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<br />U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (References 3 and 4). In the U.S. <br />Army Corps of Engineers study, the flood discharges were computed <br />by use of the HEC-l rainfall-runoff computer model (Reference 5) <br />and a detailed statistical analysis of stream gage snowmelt data <br />in the study area. <br /> <br />A drainage area-peak discharge relatlonship was dclclminC'd rOt <br />the upstream segment of Fortification Creek, north of the City <br />of Craig, based on discharges determined for the lower portion <br />of Fortification Creek by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Refer- <br />ences 3 and 4). Peak discharges were calculated by computing <br />cubic feet per second per square mile values for the downstream <br />segment of Fortification Creek and applying the values using a <br />drainage area-peak discharge relationship for the reach upstream <br />of Craig. <br /> <br />For Fortification Creek and Cedar Mountain Gulch, the reductions <br />in the 100- and 500-year discharges throughout the City of Craig <br />are due to sheet-flaw diversions from the channel. <br /> <br />Peak discharges for Sand Gulch and Sand Gulch Tributary were computed <br />by constructing a drainage area-peak discharge curve for flooding <br />sources in the Craig area with relatively the same size drainage <br />areas. The streams used to construct the curve were Pine Ridge, <br />Cedar Mountain, and Brotherton Gulches. <br /> <br />Peak discharges for Lay Creek and Big Gulch were computed using <br />the procedures outlined in the Craig, Colorado, Flood Hazard Informa- <br />tion report prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Refer- <br />ence 3). The study consists of a detailed probability analysi5 <br />of stream gage (snowmelt) data in conjunction with the HEC-l rainfall- <br />runoff model (Reference 5). For the HEC-l rainfall-runoff model <br />for Lay Creek and Big Gulch, the precipitation values were obtained <br />from Precipitation-Frequency Atlas of the Western United States <br />(Reference 6). The unit hydrographs used in the computations <br />were computed using the General Mountain S curve. Loss rates <br />used in the HEC-l model were computed using U.S. Soil Conservation <br />Service Curve numbers (Reference 2). <br /> <br />For Lay Creek and Big Gulch, the flood discharges computed in <br />this study are much lower than the flood discharges computed for <br />the Craig area. Examination of basin characteristics reveals that <br />the lower values in the Lay areas are caused by different precipita- <br />tion patterns (design storms) and much lower average basin slopes. <br />The different precipitation patterns are caused by aerial adjustments <br />to the design cloudburst storms to spread them over entire basins. <br />The basins in the Craig area are much smaller and are covered <br />by entire cloudburst storms. Examination of basin slopes show <br />the slopes in the Craig area are generally much steeper, on the <br />order of 3 to 6 times higher. <br /> <br />11 <br />