|
<br />~~ .
<br />':t
<br />:~
<br />I
<br />.~ !
<br />
<br />~j
<br />
<br />-i
<br />:~ ,
<br /><i
<br />
<br />.~
<br />"1
<br />';,l
<br />jJ
<br />o-
<br />J
<br />.,.
<br />.~
<br />:;!
<br />i
<br />~
<br />1
<br />,1
<br />)
<br />il
<br />]
<br />.~
<br />i
<br />1
<br />'!
<br />
<br />< .
<br />
<br />" '
<br />
<br />~ I .' . . .
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />. . - -..-.
<br />
<br />,
<br />
<br />',:,,:-'
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />"
<br />
<br />TilE .ARKANSAS RIVER FLOOD OF JUNE 3-5, 1921.
<br />
<br />; ,
<br />
<br />" .,
<br />
<br />I . . ..' .. ~ :
<br />"'By RoBERT FowNsm 'ari~l EDWAJID E. Joms.'
<br />
<br />. .......l "'., 1 '"~ ." t .' I , .: . ..." ~ 1.
<br />
<br />.. INTRODUCTION.
<br />. . ! , : . .' , ~ . : '.' : '" ~. '.; t, .'. ..: .;. ..' . . . " ; ".'
<br />
<br />. Between June 2 and ~une 5,.1921, heavy rains of an intensity to
<br />justify. the term." cloud-bursts" in the :foothill region of the Arkansas
<br />Valley in Colorado caused' the severest' flood in the valley since its ,
<br />settlement:' Flood conditions prevailed during the entire periocl,'but
<br />there were three distinct floods in the upper valley. The first flood
<br />,was 'cauSed by heaVy' ram-on' Dry Creek just above Pueblo on the
<br />night, of June 2 ; the second .was the main flood; which occurred, dur-
<br />ing the night of'June 3;aricl the third 'VI1S that due to the breaking of
<br />the Schaeffer'reservoh', 'on' Beavel' Creek,on the morning of June 5.
<br />The area considered' in' this report, is shown in 'Plate I. . . . . ,
<br />The flood was remarkable, for' the very small area covered by the
<br />. rainfall that was its chief cause;' and for the swift, rise of the river
<br />'1 to, an unprecedented stage and. its almost equally rapid fall.': The
<br />1 swift rise and fall. indicated very' great flood discharges of, the
<br />tributary streams, which drain a mountainous country of steep slopes. . .
<br />I The total discharge of the'maiD: flood was less than 90,000 acre-feet.
<br />l; Immediately after the flood the United States Geological' Survey
<br />I undertook ari investigation of its causes and results, and the field
<br />I ,york was begun as soon as conditions permitted~' An examination! "
<br />., . was made of all'the streams within the'area affected by the flood tOI
<br />procure data on maximum run-off. in the' foothill region and thet
<br />effect' of this tributary run-off upon the : main flood. The maximum
<br />discharge 'of: 'eachstream. was, determined :from, the slope shown by
<br />well~defined high-watermarks.llri.d from the average of several croSs
<br />sections.L..As there are' no' regular 1Veather' Bureau stations in the
<br />area,. especial care was taken to obtain:from ioeal residents a~ reliable
<br />", statements, as, posSible' regarding rainfall and time of flood flows of
<br />eaeh..strenm.,,:From the field data unO. from information obtained'
<br />from various reliable sources it has been possible to show the ennse
<br />of. the flood' and the cause'of its rapid rise and fall at Pueblo. In
<br />l)
<br />
<br />1
<br />j
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />I
<br />I
<br />l
<br />,!
<br />i
<br />
<br />.
<br />.
<br />"
<br />
<br />'.,....~',....
<br />',' ,..,.,:, . -"" ~
<br />. ....~ ~
<br />;,>.:~'N':;~
<br />'. .', .'>,;~' "'~l:
<br />. ",l!\Y;~:,
<br />.,. " t!'S r
<br />. '.;' ~~. :\-.t...
<br />. . .~ . ,?-~.-.':~ .
<br />
<br />':l;:..~~j~~
<br />
<br />.
<br />
|