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<br />officials and organizations, in general, stated tha,t they would partic-
<br />ipate in the construction cost to the extent of their ability if flood-
<br />waters were conservod for irrigation Use.
<br />58. Burve1ls..-The investigations for this report included topo-
<br />graphic and economic surveys" meteorological, hydrological, and
<br />hydraulic studies, and field inspections of the entire area. The
<br />topographic surveys included stream and valley cross,sections, valley
<br />topography, 10catlOn and elevation of high,water marks, and location
<br />and dcsoription of all streamS crossing structures. The Department
<br />of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, had previously made d~tailed
<br />topographic surveys of the Sopris Reservo;r site and' had obtained
<br />core borings at the dam site;. Thes'e data were made available by
<br />that agency for use in the preparation of this report. The major
<br />portion of the irrigated land, as well as the urban and industrial
<br />property subject to inundation, lies between Long Canyon (mile 164)
<br />and mile 122, therefore 'a detailed topographic map was made of this
<br />area only. From mile 122 to' the mouth of the river, stream aline,
<br />ment and stream and valley cross-sections only ,were obtained. The
<br />economic survey consisted of a gross appraisal of the arca and an
<br />inventory of flood damages, The appraisal was made by direct in
<br />quiry and investigation in the field to determine land values, crop
<br />distributionand values, and urban property and public utility values.
<br />Immediately following the flood of April 1942, a survey of d\lm,ages
<br />and crop distribution was made from Sopris Dam site to the mouth
<br />of the rIver.
<br />'59. Flood problems.-In the Puq;atoire River Basin, two areas, one
<br />the urbl1n area in the city of Trinidad, the other the agriculturl11 areas
<br />betwcen Sopris Dam site and the head of the Cl1nyon section, comprise
<br />the major flood problems in the drainage area. In the urban I1rea of
<br />Trinidad, the a!inement and gradient of the present channel are such,
<br />that ,the wave trains produced overflow the banks at comparatively
<br />sma']l discharges in compl1rison with the area of the existing channel. '
<br />Also, due to the existing I1linement and the resulting wave trains,
<br />excessive erosion or bank sloughing is produced at critical locations,
<br />endangering the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway; the Colo-
<br />rado & Southern Railway; and the Denver & Rio Grande Western
<br />Jtailroad; as well I1S (,he bridges spanning the river within the city.
<br />Impairment of these facilities not only affects Trinidad and vicinity
<br />but is also rcflected in othCl' sections of the country if railway trans,
<br />portation is curtailed. Discharges exceeding bankfull stages result
<br />in damages to normal economic pursuits in the city, inconvenience to
<br />the population within, and interruption of traffic outside,of the water,
<br />shed. In thc agricultural areas the major flood problems are damage
<br />to lanels and crOps by overflowing, erosion and deposition on existing
<br />developcd acreage, damage to irrigation structures, and the loss of
<br />flood dischal'gC': ~bove the diversion cap~city of the irrigation head,
<br />,works wInch m'g.lt be conserved for addItIOnal water supply.
<br />60. Investigations and studies for flood control.~The plan for flood
<br />control suggested by certain local interests aud all other plans recom-
<br />mended or suggested by the city officials of Trinidad, representatives
<br />of organizations, and other individuals, have been, investigated.
<br />The possibilities of flood control by diversions, the USe of channel:
<br />r~ctificatioll, levees, and reservoirs, alone and in combination with
<br />levees and channel rectification, have also been considered.
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