FLOOD09973

• County: Douglas
• County: Elbert
• Community: Denver
• Stream Name: Cherry Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Flood Control on Cherry Creek Above Denver
• Date: 11/1/1939
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: State Engineer
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

U. '>. ARi:1Y ENGINtERS REPORT(COHTID)

any natural otroam channel. create large property dwmages.

Furthermore, with respect to protecting the City of Denver

against flood damages, Cherry Creek is but one of the hazards. The storm

assumed for design purposes on Cherry Creek can happen over the adjoining

Plum Creek drainage area, and over miscellaneous areas tributary to the

South platte River above Denver. Such a stOnD, in that location, would

create property damages in Denver of great magnitude, perhaps as great

as the estimated damages that might result from the assumed storm on
Cherry Creek.

COLTIIEi~TS Oll STATE FLOOD CONTROL PROGR/lM.
1. From the foregoing outline and explanations of various plans
for controlling floods on Cherry Creek. it becomes apparent that differences
in design assumptions, giving rise to wide variations in plans, structures
and estimated costs, and to conflicting opinions as to the need for and

adequacy of protective measures. indicate the need for better formulated

National and State policies.
2. To assume that complete protection is necessary or can be

assured, is perhaps misleading. 17ho can give assurance that storms and

floods, assumed for purposes of todaY'6 designs, will not, tomorrow

or sometime, be exceeded in magnitude? 110 one living can say with assurance

what may happen during the next several thol'sand years, nor even predict the

climates of future centures. Attempts to span such periods, by hypothetical

assumptions and speculative conClusions, involve investments that, instead

of conserving and beneficially using the funds of this generation and

cent~ry, may lead only to loss and wastt.

-27,- .,