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<br />. <br /> <br />FLOOD HISTORY <br /> <br />Some of the floods. that have occurred in the South Platte <br /> <br /> <br />basin are described in the following paragraphs. These floods do <br /> <br /> <br />not comprise the complete flood history but were selected for dis- <br /> <br /> <br />cussion because they demonstrate the runoff characteristics <br /> <br /> <br />experienced in the basin. In addition, a summary of tributary <br /> <br />peak discharges for significant flood events for which data are <br /> <br /> <br />available is presented in table 5. The data are also shown on <br /> <br /> <br />plate 7 which presents a graphical comparison of historical peak <br /> <br /> <br />discharges plotted versus drainage area. <br /> <br />SPRING OF 1844 <br /> <br /> <br />According to legend a major flood occurred on the South <br /> <br />Platte River during the spring of 1844. An article in the 22 June <br /> <br /> <br />1864 Denver Commonwealth indicated that Major James Bridger in <br /> <br /> <br />relating his travel experiences told of a flood "extending from <br /> <br /> <br />the bluff on Cherry Creek to the extreme bluff on the. South Platte <br /> <br /> <br />River." He indicated he was compelled to wait 9 days before being <br /> <br /> <br />able to cross the river and continue his journey. The apparent <br /> <br /> <br />high volume associated with this event would support the references <br /> <br /> <br />to deep snow and continuous rain recorded in Major James Bridger's <br /> <br /> <br />diary. <br /> <br />FLOOD OF SEPTEMBER 1933 <br /> <br /> <br />On 10 September 1933 a cloudburst occurred over the South <br /> <br /> <br />Platte River between Denver and the foothills, with the center <br /> <br /> <br />over Plum Creek, Little Dry and Big Dry Creek basins. Although <br /> <br /> <br />information on tributary flows is limited, it was estimated that <br /> <br />22 <br /> <br />. <br />