FLOOD05827

• County: Boulder
• Community: Boulder
• Stream Name: Boulder Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Boulder Creek Phase B
• Date: 12/1/1979
• Prepared For: Boulder
• Prepared By: UDFCD
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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SECTION IV

FLOOD OF 2l-23 MAY 1876

FLOOD PLAIN EVALUATION

Little is known about the 1876 flood. The Greeley Tribune reported

"The Boulder, swollen into a great river, in many places fully a

PAST FLOODS

mile and a half wide, inundated the land and farms and meadows and

Floods have been reported on Boulder Creek in 1864, 1876, 1894,

swept away fences and br i dges. II

1914, 1919, 1921, 1923, 1938, and 1969. Some of the major floods

are presented in Table 1. l. The flood of June 1894 is the greatest

FLOOD OF 29 MAY - 2 JUNE 1894

recorded at Boulder although the earliest flood reported is con-

Heavy rains fell over the northern Colorado mountains in this

sidered comparable. The floods of l864, 1894, 1914, 1919, and 1969

period. Rainfall over the Boulder Creek basin was particularly

caused damages in Boulder. The other floods 1 isted in Table l. 1

heavy. Mountain rainfall of 4.5 to 6 inches combined with snowmelt

were smaller or caused damages in other parts of the basin outside

runoff from heavy snowfall. The resulting flood came roaring down

the City of Boulder. Brief descriptions of the significant floods

the valley during the night of 30 May 1894.

are provided below.

Year

1864
1876
1894 2/

1914
1919
1921
1923
1938
1969

In the mountains above Boulder, numerous bridges, several miles of

TABLE 1.1

roads and railroads, mountain communities, and mining properties

Summary of Flooding in Boulder

were damaged. Estimates were made of the peak discharge of this

Est imated
Discharge

Damages 1/
In Boulder

flood 18 years after its occurrence. These ranged fro;" 9,000 to

13,000 c.f.s. Photographs taken during flooding are presented in

Unknown
Unknown
9,000 to
13,000 c.f.s.
Unknown
Unknown
2,500 c.f.s.

Severe

Figures IV-l and IV-2.

Severe
Moderate
Light
At Orodell Gaging Station

In Boulder, floodwaters covered the entire area between Water

Street and University Hill to depths as great as eight feet. Every

2,500 to
3,000 c.f.s.

bridge in Boulder and a number of residences were swept away.

Light

Other types of damage included commercial establ ishments, pub1 ic

l/ Floods not indicated here caused damages in parts of the
basin outside Boulder.

utilities, railroad property, roads and streets, and irrigation

2/ Record flood.

structures. Many people were trapped in their homes and had to be

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