FLOOD05620 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

.- . and formed the City of Longmont. 155 been fairly safe from floods because and Lefthand Creeks. Settled in 1871, Longf'lont has of its elevation above St. Vrain I n June of 1921, however, the City was pummeled by four inches of rain during a Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. 156 A total of 5.87 to 6.07 inches of rain was recorded as having fallen from June 2 to 7.157 The ditches near the northern part of town overflowed and filled the main residential and commercial areas with water up to several feet deep in places.158 At Fifth and ,\1ain Streets, water was f'leasured a foot deep inside many stores.159 Although no liVf)S were lost, property damage was significant. 160 The town was completely isolated by floodwaters. . This 1921 flood has been called by some the greatest in Longmont, but it is considered in other reports to be second in magnitudc to the 1894 flood.161 Information is scanty for both events, but there are some comparisons that point to a greater extent of waters in 1894, The Farmers Mill, for example, which was located just south of the business area of Longmont, had four to five inches of water on its floors in 1894.162 The train depot was also inundated, although exact depths are unknown.163 In 1921, the floodwaters were reportedly "up to" the Farmers Mill and depot. 164 In addition, newspaper reports of the day cite the floodwaters as "fully a f'lile wide" in 1394, and three-quarters of a f'lile wide in 1921.165 Newspaper stories in 1921 reported that flood as the largest since 1891\.166 The 1894 event may have been the largest for ancther reason. Lefthand Creek was significantly impacted by heavy rains during 1894. The greatest flood on that creek was probably during that time. The LongMont area was therefore affected by discharge from that creek as well as the St. Vrain. In contrast, the 1921 storm seems to have been more the result of local rainfall in the plains between Lyons and Longmont, which mainly affected St. Vrain Creek.167 Floods at Longmont have generally been the result of heavy rains on the plains and significant flooding on both Lefthand and St. Vrain Creeks. Other major floods recorded in Longmont have occurred on the following dates: 1844 1938 - Aug. 31-Sept. 1\ 1958 - May 1864 - June 9 1941 - June 22 1963 - June 16 1876 - May 22 1946 - July 18 1967 - April 14 1394 - l,Jay 31-June 2 1947 - June 12 1969 - May 1\-8 1914 - June 1 191\9 - June 4 1972 - June 6 1919 - July 30-31 1951 - August 3 1973 - May 5 1921 - June 7 1957 - May 9-10 1974 - June 9 1975 - June 9 LEFTHAND CREEl< BASIN . Lefthand Creek is a major tributary to the St. Vrain. Ward and Jamestown [located on James Creek. a tributary to Lefthand Creek) are