widespread flo::>dinq of major proportions oc- curred on the Arkansas River and, ty inference, on the South Platte River and major eastern tributaries to thE~ South Platte in 1844 (Reference 1). Another notable flood occurred on Kiowa Creek on May 21, 1878. It was reported that this flood washed away a railroad -7-