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<br />Liaison was maintained with the Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (which includes <br />Denver and the urban portions of Jefferson County and other sur- <br />rounding counties) to obtain information on state flood plain <br />regulations and ensure coordination of work efforts. <br /> <br />2.0 AREA STUDIED <br /> <br />2.1 Scope of Study <br /> <br />This Flood Insurance Study covers the incorporated areas of the <br />Town of Morrisonf Jefferson County, Colorado. The area of study <br />is shown on the Vicinity Map (Figure 1). <br /> <br />Bear Creek, Mount Vernon Creek, and Bear Creek Tributary No.7 <br />were studied by detailed methods within the Town of Morrison. <br /> <br />Those areas studied by detailed methods were chosen with considera- <br />tion given to all proposed construction and forecasted development <br />through 1984. <br /> <br />2.2 Community Description <br /> <br />The Town of Morrison is located at the base of the foothills of <br />the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is approximately 12 <br />miles southwest of the State Capitol Building, and lies in the <br />center of Jefferson County, in central Colorado. According to <br />U.S. Census Bureau figures (Reference 1), the population increased <br />from 426 in 1960 to 439 in 1970 and was expected to have an addi- <br />tional 33 percent increase by 1980. The town has an area of approxi- <br />mately 0.25 square mile. Climatologically, the area has an average <br />annual temperature of 51.loF. The average monthly temperature <br />in January is 31.90F, and the average monthly temperature in July <br />is 73.loF (Reference 2). <br /> <br />The Town of Morrison is situated at the base of the foothills <br />at the point where Bear Creek Canyon opens onto the plains. Bear <br />Creek, which drains an eastern slope of the Front Range, emerges <br />from the foothills and flows through the center of town. Mount <br />Vernon Creek, a much smaller stream and a left bank tributary <br />to Bear Creekr has its junction with Bear Creek in the center <br />of town. <br /> <br />Bear Creek lS subject to cloudburst-type floods, and it is possible <br />that a peak from both Bear Creek and Mount Vernon Creek could <br />reach Morrison at approximately the same time, causing very high <br />flood levels in the town, perhaps as high as 10 to 15 feet. From <br />the foothills near Morrison, Bear Creek flows through a valley <br />for a distance of 10 miles to its junction with the South Platte <br />River. It drains an area of approximately 165 square miles above <br /> <br />2 <br />