FLOOD08180

• County: Pueblo
• Community: Pueblo
• Basin: Arkansas
• Title: City and County of Pueblo Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Date: 8/1/1994
• Prepared For: Pueblo
• Prepared By: Office of Emergency Management
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

starting at an elevation of 6,000 feet near the
headwaters to 4,700 feet at the mouth_ The
separate ephemeral (which often run dry in
the summer) streams, Wild Horse and Dry
Creek, originate in the foothills of the frontal
range northwest of Pueblo

Dry Creek is a north-bank tributary which
flows south just within Pueblo's eastern
bOWldary. This watershed spans a distance of
5_5 miles from the headwaters to the mouth_
Its drainage area covers only 5.4 square
miles_ Dry Creek is an ephemeral stream,
which originates at the south em extremity of
Baculite Mesa in the high plains northeast of
Pueblo_ It flows in a southerly direction to
discharge into the Arkansas River just east
of the city limits_

Goodnight AlToyo is an ephemeral south-
bank tributary of the Arkansas River that
originates on the high plains southwest of
Pueblo. The arroyo is 4_9 miles long, and its
longest branch originates just over one mile
south of State Highway 78 and then
meanders in a northerly direction_ Just
outside Pueblo's western bOWldary the arroyo
passes Wlder Bessemer Ditch and State
Highway 96 (Thatcher Avenue) and turns
west toward the Arkansas River. The
drainage area covers 5 _ 9 square miles, and
elevations range from 5,330 feet at the
headwaters to 4,708 feet at the Arkansas
River confluence.

The Huerfano River covers a drainage area
of 1,876 square miles, stretching 90 miles in
length_ The headwaters begin at an elevation
of about 10,500 feet, where the stream is
perennial. Then the river flows north and
east through the foothills and onto the plains_

Pueblo Flood HtlZJIrd Miti"t1t;on Pion

Here irrigation diversions dry out the stream
in the summer by the time it reaches the
Arkansas River near Boone.

Salt Creek is a right bank tributary with the
confluence located in the southeast comer of
the City of Pueblo_ The stream's headwaters
originate in the foothills about eight miles
south and ten miles west of the city. The
Salt Creek watershed contains 37.2 square
miles, which is minor in regard to size but it
is important in that it flows through the
residential and major industrial areas of
southeast Pueblo_ The stream stretches about
18 miles long, the upper 5 miles of which
are considered to be intermittent At its
confluence with the St Charles River Flood
Ditch it receives a maximum flow of
approximately 635 cubic feet per second
(cfs- see box below) diverted from the St
Charles River. This water provides a base
flow in Salt Creek during the spring and
summer months_ A few miles downstream
from its jWlction with the Flood Ditch, Salt
Creek flows into a series of reservoirs (water
from the ditch and creek is stored here and
used by CF & I in their industrial processes),
through CF & I, and finally into the
Arkansas_ Almost all of the Salt Creek
channel is located on land owned by CF &1.

How much is a cubic foot per second
(efs)?

1 cfs = 448.8 gallons per minute

The A rkansas River originates near Climax,
Colorado at an elevation of about 12,000
feet It flows in a southeasterly direction in
the areas of Leadville, Salida, Canon City

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