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REPORT OF THE DISTRICT ENGINEER REVIEW REPORT SOUTH PLATTE RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES COLORADO, WYOMING AND NEBRASKA INTERIM REPORT BEAR CREEK BASIN, COLORADO SYLLABUS '\ This report em the Bear Creek basin, tributary to the South Platte River basin, is submitted as an interim report prior to completion of the review report on the South Platte River and tributaries, to enable early consideration of special circumstances involving prospective highway improvements and recommendations for flood control improvements. The interim report recommends construction of a flood control improvement on Bear Creek together with authorization of provisions to accommodate relocation of a highway improvement route on schedules which would perIni t substantial savings in public funds. ." The South Platte River, a tributary of the Platte River, drains portiems of Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska. It drains 24,030 square miles and joins the Platte River near North Platte, Nebraska. The Platte River drains 90,200 square miles and joins the Missouri River near Plattsmouth, Nebraska. Bear Creek is a 'left-bank tributary of the South Platte River which enters the South Platte River near Sheridan, Colorado, a community within metropolitan Denver situated adjacent to the city of Denver. The basin drains 262 square miles of which about 90 percent is mountainous terrain of the Rocky Mountain r'ange. The drainage area includes portions of Clear Creek, Park, Jefferson, Denver and Arapahoe counties, all in Colorado. The economy of the upper basin is principally tourist-oriented to its mountain characteristics. The economy of the lower basin is DW!tropoli tan-urban. The water resources of the basin are integrated with and fully . utilized in the economy of the South Platte River basin. No additional water resources are available for development. The flood problems of Bear Creek are characterized principally by flash floods capable of serious damage potentials resulting from high velocity overflow. The previously recorded flood history and the hazard of greater floods which is inherent in the hydrologic characteristics of the basin pose threats of major economic damages particularly to the Denver metropolitan sectors of the Bear Creek and South Platte River valleys. A plan of improvement has been developed which would provide a high degree of flood protection to sectors of metropolitan Denver, and would, in combination with the existing Cherry Creek reservoir 29