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<br />the duration of flooding, but progressivoly reduces flood pe~ks do~~-
<br />stream. A low volum~, high peak, cloudburst type of storm in the
<br />upper waterShed can CaUse severe localized flooding, but have littl~
<br />effectdowr.strearn. Studiesoffloodhistoryshowthatpeakatt",nuation
<br />on the Arkansas River continues without lnterruption between the
<br />Colorado-Kansas State line and Great Bend where the absence of signi-
<br />ficant tributaries results in minim~~ inflow as sho~~ on Plate A~2.
<br />
<br />June 2-5 period, a severe storm over Colorado caused excessive runoff
<br />to create peak flows of 103,000 cubic feet per second (c.f.s.l at
<br />Pueblo and 165,000 c.f.~. at Lamar. After the flood, 78 bodies were
<br />recovered at Pueblo, whiCh also suffered $10 million in property losses.
<br />Farther downstream, ~ge City, Kansas, reported a peak discharge of
<br />32,000 c.f.s. ~nd floodwaters sufficiantly deep in places to compel
<br />hor~es to swim across streets. Severe damage ''''H' incurred at Larned,
<br />Kansas, as well.
<br />
<br />9. From KinSley to the mouth of Walnut Creek near Great Bend,
<br />a distance of about 50 river miles, three major drainages--pawnee
<br />~iver, Big Coon Creek, Walnut Creek--along with various minor drain-
<br />ages, add about 4,~20 square mIles of contributing drainage area. The
<br />communities of Kinsley. Larned, and Great Bend are vulnerable to the
<br />flows of these tributaries as well as the attenuated floodflows from
<br />
<br />b. Flood of August 1929.- In August 1929, a storm caused
<br />the Purgatoire ~iver to flood and this led to a high stage On the
<br />Ark~nsas River at Lamar, Colorado.
<br />
<br />upper watershed areas.
<br />
<br />c. Flood of April 1942.- Caused by e~cessive rainfall
<br />coupled with snowmelt, this flood attained a peak discharge of 21,000
<br />c.f.s. at Dodge City, Kansas. Many basements were flooded, but struc~
<br />tural damage was relatively minor. Downstream at Larned, the flood
<br />was described as the wors~ in Larned's history. Through the efforts
<br />of volunteers manning the local dike, however, the city avoided
<br />disaster and became the only city "long the AIkans.... to e~cape
<br />serious damage.
<br />
<br />10. HISTORICAL FLOODS.- Variou~ historical sources disclose
<br />that at least 12 floods occurred on the Arkansas River between 1826
<br />and 1900 which were of sufficient size to be re~mhered by pioneer
<br />settlers or reported in early~day ncwupapcrs. Oescriptive accounts
<br />give details that were meaningful to area resident$ of the time, but
<br />they rarely provide definitive data to enable valid magnitude deter-
<br />min~tions. The~~ e~rly flood~ ~rp g~nprally irtentifi~rt in conneetion
<br />with the present-day locations of Las Animas, Lamar, Fort Lyon, La
<br />Junta,Trinidad,andPuehlo,inColorado. The last and most signif.
<br />icant flood of the pre-l900 er~ occurred in ~~y 1894 when, ~t Puehlo,
<br />five livas were lost and $2 million in property damage was sustained
<br />from the combined flooding of Fountain Creek, Ory Creek, and the
<br />Arkansas River. This flood was headlined in the C01or~do Chieftain:
<br />
<br />I
<br />I
<br />I
<br />
<br />d. Flood of June 1949.- At DOdgc City, Kansas, the crest
<br />stage was 13.3 feet with 16,200 c.f.s. disch~rge. This was the first
<br />flood to reach DOdge City since the coropletion of John Martin Dam in
<br />October 1948, and the dam's regulatory operation appreciably reduced
<br />the effects of the flood. Although damages wore thus minimi~ed, some
<br />residents were forcpd to evacu~tp their homes to escape the rising
<br />waters.
<br />
<br />a. <'load of June 1911. This flood was reportoxlly the
<br />Lugest yet to be e",perienced along t!1" Arkansas River. During the
<br />
<br />e. Flood of May 1951.- Produced by sustained rainfall
<br />over southeastern Colorado on the w~tershed helow John ~rtin Dam,
<br />;wily, Co~v'''''v. '"..~ lh~ !i'sl ~'U'M\ullill' tu suffer significant inun.
<br />dation. 1n Kansas, Syracuse ,,"d Garden City were forew"rned and able
<br />to prepare sufficiently to escape major d~~ace. Despite flood fighting
<br />efforts at Dodge City, the city's dikes were breached and flooding
<br />resul~d. At Larned, ~he floodwaters were sUCCeSSfully controlled.
<br />
<br />"High<Jst Water on RecordVisit"Puehlo." Following are descriptions
<br />of especially large or damaging floods that have occurred on the
<br />~rkangas River since 1~0.
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