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<br /> <br />Copied from: <br /> <br />Special Flood Hazard Information Arkansas River And <br />& Ki A L ' , erson <br />ng rroyo, a Junta, Otero County Prepared by <br />Department of the Army, Albuquerque District Corps <br />August, 1977 ' <br /> <br />PAST FLOODS <br /> <br />Historical records reference many floods in the Arkansas <br /> <br /> <br />River Valley above John Martin Reservoir. The earliest known in the <br /> <br /> <br />area occurred in l826. The next notable flood was in lB44. Other <br /> <br /> <br />reported floods: floods in the lBOO's occurred in l859, IB64, lB69, <br /> <br /> <br />and lB94. These floods were generally confined between Pueblo and <br /> <br /> <br />the present John Martin Dam. Major floods were experienced at various <br /> <br /> <br />localities in the subbasin in 1921, 1935, 1942, 1955, and 1965. The <br /> <br /> <br />flood of 1921 was the greatest flood of record on the Arkansas River <br /> <br /> <br />at La Junta. <br /> <br />In addition to flooding from the Arkansas River, King and <br /> <br /> <br />Anderson Arroyos have flooded La Junta. Floods are reported to have <br /> <br /> <br />occurred in 1886, 1965, 1969 and 1972 on these arroyos. Specific <br /> <br /> <br />data concerning these floods is not available. <br /> <br />Flood Descriptions <br />Following are descriptions of selected floods that caused <br />damage at La Junta. <br /> <br />July lB86 <br /> <br />A large flood occurred in the valley below the confluence <br /> <br /> <br />of the purgatoire River during the period of July 20-25, 1886. This <br /> <br /> <br />flood was produced by rainfall with heavy amounts occurring in the <br /> <br /> <br />vicinity of Las Animas and La Junta. At Las Animas there were 3.36 <br /> <br /> <br />inches of rainfall on July 24 and 25. At La Junta water reportedly <br /> <br /> <br />came down King Arroyo in a l2-foot wave. In Anderson Arroyo water <br /> <br /> <br />was at least 20 feet deep and overtopped the AT&SF Railway bridge. <br /> <br />June 1921 <br /> <br />Two areas of intense rainfall were observed above Pueblo. <br /> <br /> <br />One of these was mostly north of the towns of Florence and Canon City. <br /> <br /> <br />The other was fairly well distributed on both banks of the Arkansas <br /> <br /> <br />Rivor bot_un l'ortlllnd and Pueblo. Pr'lCipitation in thiH I.., tor <br /> <br /> <br />area is reported to have been as much as 11 inches in six hount whilo <br /> <br />9 <br />