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<br />Street. water was spilling out of the banks to the east on the north side of the bridge. <br /> <br />4,5 BIG AND L1TTl.E THOMPSON RIVER BASIN <br /> <br />Flood History. Little information is available relative to historic flooding on the Little <br />Thompson River probably because of its rural nature which has resulted in little flood <br />damage during flood events. <br />Some flood accounts are however, available on the Big Thompson River. Past records <br />of floods in the Loveland area show that overbank flows can last from 'a few hours' to <br />more than 12 hours. The following accounts of flooding on the Big Thompson River are <br />representative of typical floods for which information is available. <br /> <br />Flood of 31 May-1 June 1984. During widespread floods of May and June 1864, the <br />lowlands of the Big Thompson River valley were flooded, settlers' cabins were washed <br />away, and farmlands damaged. According to The Loveland Reporter of 7 June 1894, the <br />flood of 31 May - 1 June of that year destroyed a dam near the canyon northwest of <br />Loveland and the rivllr was 'fully half a mile wide'. <br /> <br />Flood of 7 July 1906. On 7 July 1906, a discharge of 6,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) <br />was recorded at the Drake station. A bridge near Drake was washed out. The flood peak <br />lasted only a 'few hours'. <br /> <br />Flood of 31 July 1919. The Loveland Daily Herald of 1 August 1919 described a <br />cloudburst upstream of Drake on 31 July 'a 1 ()'foot wall of water swept down through the <br />canyon.' There was 110 mention of damage in the plains area. <br /> <br />Flood of June 1921. General rains from 2 through 7 June measured a total of 529 <br />inches at Longmont ;and 3.02 inches at Fort Collins. ApparenUy, the mountain regions <br />received less, as Estes Park reported 2.45 inches for the 6-day period with 1.2 inches <br />received on 4 June. High water destroyed the recorder at the Drake Station so the time <br />and rate of the peak flow was not recorded. The Big Thompson River overflowed its bank <br />and The Lyons Recorder of 9 June of that year related 'at a point near the river about half <br />a mile from Loveland!, a house, with its occupants, was washed from its foundation and <br />carried nearly half a mile downstream . . .. <br /> <br />Flood of June 1 S123. Rains in the Big Thompson basin during 7 through 10 June <br />resulted in a total of 2.49 inches at Estes Park, 2,99 inches at Long's Peak, and 2.80 <br />inches at Waterdale, The heaviest rain came on 9 June at these stations with 1.45, 2.55, <br />and 1.97 inches, respectively, Flows past Drake of 3,590 cfs was recorded at 6:00 p.m, <br />on 9 June and again at 6:00 a.m, on 10 June. Probably greater flows occurred between <br />those hours. According to the Loveland Reporter-Herald of 9 June 1923: 'At four o'clock <br />(today) floodwaters from the Big Thompson ,.. had reached West First Street in the city ." <br />the cement paving south of Loveland is covered with water to a depth of over a fool. The <br />Estes Park road and the valley near the plaster mills are covered." <br /> <br />Colorado Flood' <br />Hydrology Manual <br /> <br />4.8 <br /> <br />fRIJFT <br />