<br />
<br />PURGATOffiE (PICKET WffiE) RIVER, COLO.
<br />
<br />OFFICE
<br />
<br />WAR DEPARTMENT,
<br />OF THE CHIEF. OF ENGINEERS,
<br />Washinp,ton, Sez,tember 8, 1943.
<br />
<br />Subject: Purgatoire River; Colo.
<br />To: The Secretary of War.
<br />1. I submit for transmission to 'Congress my report with .accom-
<br />panying papers and illustrations, on preliminary examinl}tion and
<br />, survey of Purgatoire (Picket Wire) River, Colo'j authorized by the '
<br />Flood Control Act approved June 22, 1936. Ine uded is a report on'
<br />preliminary examination and survey of Longs Canyon, Colo., author-
<br />Ized by the Flood Control Act approved June 28 1938.
<br />, 2. Purgatoire (Picket Wire) River is formed :by the confluence of
<br />North and Middle Forks in the Culebra Range of the Rocky Moune
<br />tains in southeastern Colorado and flows 186 miles northeasterly to
<br />'eriter "the Arkansas River 3 miles east of Las Animas, Colo. ' The
<br />.stream courses 29' miles from :its source through the mountains to
<br />Trinidad, thence 35 miles through an alluvial valley, thence 105 miles
<br />through a rugged canyon section" thence 17 miles through a second
<br />alluvial valley section to the mouth. 'The crescent-shaped drainage
<br />hasin of3,390 square miles has a maximum width of 36 miles. The
<br />average annual preeil?itation over the watershed is 17 inches. The
<br />flood plain of the mam stem upstream from the ,head of the canyon
<br />section contains about 5,000 acres of land of which 370 acres are in
<br />the town of Trinidad, 1,050 aeres in cultivation, 1,130 acres in pas-
<br />ture, and the remainder in river area and waste land. Numerous
<br />" tributaries enter the river from the north and south. Longs Canyon ,
<br />drains an area of 110 square miles and enters Purgatoire River from'
<br />the south at river mile 164. Trinidad in the headwaters section of
<br />Purgatoire River with a population of 13,223, and Las Animas near
<br />the mouth with a population of 3;232, are the largest towns.' The
<br />watershed contains 26,900 inhahitants engaged principally in coal
<br />,TI"l;i!ling, ,agrieulture"I}.ud manufacturing. The principal agricultural
<br />products are sugar beets" tlime hay, corn, beans, and small grains,
<br />produced by irrigation and dry farming. MailUfacturing consists
<br />largely of the processing of clay products, foundries, stone, and broom
<br />works, and the processing of meat and dairy produce. The wl1-terc
<br />shed has adequate highway and railway transportation facilities.
<br />3. Floods occur at irregular intervals in different sections of the
<br />basin usually as a result of storms in the watershed, They eimse
<br />damages to railroad property, residences, parks, business, and'indus-
<br />trial estahlishments, streets, sewers, and public utilities, all in the
<br />city of Trinidad, estimated to average $29,650 annually, and also
<br />damage to crops, farm improvements, roads, bridges, and irrigation
<br />structures in the rural areas upstream of the canyon 'section. ' The
<br />maximum flood of record occurred at Trinidad in September 1904,
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