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., . Census figures for the area of Boulder County (found in Appendix I) illustrate this phenor.1enon. The problem of inconsistent data stems not only from the lack of typical written historic sources, but also from discrepancies in scientific sources as well. For the periods prior to the technology buildup in the latter half of the twentieth century, the lack of historic technicul data is evident. Scientific observations, or at least scientifically compiled observations, were hindered by the lack of a reporting agency or by the absence of hydrologic recording devices. Some hydrologic information was contained in the Hayden Survey reports as early as 1875. The United States Geological Survey (U.S.G.S.), however, was not organized until 1879. Although hydrologic inforr7lation was contained in U.S.G.S. annual reports, its first water supply paper was not published until 1896. Biennial reports of the State Engineers of Colorado date only from 1881, In Boulder County, stream gauges huve operated interr7littently since 1887, but some have been installed only recently. These situations have caused significant gaps in the base of historic scientific data. (Appendix II lists all stream gauging stations with published records and their dates of operation in Boulder County. )4 THE PROBLEM OF MISSING SOURCES . I n addition to the absence of documentation creuted by the lack of constant human occupation or the availability of scientific observations and instrumentation, an additional problem exists--the luck of surviving sou rces. Non-scientific information is often affected to a great extent by the absence of surviving sources. Although original field notes have not survived, most United States and State of Colorado reports which make up the bulk of the scientific data have been retained in agency repositories or government docurlent collections. Most documents on the County and municipal level remain as well. The lack of stream gauge data in the Boulder County area can be supplemented by the meteorological datu located in the federal records. Personal records such as diaries, however, are not as well represented. Fortunutely, County and local historical societies, museums, public and university libraries have collected and preserved SOrle material. In rlany cases these efforts have been too late to preserve a complete record of the County's history. Collected issues of newspapers, in nany cases, have not survived. Of the fifteen newspapers publ ished in Boulder County in 1894, for example, issues of only four are left today in historical collections. The absence of the others, which were long ago th rOVln out, burned, or sirlply mislaid, nade the job of conplete examination impossible. Nevertheless, early Denver, Jefferson and \Veld County papers (to nane a few) carried stories of Boulder County's plight during flood occurrences. ORAL ACCOUNTS . Oral history interviews have also been used to supplement the data base for this project. Admittedly, oral history has its limitations. Finding