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<br /> <br />off later through normal channel s at lower volumes and <br />velocities. Parks, playgrounds and parking areas can be <br />useful in this way and they can be cleaned up relatively <br />easIly after a flood. Storm sewers, drop structures, <br />channelization, and irrigation ditches are used to dissipate <br />floodwater energy and to direct high water away from or <br />through deve loped areas to another I ocat I on. Floods usua II y <br />subject several governmental jurisdictions to a natural, <br />though man-aggravated, hazard. Consequent I y, flood contra I, <br />drainage and land use programs and pol icies must be on a <br />regional or river basin basis if damage from floods Is to be <br />minimized. Otherwise, one area might be protected at the <br />expense of another. Where structures must be bui It in areas <br />subject to flooding, specialized designs and construction <br />methods can be implemented. The effect of these structures <br />on the rest of the f load plain must be understood in order to <br />prevent increased flood damage to adjacent properties. <br />Keep i ng natura I and manmade dra i nageways open and free of <br />debris and keeping lowlyln9 areas undeveloped helps minimize <br />the damage from high water. <br /> <br />Land Use <br /> <br />Keep i ng flood-prone areas undeve loped except as park; n9 <br />areas, parks, and playgrounds, for example, avoids <br />unnecessary damage. Farming, livestock grazing, woodlands, <br />and sand and gravel mining are other possible uses. Fringes <br />of dralnageways can double as hiking and bicycle paths and <br />garden areas. <br /> <br />Case History <br /> <br />"The Flood of '65" caused $508 mill ion in damage and took the <br />I ives of six people as the South Platte River and some of its <br />southern tributaries roared into the pages of Colorado <br />history on June 16,1965. The unprecedented flooding was <br />followed a few "days later by a similar flood on the Arkansas <br />River, the tremendous impact of which was virtually drowned <br />by the public attention on the South Platte's surging waters <br />and their aftermath. <br /> <br />A combination of tornadoes and violent thunderstorms was <br />cl imaxed by the' openl ng of the rai n-choked clouds over PI um <br />Creek and its tributaries southwest of Castle Kock, south of <br />Denver. In a matter of minutes the peaceful creek became a <br />roar I ng torrent, out of its banks, cutt I ng new channe Is, <br />sweeping away trees. houses, bridges, cars, I ivestock, and <br />portions of Interstate-25 as it raced to Its confluence with <br />the South Platte. The accompanying erosion and mudsl ides <br /> <br /> <br />Citizens clean out the first floor of a building In Ouray <br />after a flood early in this century. <br /> <br /> <br />Harmlessly. flooding sweeps through a park In Denver in <br />1 973. Open space uses like th i s can add to <br />attractiveness of an area and minimize damage during <br />water. <br /> <br />May, <br />the <br />high <br /> <br />7 <br />