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, I I , G[~[RAL CONDITiONS AND PAST fLOOD5 Pueblo, situated at the confluence of the Arkansas River and Fountain Creek, 1s the county seet of Pueblo County. Pweblo County ~as one of the original 17 counties included in the Colorado Territory created 1n 1861. The county retained its identification ~hen statehood ~eS achieved in 1876. Economic development In the area began In 1762 ~hen french fur trappers erected e smell trading post on the east bank of fountain Creek. In 1806, Zebulon ffl. Pike constructed a crude building that was the first to be inhabited by Americans. Thaor1ginal old "fort Pueblo" \Uas built In the ye"rs 1840 through 184~, a short distance south of tho present location of the Senta fe Depot. A gold s~ekin9 party established a ~inter camp in 1858, and over ~O cabins were constructed using ~atsrials fro~ the original old "rort." New gold discoveries in l8S9 drew thousands af n,,," settl..re, many of whof<l sent for their f."nilias ~hich further augmented the growing population. Schools and newspapers ~ere established in the territory as the population I . , i , , , I i I , , , expa~eion of transportetio~ facilities in the regian. Eco~o~ic development during a~d eince World War 11 ~as besn characterized by ~teady growth in the manufacturing sector, continuance of mil~ itary activitias at the Pueblo Ordi~a~ce Depot, and expansion of supporting mercantile and service i~dustrie5. The rnajcr employers of labor in Pueblo ara tho Colo~ rado Fuel and Iron Corporation, Pueblo Ordinance Depot, and the Colorado State Ho~pital. ~anufacturing extends to the follo~ing' food and kindred products; lurnber and wood items; furniture and fixtures; printin9 and publishing; chemical products; stone, clay, and glass products; primary metal industries and fabricated metel products including machinery; and other types. The U.S. Bureau of the Census reported a population of 91,181 in urban Pu"hlo ~nd 111\,707 in Pu"blo County in ths year 1960. Estimated 1968 populations according to the Colorado Budget Department were 104,200 and 119,000, respectively, in the city and county. Settlement grew. Flcon Damaoe Prevention Mo~~uroo Both structural flood protection worke ~nd nonstruc- tural flood damage reduotion meaeur~s heve been employed in Pueblo's continuin9 offorts to prevent or reduce recurring fLood lo~~~s. Chennel improvement and levee construction ~ork hae been primarily nn ~~~ Arken~ae River main .tern and F~~ntain Creek, but hae extend_ ed into the lower reaches of Wild Hor5e-Dry Creek and Dry Craek , nesr their moutho on tho Arkansas River. The railroads arrived in Pueblo in 1872, turning the city from a small orouP of tyoicallv western cabins into a thriving agriculture, business, and industrial center. Shortly thereafter, the Central Colorado Improvement Compeny c~e into exi$t~nca. and 9r~~ later to became the present ColoradO Fuel end Iron Corporation. Availability of fuel and nearby mineral deposite supported diverse ~ining operations and aesociated commerce and industry. Agricultural and related food prooessing industries do~inated aconomic development from the boginning of the 20th century until lIIorld lIIar 11. Development of agricultural and introduction of the horseless carriage led to en extenaive On the east bank of Wild Horae-Dry Creek, the concrete- lined tie_beck levee of the Arkansas Rivar floodway e~tends up_ stream from the cro~k's mouth to the Denver end Rio Grands Western Railroad and 11th Street bridges. From this point, an earthfill levee extende northerly to the vicinity of 16th Street (see Plate 3). The Arkensas River flood~ay wae constructed by the Pueblo Conservancy District in 1924-2S to provide flood o.otection to the city from flows up to 110,000 cubic feet per second. Levees have been , ,