FLOOD06156 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Baca County 4.1 Baca County 4.1.1 Study Area Thunderstorms that occurred in late July through mid August of 1997 produced localized flooding throughout Baca County, located in the extreme southeastern comer of Colorado (see Figure 1.1-1). Only unincorporated areas, with the exception of minor flooding in the Town of Walsh, were affected by the flooding, which was concentrated in the southeast and southwest comers of the county. The inundated areas in those portions of the county are located a few miles north of the Colorado-New Mexico and Colorado-Oklahoma state lines. Additional flooding also occurred north of Springfield, which has a population of 1,500 people. Springfield is located approximately 30 miles to the east of the Colorado-Kansas state line and 30 miles north of the Colorado- Oklahoma state line. r , In Baca County, county roads and bridges were seriously damaged as a result of the runoff generated in the Carrizo Creek, Cimarron River, Bear Creek, and Two Butte Creek drainages. Both Springfield and Walsh, the two largest towns in the county, are located within the Bear Creek watershed. These towns were relatively unaffected by the 1997 summer storm events. Land use in Baca County is predominantly agricultural and includes cultivating mild, ~heat, and com and grazing livestock. Other parts of the county are designated Comanche National Grassland. Figure 4.1-1 is a vicinity map of the county. The topography of Baca County is relatively flat with low hills dividing watersheds. The mean annual precipitation for Baca County is approxi- mately 13 inches. 4.1.2 Watershed Description The watersheds of interest in Baca County include the Cimarron River, Carnzo Creek, Bear Creek and Two Butte Creek. Carrizo Creek flows eastward, meets the Cimarron River just south of the CoIorado-Oklahoma state line, and eventually drains into the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. Two Butte Creek, located in the northern part of the county, flows northeast through Two Butte Reservoir and eventually into the Arkansas River approximately 4 miles west of the Colorado-Kansas state line near Holly. The headwaters of Carrizo Creek are located within Las Animas County, approximately 15 miles southwest of Kim. The total drainage area of Carrizo Creek at the Colorado-Oklahoma state line is approximately 480 square miles. The USGS gage on the Cimarron River near Elkhart, Kansas, is located d479jchap4-1.dOC 08/12/98 4.1-1