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<br />northward to near Estes Park. The weather station at Morrison <br />reported a total storm rainfall of 11.27 inches and a maximum <br />daily amount of 5.77 inches. General flooding resulted along the <br />South Platte River. <br />. Flood of 1973. Snowmelt runoff from the lower mountain <br />area of the South Platte River basin began about the middle of <br />April. Rainfall amounting to as much as 6 inches, which was the <br />major causative factor of the flooding in the South Platte River <br />basin, began on 5 May. Sharp increases in flow as a result of <br />the rainfall runoff were recorded at all gaging stations along <br />the South Platte River from Littleton to the Colorado-Nebraska <br />State line. The rainfall runoff was augmented by mountain <br />snowmelt runoff which was also increasing during this period. <br />The result was general flooding throughout the South Platte River <br />basin; flooding was characterized by high, sharp hydrograph peaks <br />from the rainfall runoff followed by a slow recession because of <br />the continuing mountain snowmelt runoff. Bankfull discharges <br />were experienced along portions of the main stem of the South <br />Platte River for most of the month of May and on into June. <br />Major South Platte River tributary streams that experienced <br />flooding or that contributed to flood flows on the South Platte <br />River are Bear Creek, Cherry Creek downstream from the dam, Clear <br />Creek, St. Vrain Creek, Big Thompson River, and Cache la Poudre <br />River. <br /> <br />7 <br />