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<br />,~ <br />/. <br /> <br />heavy rainfall and stream overflow began in the northern portions of <br />the basin. The information on prevailing conditi9ns was transmitted <br />by telephone to the District Engineer at Omaha, Nebraska. The District <br />Engineer transmitted periodic flood-situation reports to the Chief <br />of Engineers in Washington, D.'C; ,and the Division Engineer, Missouri <br />River Division. <br /> <br />c. ' On the af"t;ernoon of 16 June, on the basis of reports of heavy <br />rainfall in the Plum Creek basin, the District Engineer mobilized flo9d <br />emergency teams. An advance support party arrived' in Denver by first <br />available air transportation at 4:30p.m. on 17 June. Initial activities <br />of the advance party included air and surface reconnaissance of flooded <br />areas, preparation of damage estimates, exchange of information with <br />State officials and officials of the Office of Emergency Planning, <br />and organizing ,for emergency operations. Shortly thereaf'ter,the Omaha <br />District Engineer and additional engineering pers9nnel arrived, in <br />Denver. Meetings were held with the :Governor of Colorado and officials <br />of the Office of Emergency Planning. The flooded areasweri! declared <br />a maJor disaster area by the President of the United States under the <br />authori typrovided by Public Law 81-875. Meanwhile, the ,Governor of <br />Colorado and the Office of Emergency 'Planning had established a <br />concerted plan of action to preserVe publiC he8.ith and safety, to <br />restore essential pUblic facilities, and to initiate diSaster recovery <br />operationa. All' available facilities of the Federal ,State, county; , <br />and localgovermnentEiwere mobilized to provide '1.rmnediate relief and <br />assistance , 'and to promote reco'iery of the flood-daaged areas. The <br />Office'of Emergency Planning requested'the Cor:ps ,of Engineers to <br />assemble cost estimates of flood~fighting operations, removal of <br />debris from public property, restoration of essential water supply <br />and sanitary facilities, and the cost of sanitary measures necessary <br />for prevention of epidemics and preservation of pUblic health. <br /> <br />'d. Ondertlie authority of Public Law 99, the Corps of Engineers <br />also undertook reconnaissance ot the tloodthreat'todownstream areas <br />and began collection of hydrologic and'flood damage data. The Corps <br />bt:Engineers alsos,dvised'local co_unities 'on ,emergency measures to <br />avert further damages fram continuing high stream stages. Subsequently, <br />the Cor:ps of Eilgineers contracted" for removal of the large volume <br />of flood-borne debris which had been deposited in'Cherry CreEik ReserVoir, <br />and provided inspection services for recovery operations authorized <br />by the Office 9f Emergency Planning for restoration of essential <br />public facilities. Thirty-five engineers aria engineering technicians <br />fram the Corps of Engineers, Omaha District office, vereengaged in the <br />field in disaster-relief activities and collection of flood data. <br />Twenty additional persons provided supporting services. The eXpendi- <br />tures incurred by the Omaha District are summarized in table 4. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />15 <br />