FLOOD06791

• County: Hinsdale
• Community: Lake City
• Stream Name: Henson Creek
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: Henson Creek Flood Control Improvements
• Date: 12/1/1985
• Prepared For: Lake City
• Prepared By: Westwater Engineering
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Project

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CHAPTER III

~ISiGRv OF FLOODING

Excerpts from Local Papers
Little definitive data is available on past flooding in the Lake City
area. Knowledge of past flooJillg in Lake City is primarily based on newspaper
records existing from 1884 to about 1933 and after 1979. U.S.G.S. gauging
records are available from 1917 to 1937 and from 1981 to 1985. Memories of
long-time residents were especially valuable for flood history during the
past 20 years. According to a 1981 newspaper story from the Silver World
on flooding in Lake City; "while there have been numerous flood "scares"
through the years, the community has for the most part been very fortunate
in the only minimal flood damage which has been experienced in Lake City's
106 years of existence".
The worst flooding ever experienced in the upper Lake Fork Valley came in
mid June of 1921 (Reference 1), when unusually high spring runoff caused the
Lake Fork and Henson Creek to suddenly spillover their banks and threaten to
engulf the Lake City community. Damage during the flood of 1921 was primarily
restricted to road and railway beds in the immediate vicinity of Lake City.
A concerted effort by the town's population in building cribbing for the river
banks kept the majority of the flood waters from entering the more populated
areas of the community.
The 1921 high water can be attributed to an unusually heavy snowmelt, which
did not begin to melt until June because of cool temperatures. When the spring
melt did come, however, it came all at once and rivers rose rapidly. In addition
to the runoff that spring, it was estimated that the Lake Fork Valley received
upwards of seven inches of rain in one week, between June 3 and June 10.
Around June 14, the banks of Henson Creek gave way between Gunnison Avenue and
the mouth of the canyon and the water began its rush toward the downtown Lake
City business section. The main thrust angled off from the main channel of the
creek and cut a new channel across Gunnison Avenue and was at points as wide
as 18 feet and several feet deep. A portion of the flood waters several
inches deep continued down Silver and 4th Streets. No substantial building
damage occurred in this area; however, severe erosion occurred to streets and
private lots.

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