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" . PEOPLE AND FLOODS To obtain a clear historical understanding of the relation of people to the environment, it is important to consider political, economic, and social perspectives. It is important to know where settlements were established, what they looked like and how people used the I~nd and other natural resources. In the case of Boulder County, these factors certainly affected the degree of damage from the natural flow of floodwaters. Boulder County's narrow, steep creek valleys were populated with townsites as early as the 1850's, Gold prospectors and their pioneer families settled near the pleasant surroundings of the mountain creek basins. Homes were built, and soon mines and mills were established. The water was used for both domestic and industrial needs. Out on the plains, homesteaders used the creek and river areas in r1uch the sar1e way. Farmers settled near the creeks where rich alluvium nurtured crops and water for irrigation was close at hand. Once established settlements grew, the cost of relocation became more and more prohibitive. People balanced the prospective gains against losses involved in living in the floodplains. Although the benefits in many cases have not outweighed the losses, people seldom moved from the floodplains. . Not only were the settlenent patterns in the floodplains dangerous, hut the use of the surrounding land, which affected the ability of the area to absorb storm water caused problems. The mountain hillsides. which in presettlement years had been covered by dense forest, were often clearcut for tir1ber to build homes and factories. This timber also provided fuel for heating. cooking. or industrial production. Mine shafts and tunnels were fashioned from the trees as well, Although the impact on the plains was not as visible, the sold base was altered. Overplowing and overgrazing caused erosion problems. Uncontrolled irrigation ditches often caused floodwaters to flow to areas that were not natural floodplains. The environment was affected in other ways as well. Bridges and trestles were built across streams in the valleys and on the plains. These structures became obstacles that gathered debris (sor.le even became debris as they were torn loose) and altered the flow of floodwaters. Such structures may have contributed to a backwater effect--that. is, they may have ir.lpeded the flow of stormwater and thereby caused substantial damage. PURPOSE . The potential flood hazard that exists in Boulder County has been examined in dozens of reports since the turn of the century. 1 Despite the recommendations in those documents, the concern of citizens, the interest of administrators, and the warnings from experts, the flood hazard for Boulder County remains high even though some floodplain land has been purchased, buildings have been prohibited, and floodplain management regulations have been enacted.