Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />i. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />I. <br />I. <br />i. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br />i. <br />Ie <br />I: <br />Ie <br />'e <br />. <br />i. <br />. <br />. <br />. <br /> <br />STUDY AREA DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />Communitv Description <br />The Town of Dove Creek is located in western Dolores County, which is bordered by San <br />Miguel County on the north, San Juan County on the east, Montezuma County on the south and <br />the state of Utah on the west. Dove Creek is the County Seat of Dolores County. The population <br />of Dove Creek was estimated at 774 in July 1999 by the Demography Section of the Colorado <br />Division of Local Government. The area mapped in the FHBM includes the incorporation <br />boundaries as of 1974. <br /> <br />Watershed Description <br />The Town of Dove Creek is located in the San Juan River basin on the western slope of the <br />Continental Divide. Dove Creek is the only stream that flows through the incorporation limits of <br />the Town, and generally flows from north to south. The creek is intermittent, flowing primarily <br />during snowmelt and precipitation events. The Dove Creek watershed extends from a ridge <br />separating the Dolores Basin and the San Juan Basin south to its confluence with Cross Canyon <br />at the Montezuma County line. Elevations of the watershed range from 8000 feet at its <br />headwaters to about 6000 feet at its confluence with Cross Canyon, with the Town of Dove <br />Creek at an elevation of approximately 6843. There are no USGS or Division of Water <br />Resources gaging stations on Dove Creek. With the exception of the town itself, the Dove Creek <br />watershed is generally agricultural and forested lands. <br /> <br />Floodinl! Problems and Floodinl! Historv <br />Floods in the subject watersheds normally occur during the late summer and early autumn and <br />are caused primarily by intense localized cloudbursts or thunderstorms. Typically, these floods <br />have high peak discharges with low volumes over short durations and there is usually a very <br />short window of opportunity for flood warning and evacuation once a major storms hits the area. <br />Less damaging floods can also result from rapid melting of mountain snowpack in the spring and <br />early summer months, especially on the larger drainageways. A combination of rainfall and <br />snowmelt can sometimes prove to be the worst flooding scenario for Colorado's mountain <br />streams. <br /> <br />Flooding within the County is not well documented. Historically, there has been some minor <br />flooding caused by blocked culverts during moderately intense storms. Local officials do not <br />recall major flooding due to intense storms along Dove Creek. <br /> <br />Previous Studies <br />The initial identification date for the FHBM was May 24, 1974. The current version of the <br />FHBM showed curvilinear boundaries, added Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and reduced <br />SFHA. No previous studies have been conducted for the Town of Dove Creek. <br /> <br />Communi tv Response to the CWCB Desil!nation and Approval Process <br />A letter from the CWCB was transmitted to the Town of Dove Creek regarding the Board's <br />proposed action for designation and approval of the Dove Creek FHBM. The town was recepti ve <br />to the Board's proposed designation action, and sent an official letter requesting that the CWCB <br /> <br />2 <br />