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<br />BACKGROUND <br />During lhe week of July 20, 1998 a series of afternoon and evening thunderstorms produced heavy <br />rainfall over portions of Northeaslern Colorado, The individual rainslorms were generally small <br />and localized with duralions ranging from less than an hour to several hours. Reported maximum <br />rainfall amounts for the investigated storms were on the order of 4 to 6 inches. Fortunately, <br />reported flood damage was not severe in most cases, mainly due to the fact that the rainstorms were <br />centered over isolated areas or areas having low population densities, <br /> <br />PURPOSE AND AUTHORIZATION <br />The purpose of this report is to briefly describe and summarize the findings of the CWCB field <br />investigations on July 27 and July 28, 1998 in northeastern Colorado. The ultimate objeclive is 10 <br />provide flood documenlalion for notable storm evenls in Colorado in an effort to better understand <br />hydrologic and hydraulic characteristics of rural watersheds in the eastern plains region the state. <br />The study area for this report includes Morgan, Logan, Sedgwick, and Phillips Counlies. <br /> <br />According to Section 37-60-106(1)( c) of the Colorado Revised Statutes, the Colorado Water <br />Conservation Board has the power and duty: <br /> <br />"... to devise and formulate methods, means and plans for bringing about the greater <br />utilization of the waters of the state and the prevention of flood damages therefrom <br />and to designate and approve storm or floodway runoff channels or basins, and to <br />make such designations available to legislative bodies of cities and unincorporaled <br />towns; to county planning commissions; and to boards of adjustments of cities; <br />incorporated towns; and counties of this state..." <br /> <br />FIELD INVESTIGATION SUMMARY BY COMMUNITY <br />A synopsis of the flood documenlalion findings for each county in the study area is presented <br />below. <br /> <br />Morgan County <br />Morgan County experienced heavy rains on July 24, however no major flood damage was reported. <br />Badger Creek was running bankfull during the peak flow, but there were no flooding problems and <br />evacualions were not required. One county road located northwesl of Weldona was lemporarily <br />closed due to high water in the area. CWCB staff did not perform a rainfall bucket survey and did <br />not obtain discharge estimates in Morgan County for this event. <br /> <br />Logan County <br />The lown of Crook, localed in northeast Logan County, received a substantial amount of rain during <br />a storm thaI occurred on July 25. Local witnesses said thaI a dilch on the north side of town <br />overflowed and caused street flooding, One house was reported to have flood damage to the firsl <br />floor, one house had approximately 1 foot of water in the basement, and several other houses had <br />floodwater in their crawl spaces, According to one flood witness, "most of the streets in Crook <br />were 'boot deep' with water." Another long-time resident of Crook proclaimed that this was "the <br />worsl rainstorm I've ever been in," <br /> <br />1 <br />