FLOOD08183

• County: Summit
• Community: Breckenridge
• Stream Name: Blue River
• Basin: Colorado Mainstem
• Title: Floodplain Information Breckenridge
• Date: 9/1/1974
• Prepared For: Summit County
• Prepared By: Leonard Rice Consulting Water Engineers, Inc.
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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it. The north approach to the bridge appeared to be consider-
ably weakened by water which washed new channels under the
roadbed, but fortunately the bridge and the road both proved
their stability, even under such severe conditions.

The action of the waters was strange indeed. It flooded the
Boreas Pass road, left it, and then again covered the road
farther west. The total was about . . . . . (original
illegible) . . . . but almost buckled under the pounding of
the debris and angry waters. The Dillon dam evidently held
the waters from doing any damage in the area below there.
The angry waters extended clear down to Grand Junction. )

The bridge on the Whatley road caved in to a degree, but fast
effort on the part of the highway crew saved it, and kept one
more route of communication open.

Only a constant vigil on the part of many concientious men made
the saving of this great street possible. The town water
crew, town marshal, councilmen, county commissioners, and
heriff's department put in many long hard hours, serving
above and beyond the call of duty, but with a love for their
"high country". and its welfare, uppermost in their hearts.

FACTORS AFFECTING FLOODING

Flooding is a natural function of a river and its tribu-
~ taries. In the process of flooding, debris and other
~obstructions to flow are removed,from the channel bed proper
. and silts are deposited on the floodplains immediately
adjacent to the river. In this manner, the floodplain is a
,depositional feature dependent on frequent flooding to maintain
its form. Because the floodplain is occupied by flood waters
at leas~~ce every f~ve year;,) the flood plain should be
considered an extension of the natural channel bed of the
river.

,
Man-made features constructed within the flood plain or
immediately adjacent to the channel bed obstruct flood flows and
create flooding dangers greater than what would have occurred
~ historically. Man-made obstructions in the flood plain and
channel bed consist of irrigation diversion structures, bridge~
culverts, buildings, and pipe crossings. Most of these
obstructions are present in the Breckenridge area. All the

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