FLOOD05149

• County: Delta
• Community: Delta
• Stream Name: Gunnison, Uncompahgre Rivers
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: Cost Estimates for Removal of Debris, Bank Protection and River Training Along the Uncompahgre, Gunnison and the North Fork of the Gunnison Rivers
• Date: 1/1/1980
• Prepared For: Delta County
• Prepared By: Mt Highland Engineering
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Miscellaneous

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Uncompahgre, North Fork of the Gunnison and Gunnison Rivers,
which run through Delta County, have experienced unusually high
spring floods over the last two years. The flooding has deposited
large amounts of debris in the riverbed, deposited sand and gravel
bars and rechanneled the flow into public and private improvements
causing severe damage. These new channels and the debris left by
the floods are now a "semi-permanent" part of the river mechanics
and continue to influence the course and behavior of the river.
The condition of the river channel is so poor, a normal spring
runoff presents the potential to do much public improvement damage
and to continue to erode valuable private farmlands.

In, 1984 Delta County documented damage directly attributable to
the flooding in excess of $1,650,000; $770,000 to public
facilities and $880,000 to private improvements. Delta County
anticipates similar costs for damage to public improvements and
private lands this year and in subsequent years until a
comprehensive river cleanup and channelization program is
implemented.

Costs for immediate river cleanup and strategic channelization to
protect public improvements is estimated to range from $470,000 to
$8,000,000. Continued public and private damage is estimated to
be from $1,60?,000 to $3,000,000 annually if the rivers remain in
their current IPoor conditio~7 Damage costs can be cut
substantially lif a river ma\ntenance program is implemented.

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