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<br />CHAPTER IV
<br />FLOOD HISTORY
<br />
<br />C. Floodflistory
<br />
<br />The first major flood at the Town of Erie occurred in May 1876. The
<br />following table is a chronology of significant flood events which have
<br />occurred since the founding of the town.
<br />
<br />A. IntrOduction
<br />
<br />The history of floods on Coal Creek at the Town of Erie has not been
<br />well recorded. Only one gaging .tation is located On Coal Creek in the upper
<br />end of the basin near Plainview in Jefferson County. This station has been
<br />operating since August 1959 and the drainage area is 15.1 square miles. Our
<br />knowledge of past flooding is primarily based on accounts published in pre-
<br />vious floodplain reports, old newspaper articles, local histories, and the
<br />personal ~morie' of a few long-time residents.
<br />
<br />HISTORIC FLOODS AT ERIE. COLORADO
<br />
<br />B. Town History
<br />
<br /> DATE
<br />fu, n, 1876
<br />Spring 1891
<br />June 1896
<br />June 3, 1921
<br />May 26, 1935
<br />Sept. '. 1938
<br />June 9, 191,9
<br />M", 3, 1957
<br />M., 7. 1969
<br /> 1972
<br />
<br />ESTIMATED PEAK
<br />DISCHARGE (cis)
<br />
<br />ESTIMATED
<br />DAMAGES ($)
<br />
<br />13.2006
<br />
<br />From a note found in the cornerstone of the Erie Methodist Church in
<br />1972. it appears the town was first laid out on the west bank of Coal Creek
<br />during the year 1871.1 By the time the town was more formally organi~~d
<br />in 1871" the Tovn of Erie was the third ranking town in population in all
<br />,
<br />ol Weld County, e><<:eeded only by Greeley and Evans. Apetitiontolncor_
<br />porate the to~ was officially presented to Weld County on November 16,
<br />1871,.3 The first of si~ local newspapers to be published for a brief period
<br />during the early history of the town was the Erie Ganlield Independent.
<br />which appeared inI884 and ranunit1 1894. The last was the Erie flerald,
<br />publiShed from 1907 to 1915 aod from 1933 to 1949.4 The first planning
<br />commission was organized at a to~ meeting held February 8, 1967.5
<br />
<br />7,8006
<br />3.300
<br />3.5006
<br />
<br />36,1007
<br />130,7007
<br />66,3107
<br />92,5907
<br />
<br />2.0608a
<br />
<br />73.7858b
<br />
<br />lSoclolo'!y .'nd History clO$~e~ .of Ed~ Hiqh SchOOl. .~rs.
<br />Mr"" ^ddf"n'l". Advisor, Hi.e: Ye~tHday a"d':"o.,!<>y, lEr;....
<br />coloradol. Edl.tion 2. Ubruary 1974. pol'l" 4.
<br />2~,page2S.
<br />J~,pag"49.
<br />4rne otne< e"<IV M"'f'aper~ publ1ahed at Erie "ere a.
<br />foll",,", the ene Ind.pendent. ISH-1S96: tn.. P.rie Revie",
<br />19"O-H02: tne ule ~_'. J~"c 1?OJ-l.9"6 and HJi1:n-.. ~nd the
<br />western "';croc.June HCl4-1907. No oopies of any of Ene's
<br />iir-Iy-ne"l'~r~H I'"bli,h.e~ d"nn<! " ...lJor U""d "v~nt eou!d \><!
<br />found. A "'''~ ree.H ~uOl1o~"on. the Erie Echo. w~s ~Ubli$h"d
<br />.. ~ ."pHH~ P"!",c f."" Deccmll<!.. 1917 to .:r...,,~..<~ 1~)9.
<br />5Socioloqy and Hisoo.v d&~."s of ~ri.. "iqh Sen""l. Ed~tion
<br />1,l\prilI961.p.>.qeIS. '
<br />
<br />611nited
<br />Platte River
<br />Appendix II.
<br />7....,
<br />lul .
<br />
<br />Statc8 Engineer oft ice SurveY Report __ Flood Control, South
<br />and Tributaries, Colorado Wyomin~ and Nebraska. Au~ust 1, 1945.
<br />page 29.
<br />
<br />Appendix IV, page 24.
<br />
<br />8.
<br />Gage
<br />15.1 Square
<br />
<br />record for Coal Creek at Plainview, Colorad~ Drainage Area _
<br />Miles,
<br />
<br />8b . ~ ., '" .
<br />Unlted States ~Ol. ..on..,rvatlon
<br />Creek and Rock Creek, Boulder snd Weld
<br />October 1916, page 8.
<br />
<br />Servic"", Flood Il~~d,d Alldlyses, Coal
<br />County, Colorado (Denver, Colorado),
<br />
<br />_20_
<br />
<br />->9
<br />
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