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<br />The Rocky Mountain National Park radio dispatcher radioed a park ranger <br />who promptly responded to the dispatcher's call. At 06:28 a.m.. the <br />ranger radioed the dispatcher that Endova11ey Road was flooded and at <br />06:29 a.m. that there may have been a break at the Lawn Lake Dam [26J. <br />In the next 15 minutes at least 6 rangers or other Park Service officials <br />were contacted by the dispatcher. The Park Service dispatcher telephoned <br />the Estes Park Police Department Communications Center giving a descrip- <br />tion of what was happening. The call to the Estes Park Police Department <br />also alerted the Larimer County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado State <br />Patrol. The Estes Park Police Department was called again at 6:43 a.m. and <br />advised that "it's going to go over the (Cascade) dam when it hits down <br />there"[5J. <br /> <br />Even as it became apparent that Horseshoe Park would not contain the flood <br />flow, officials felt that if water did not break the Cascade Lake Dam <br />there would not be a problem downstream [22J. This formed the basic <br />definition of the hazard for which the warnings were originally disseminated. <br /> <br />At 6:50 a.m.. a Park Service ranger began notifying campers at walk-in <br />(island) sites at the Aspenglen Campground [28J. These sites were reached <br />from the main portion of the campground by a foot bridge crossing the Fall <br />River. At 7:13 a.m. the ranger reported that the walk-in campsites had <br />been notified [26J. The ranger then responded to a request to pick up <br />another ranger and transport him to Horseshoe Park [13. 28J. A Park <br />Service ranger. after observing about 1 foot of water. logs. and debris <br />going over Cascade Dam, made the recommendation. at 7:23 a.m.. that the <br />Aspe~glen Campground be evacuated [4, 12J. However, water flowing over <br />the campground access road prevented rangers from reentering the campground. <br />Cascade Dam failed at 7:42 a.m. [26J. <br /> <br />At about 7 a.m.. Larimer County law e!lforcement official s began warning <br />people just outside the park and doWh to the town limits on either side of <br />the river. By 7:22 a.m.. police records indicate everyone between the <br />park and the town limits had been contacted [10J. <br /> <br />At 7:27 a.m.. Estes Park Police officers began warning everyone within 25 <br />to 30 feet of Fall River [10J. Shortly after Cascade Dam failed. based <br />UpOA a recommendation by the National Park Service. the decision was made <br />by local law enforcement officials to evacuate areas within a 50-foot <br />radius of the river [22J. At the same time. evacuation of downtown Estes <br />Park was ordered. <br /> <br />Estes Park radio station KSIR learned about the dam failure on a police <br />radio scanner. and after confirming the report. gave continuous updates <br />on the path of the flood starting shortly after 7 a.m. The station <br />manager gave very dramatic "on the scene" reports from a hill over- <br />looking the Colonial Motel and 4 Seasons Motel. both located outside Rocky <br />Mountain National Park. The live report started before the water had <br />reached this location and continued as the manager initially reported. at <br />8:12 a.m.. "A lot of debris is coming down the river." 2 minutes later. "A <br />bridge is now coming down the river," and less than 3 minutes from the <br />first indication of flooding. "Water is coming down in unbelievable <br />amounts now" [21J. <br /> <br />4 <br />