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<br />EFFECT OF RESERVOIRS ON THE FLOOD.
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<br />the east end of the dam, and the discharge was led away from the
<br />toe of the embankment by a canal constructed for that purpose."
<br />Mr. C. E. White, superintendent of the water division of the
<br />Beaver Park Irrigation Co., gave the following account of the fail-
<br />ure of the reservoir (see PI. III, A) :
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<br />The storm of June 3 began at the reservoir about 7 p. m. .At that time the
<br />water In the reservoir stood 7 feet below the spillway level, By 4.30 a. m.
<br />June 4 the run-oft abo'"e the reservoir 1I11ed the reservoir and the water began
<br />to run over the spillway, By 7,30 a. m. the spillway was discharging 1,500
<br />second-feet, and In adllltlon the large outlet gate was opened halfway, .At 5,30
<br />p. m. the water flowing over the spillway hall fallen 9 inches, anll it was be-
<br />lieved the 1I00d hD.d b~'eJl succesSfUlly passed. Two hours later, at 7.30 p. m.
<br />June 4, the- water lIowlng over the spillway began to rise again and continued
<br />to rise at the rute of 3 Inches an hour, At this time the large outlet gate was
<br />opl'ncd wll"~, as was also a by-pass gate ha,'lng a cnpnclty of 88 second-feet.
<br />The watl'r droppetl slightly about 9.30 a. Ul, June 5, allll shortly afterward the
<br />water appeared to give a surge and overtopped the dam for about 75 feet
<br />alollg Its middle section. At this time the water f10Wlllg over the splIlway
<br />was q feet deep. The dam failed soon afterward, being almost entirely
<br />washed out, and in 30 minutes' time the reservoir was empty.
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<br />By the failure of the Schaeffer dam about 3,600 acre-feet of water
<br />was released into Beaver Creek within 30 minutes. This resulted in
<br />a veritable wall of water rushing down Beaver Creek and causing a
<br />flood in Arkansas River. The sudden rush of water down the Ar-
<br />kansas swept all before it for several miles, or until the natural stor-
<br />age of the river channel reduced the peak. The greatest damage was ...
<br />caused near Swallows, where several buildings and all freight cars
<br />standitIg on side tracks were washed away. The following table
<br />shows the time the flood was observed at several points between the
<br />reservoir and Pueblo: '.
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<br />Ob81l1'11ed time of flood of June 6, 1981, at 8e-vera~ point8 between Schaeffer
<br />r"errJtJ-lr and Ptleblo."
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<br />Point 01 observation.
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<br />Distance
<br />Time. below
<br />reservoir.
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<br />Mil".
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<br />9
<br />19
<br />29
<br />34
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<br />Reservoir.,.. ..........., .........,............., .....,.......,.,..,..". ....... 9.30 a. m_..,
<br />Jo{oull1 olBeaver Creek...,...,................................ ...... ......,...., 10,4.l a, m..,.
<br />r~~t,::::::::::::::::::::::::::::.::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::, ~~p~;:":::
<br />l'ueblo....... ,......,..,...,.,. ~.,..,..". .,.,., ,.,....,..., ,.....,.....,.,...." 2.15 p. m... ,
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<br />'Data lumlshed ehIeay by Mr. Arthur O. Ridgway.
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<br />The distance of 9 miles down Beaver Creek was covered in It hours,
<br />an lloveraO'e of 7.2 miles an hour. Down the Arkansas the flood
<br />t:o
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<br />· Colorado State Engineer Fltteenth Blenn. RepL, p, 122, 1911,
<br />841580-22-2
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