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<br />October 1981
<br />
<br />PURPOSE
<br />
<br />SPECIAL STUDY
<br />CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER BASIN
<br />LARIMER-WELD COUNTIES
<br />COLORADO
<br />
<br />VOLUME I
<br />FLOOD HAZARD, DAM SAFETY, AND
<br />FLOOD WARNING
<br />
<br />The purpose of this study ~as to analyze flood-related proble~s
<br />and provide infO[;Mtion that "ill enable local goveroOlenu to roakQ
<br />dectsions ~hat "ill mintmize or redu"e flood hazards in the fut<lrQ.
<br />
<br />SCOPE OF THE SPECIAL STUDY
<br />
<br />Introduction
<br />
<br />The "ourse of the study "a~ primarily determlned through coordina-
<br />tion "ith the Omaha Diatrict, Colorado Water Conaervation Board, Larimer
<br />County, Weld County, the city of Fort Collina, the city of Greeley,
<br />and the Lari_r-Weld Reg1onalCouncil of Governments. N<.lI:t"rous other
<br />agencies and private interests "ere also contacted during the 9tudy.
<br />
<br />BACKGROUND
<br />
<br />As ~he study progres$ed, tasks were deleted Qr 3dded in consulta-
<br />tion "ith local interests to re"pond to changes in identified needs or
<br />priorities. Sin"e80rne"orkltelll8were independent of other study
<br />t3sks, the study results a~e presented in fOllr separate volll<ne..
<br />Volume 1 considers basin flood hazatd., dam safety, and flood warning.
<br />Volullle 11 prcsenu the detailed hydrologic analysts for the buin..
<br />Volumes 111 .nd IV present flood plain atudle~ fot Sheep Draw and
<br />Foasil Creel<, re.pcetively, which are t"o triblltarie~ of t',., Cache 1a
<br />poudreRiver lyIng in the path of current urbanization. ,.11 geographic
<br />loestion. referred to are in the state of Colorado u~less otherw1se
<br />
<br />The Cache la Poudre RIver M~in in Colorado i. in a rapidly
<br />growing 3rea. The popul~t1on of L3rimer and weld C~lnties increased by
<br />~bo.)t 60 percent ~t"~en lQ70 and HHO. th~ M~{n contaIn" II n"",her of
<br />tlOod halard area_. ItOIll narro" canyo~ flood plains in the oauntalnou..
<br />,,~~t to wide v~ll~y flood pblns In th.. ,,,,"st. Local lnt'H~~t" ar..
<br />tcncerned about the changing natllt" of th" ::1.ood haz"rd~ h the b,,~in
<br />.s s ~"n5eqlle:ln~ of <lrban ~r"wth, part lCllhrly delce the catastrophh
<br />Big Thonpsotl River flood In th~ sUm""r of L976. Dl"Cu~,'l"n~ re~"rdin~
<br />" '~Id~ rang Lng "tudy of th,' b.,sln '~er~ tnltt"t~d bet"~en th" O",,,h..
<br />Dhttin, Carp" of En<;ineers ""d l<>~a' planner, and et"~ted oif1c.1.115
<br />In 1977 and a plan <>f .tl1dy w~s agreed llpen.
<br />
<br />ind1c>lted.
<br />
<br />PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF VOLUME I
<br />
<br />AUTHORITY
<br />
<br />VOlll<OO I presents data on the flood problc", including the d,3r-
<br />acterlattc." of past and potential flood. and dlscusaes ~hc develop~ent
<br />subject to flood ha~ards.
<br />
<br />:his s~"d}' ~."'~ md~ und~r contlnulr.g 3,"tl,,,rHy in ;."c:to" ~~~ <>t
<br />:he 1160 },laol C~n~r.(>~ .Ict. .," "=ll,j~d.
<br />
<br />This voh",,'. ...lso """,,,,3rtzes ~hc d3", i<.spoc.U"n r"ror~" ""de unde<
<br />the N"t{on." !)"rn Sdety Pr\Jg~~'" Eor da",.. in tbe C,,~h~ 1., p""Jrc >.iver
<br />b"sin.
<br />
<br />,
<br />
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