FLOOD06379

• County: Jefferson
• Community: Erie
• Stream Name: Coal Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Flood History at Erie
• Date: 6/1/1980
• Prepared For: Erie
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

Flood of Monday, May 22, 1876

The flood of May 22, 1876 was a "sustained" flood caused
by rapid snowmelt in the mountains and heavy general rains.9 The

peak discharge estimated by the Corps of Engineers using slope-

area measurements and high watermarks was 13,200 cfs. The flood

began about Monday noon, and the peak occurred about 3 p.m. accord-

ing to a newspaper description.lO This flood was slightly larger

than the magnitude of the 100-year peak discharge of 12,280 at

Erie computed by the Soil Conservation Service in their October

1976 study. The approximate limits of the flood of 1876 were

indicated on a flood control plan prepared by the Army Corps of
Engineers in 1944 and are shown in Figure 1.11 A newpaper account

from the Greeley ~ reproduced in this report indicated that damage
occurred to houses, businesses, bridges, and about 70 rods (1,555 feet)

of railroad track. Apparently no lives were lost in this flood,

Erie's largest, which occurred very early in the history of the town.

The following item appeared in the book entitled Erie: Yesterday
and Today and describes a grim event most probably related to the

flood of 1876:

The exact location of the first cemetery is unknown, but
some people say it was on Hollbrook Street. Some say that
when floods occurred, skeltons were washed up by the waters,
and boys and girls would go down to the creek an~2dig them
up. The cemetery was moved to the hill in 1882.

9United States Engineer Office, Appendix II, page 21 and 28.

lOThe Greeley Sun, Wednesday, May 31, 1876.

llunited States Engineer Office, "Local Protection Areas,
Erie, Colorado", Sheet 1 of 1, February 1944.

12sociology and History classes of Erie High School, Edition
1, page 5..

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