FLOOD10115

• County: El Paso
• Community: Pikes Peak Region
• Stream Name: Arkansas River and Tributaries
• Basin: Arkansas
• Title: Flood Threats and Risk Inventory in the Pikes Peak Region
• Date: 1/1/1987
• Prepared For: Colorado Springs
• Prepared By: UCCS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

For comparable drainage areas the June 1965 flood is the
largest known flood in Colorado. It is also the flood of record
for Fountain Creek downstream to the Jimmy Camp Creek confluence.
At flood peak waters along Fountain Creek were ten to twelve feet
deep and one mile wide. On Jimmy Camp Creek, 4.5 miles above the
Fountain Creek confluence, flow was estimated at 124,000 c.f.s.
(U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1973; U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, 1974; Federal Emergency Management Agency, 1986).

Julv 30-31. 1956. Heavy rainfall over the region washed out a
few smaller bridges, flooded some basements, and damaged several
streets. Damages were set at $120,000. Fountain and Monument
Creeks were running high but did not overflow their banks.
Specific districts are unknown (Novak, 1986).

June 6. 1949. Area flooding occurred after four days of
continuous rain and thunderstorms. County roads and city streets
as well as some private basements sustained considerable damage.
Specific districts and associated streams are unknown (Novak,
1986) .

Mav 11. 1947. Around 6 p.m. floodwaters from a cloudburst in Ute
Pass, Waldo Canyon and Williams Canyon damaged streets and
bridges in Manitou Springs. On Manitou Avenue water ran curb
high, spread over sidewalks and flowed into basements of some
business establishments.

Flooding continued downstream into Colorado Springs where
bridges were washed out at 30th and 21st Streets. The 8th Street
bridge was heavily damaged and left in a precarious condition.

Street, road and bridge flood damage for the area was
estimated at $100,000. No flow information is available
(Colorado Springs Gazette, May 11, 1947; U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, 1985; Novak, 1986).

September 9. 1940. At 2 p.m. an intense, localized thunderstorm
struck over the southern end of Manitou Springs. The heaviest
damage occurred in the Plainview area where water was three feet
deep on Pawnee Avenue. Storm duration was one hour. No flow
information is available (Colorado Springs Gazette, September 10,
1940; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1974).

Mav 28. 1940. Flooding occurred on Fountain Creek from Colorado
Springs south to the city of Fountain. Peak discharge was
estimated at 22,100 c.f.s. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1973).

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