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<br />':::;0i'';7~:;:~TS
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<br />ILLUSTRA TrONS
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<br />[Plates are In pocketl
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<br />PL\T!': J.
<br /> 2.
<br /> :l.
<br /> .1.
<br />Flnnn: J.
<br /> 2,
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<br />Isohyctn.l map for storms of June 16, 196;).
<br />Isohyetal map for storms of June 17, 1965.
<br />ArC'n~ inundated and profilps of Hoodwcrt'st e!(,V:lt!ot~s. South
<br />P!n.ttc Rin'r', at and near Dellver, Colo.
<br />Ar('[ts iIllll1rl.nted and profiles of flood-crC'st plevations, :-:and
<br />Crcpk and Toll Gate Creek, near Dellvef, Colo.
<br />2\Iap shO\ying location of flood area and flood-data sitcs__
<br />:.\Iaximnm discharges ill rP.lation to drainage are~L _ ~_
<br />Photogr~ph showing erosion scars and dpP9sition south of
<br />Castle Rock, Colo... June 17, 1965uu_ . ________
<br />Photograph showing results of overland fio".... along East
<br />Plum Creek south of C~.'\tl~ Rock, COrr.L_
<br />Photograph shO'l....ing \'iew downstr{"am on East Plum Creek
<br />,<;<JIlth af Sedalia, la.te a.fternoon of June I6____
<br />n. Di5charge hrdrogr2.phs at selected gaging stations on Smith
<br />Platt(~ Rin'r, Watertan to Bijou Crcek__u_n____
<br />(- Discharge hydrograph;; at ~.e!pctcd gaging stations in Kio,'.-a
<br />Crc{'k b::t~iIL_u _ ______ _ _ __ _ n________
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<br />l'al:C
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<br />B4
<br />6
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<br />17
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<br />:..;. Discharge hydrog;aphs at sl'lh.:tcd gaging st.ations on South
<br />Platte River, BijoH Creek to month___________n_____u
<br />B. Photograph showing bridge on approach foad from Castle
<br />Rock to Interstate Highway 2;) d('stroyed by East Plum
<br />Crcck__~____________________ _________ _______ ___
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<br />23
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<br />10_ Photo~raph shm..-ing: South Platte, H.ivi:r n.-:aJ' \Vl:"_"t Br_n..'!~
<br />Ave_, Littleton, Colo., on morning of June 17, 1965_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 29
<br />Ii. Graph showing relation of peak discharge to size of drainage
<br />ba...c;jn for Cherry, Sand, Kiowa, Bijou, and Beav('r Creeks_ :13
<br />12. Graph showing relation of peak discharge and selectcd flood
<br />frequencies to miles above mouth, South Platte RiveT-uu 34
<br />
<br />TABLES
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<br />T.\IlI.E 1. Compnrisoll of recent ollbtanding floods with maximum floods Page
<br />kno,,-n_ - - _ _ _ __ _ _ __ _ __ _______________________________ B7
<br />2. Comparison of peak discharges on Kiowa and Bijou Creeks
<br />for floods of 1935 and 1965____nun____~uu______w__ 26
<br />3. ~nmmary of flood damage in South Platte River basin,
<br />June lU65_un_______u_____unn______uu_u_uu 31
<br />4. Summary of flood st3ges and discharges_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 36
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<br />~.;.
<br />
<br />1)
<br />
<br />FLOODS OF 1965 IN THE UNITED STATES
<br />
<br />FLOODS OF JUNE 1965 IN SOUTH PLATTE RIVER
<br />BASIN, COLORADO
<br />
<br />By H. F. l\LnTIlAI
<br />
<br />ABSTRACT
<br />
<br />Hf>uvy, intense rains in three areas on three different days caused outstanding
<br />floods on many streams in the South Platte Rin,'r lJa"in from Plum Creek,
<br />jU<it south of Deuver, uownstream to the C()iorado-Xebraska State line. The
<br />flood-producing storms followed a relatiyely wet period. und rainfall of as much
<br />H1'; 14 inches in a fe\v hours was reporteu. The storms occurred o.er the Greeiey-
<br />Sterling <lrt-a on June 14-15, oYer the Plum Creek and Cherry Creek basins on
<br />June 16, and owr the lwudwuters of Kiowa and Bijou Creeks on JUlle Ii after
<br />heavy rains on .June 1:;. The flood crest did not pass Julesburg, in the northe~st
<br />('orner of Colorado, until .June 20.
<br />Pre.ious record high di&charges on many trihutaries with drainage areas on
<br />the plains were exceeded, sometimes severalfold. The six principal tribu~aries
<br />~:l~:-7:ng :::m.c"vmclt rU::lcff "€re .:onti"ibiiting, but nut signitic:::iiut, factoi<g in the
<br />
<br />floods. The attenuation of the peak flow by chaunel storage as the flood passed
<br />through Denver was considerable; yet the peak discharge of 40,300 cfs (cubic
<br />feet per second) of the South Platte Riwr at Denver was 1.8 times the previously
<br />recorded high of 22,000 cis in a period of reeord starting in 1889. The 1003 peak
<br />would have been still higher except that all flow from Cherry Creek was stored
<br />in Cherry Creek ReserYoir.
<br />Six persons were drowned, and two other deaths were attributed to the storms.
<br />The total damage amounted to $508.2 million, and about 75 percent of this
<br />oecurred in the Denver metropolitan area.
<br />Descriptions of the storms and floods, detailed strefimflow records, and informa~
<br />tion on damages, flood profiles, inundated areas. and flood frequency are included
<br />in this r{>I)Ort. St>veral comparisons of the magnitude of the flood are made, and
<br />all illdi<-nte that an outstanding hydrologic event occurred.
<br />
<br />INTRODUCTION
<br />
<br />UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCES
<br />
<br />The morning of June 16 was most pleasant, but conditions changed
<br />rapidly shortly after noon. A tornado touched ground 15 miles south-
<br />southeast of Dell\'er about 1 p.m, 'Within the ne>.1; hour, another un-
<br />i'uofed 30 homes in the litde town of Palmer Lake, 40 ml1es south of
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