|
<br />.
<br />
<br />STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION
<br />
<br />Communitv Description
<br />The town of Ovid is located in extreme northeast Colorado, within Sedgwick County, just a few
<br />miles south of the Colorado,Nebraska state line, Julesburg is the County Seat of Sedgwick County
<br />and sits about 7 miles to the northeast of Ovid, The estimated population for the Town of Ovid is
<br />341, and the estimated population for the entire county is 2,679 (1998 estimates from the Colorado
<br />Department of Local Affairs), Highway 138 is the major east-west highway that directly serves the
<br />community, however Interstate 76 is the major transportation corridor for this region, The town of
<br />Ovid is an agriculturally based community in the South Platte River valley with an approximate
<br />elevation of 3,530 feet MSL The area studied for the FHBM is the incorporated area of the Town
<br />of Ovid as of November 21,1978.
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />Watershed Description
<br />The two main flooding sources for Ovid include the South Platte River and Lodgepole Creek. The
<br />South Platte River watershed has its headwaters in Park County, Colorado at elevations in excess of
<br />14,000 feet along the Continental Divide, The South Platte mainstem eventually flows through
<br />Denver from south to north, and from there it heads to the northeast through Adams, Weld,
<br />Morgan, Washington and Logan counties, and finally Sedgwick county in the northeast comer of
<br />the state, The South Platte River drains approximately 23,000 square miles of watershed area at the
<br />Julesburg gage, Lodgepole Creek has its headwaters in southeast Wyoming at much lower
<br />elevations, The creek heads east through Wyoming and Nebraska, and then turns south into
<br />Colorado where it flows through Ovid and empties into the South Platte River. Lodgepole Creek
<br />drains an area in excess of 3,500 square miles at its mouth,
<br />
<br />Floodinl! Problems and Floodinl! History
<br />Flooding along the South Platte River in Sedgwick County normally occurs from March through
<br />September with the most frequent flooding in the month of June, Floodwaters can result from
<br />intense localized thunderstorms or general rains, either of which may be augmented by snowmelt
<br />runoff,
<br />
<br />Several floods have been documented on the South Platte River in northeastern Colorado, The
<br />most notable flood years are 1921, 1935, 1965, 1973, and 1995, Many other floods have occurred
<br />along the South Platte as welL The flood of 1965 produced the highest peak discharge of record
<br />(37,600 cfs) at the Julesburg gage. Tributary flow was significant from Plum Creek, Cherry Creek,
<br />Sand Creek, and Toll Gate Creek (Denver region) and from Bijou Creek, Commanche Creek,
<br />Badger Creek and Beaver Creek (eastern plains region), Flooding was experienced as far upstream
<br />as Castle Rock (plum Creek) and as far downstream as North Platte, Nebraska (South Platte River),
<br />Significant flood also occurred along the South Platte River in May 1973 due to significant
<br />snowmelt runoff combined with heavy rains,
<br />
<br />Flooding history on Lodgepole Creek in Colorado is very limited. Larger floods have occurred on
<br />the Creek in Wyoming and extreme western Nebraska, Bankfull flows have been witnessed in
<br />
<br />.
<br />
<br />2
<br />
|