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<br />The Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph of May 11, 1947 descri res the <br />flood as follows: "Water from Waldo Canon cut U.S. Highway 24 when the <br />cul vert could not carry the flood flow and overtopped the road...a wave of <br />water descended from Ute Pass carrying away a number of small wooden <br />bridges,. .water overflowed Fountain Creek and was flowing curb high along <br />Manitou Avenue...cottage camps on low ground along Fountain Creek in east <br />Mani tou Springs and west Colorado Springs were flooded.. .the small bridges <br />washed out in Mani tou Springs were carried downstream where they piled up <br />before a bridge forming a dam...the dam of bridges broke away sending the <br />debris downstream to the next obstruction...bridges on 21st and 30th Streets <br />washed out and the 8th Street. Bridge in a precarious condi tion.. .many <br />motorists evacuated.. .gas mains broke.. .water and electrical services <br />interrupt ed." <br /> <br />The Colorado Springs Free Press of May 12, 1947 stated that "Mayfair <br />Bridge was destroyed.. .Cottonwood Camp and Greenwich Village Court as well <br />as other campgrounds bordering the stream received damage to grounds and <br />surroundings.. .One person drowned when she stepped into an uncovered manhole <br />along Canon Avenue near the Cliff House and was carried away...the amount of <br />water flowing down the street made it impossible to see where the water <br />pressure had lifted the cover off.. .Flow fran Williams Canon continued to <br />flow down Canon Avenue until late on May 11." <br /> <br />,Flood of August 4, 1964 <br /> <br />This flood was caused by a local ized thunderstorm which was centered <br />over the downtown Manitou Springs area. The storm started about 3 P.M. and <br />lasted about 3 hours. <br /> <br />The Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph described how shops in the Arcade <br />and downtown Manitou Springs were flooded... Iron Springs Chateau flooded as <br />water rushed down Ruxton Creek. <br /> <br />The Colorado Springs Free Press reported that "tourists and children <br />that had taken shelter in the Arcade from heavy rain and hail were forced to <br />stand on the platform along l;he outside of the structure as gutters <br />overflowed sending water inside.. .the bar at the Cliff House has from 3 to 4 <br />feet of water.. .car seen floating down Canon A venue.. .Campers at Pikes Peak <br />Trailer Court were taken by surprise and had to swim for their lives." <br /> <br />The flow rate measured at the gaging station east of Manitou Springs <br />indicated that this flood was approximately an 8 year flood as outlined in <br />the Flood Insurance Study (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1983a). <br /> <br />-18- <br />