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<br />b. Upper Bear Creek reaches. The narrow valleys and the economic <br />characteristics of the upper Bear Creek basin are typical of mountain <br />areas. Highway routes are adjacent to the stream. However, later <br />improvements at certain locations have provided road grades which are <br />generally high above the stream and free of flood hazard. Nevertheless, <br />community settlement at these locations had been established earlier <br />in the narrow confines of the valley, and both highways, and commercial <br />and residential developments are almost totally subject to flood <br />damage from the larger floods. Comparatively, however, the upper <br />reaches are sparsely settled. Morrison, with a 1960 population of 426, <br />was alone among settlements in the upper basin which achieved separate <br />enumeration of population in the 1960 census statistics. Among the <br />other settlements in the upper basin - Brookvale, Evergreen, Kittridge <br />and Idledale - only Evergreen has shown significant growth in recent <br />years. Although the flood damage potentials in the upper basin are <br />significant in localized areas, the aggregate of these damage potentials <br />would not warrant the costly improvements required to provide flood <br />protection. <br /> <br />~ <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />c. Lower Bear Creek reaches. The plains area of the Bear Creek <br />valley extends approximately 10.5 miles from the mouth of Bear Creek <br />at the southwestern edge of Denver to the hogback just below Morrison. <br />The lower four miles of the valley have a primary flood plain which <br />varies in width from 600 to 1,200 feet and an overall flood hazard area <br />averaging about 2,500 feet in width, The upper 6-1/2 miles of valley <br />have a primary flood plain which averages 600 feet in width and an <br />overall flood hazard area which varies in width from 900 to 2,500 feet. <br />Channel widths vary from 20 to 200 feet and channel depths vary from <br />4 to 15 feet. <br /> <br />d. The urban growth of the metropolitan Denver region has <br />currently extended fully into the lower four miles of the Bear Creek <br />valley. In this part of the valley there are l,ll~ homes, a residen- <br />tial trailer court with 147 house trailers, 25 commercial establish- <br />ments, 2 high schools, and 1 elementary school subject to flooding. <br />In the next 4 miles of valley upstream there are 31 homes subject to <br />flooding. Throughout the lower 8 miles of the Bear Creek valley 14 <br />bridges and 14.8 miles of highways and streets are subject to flood <br />hazard. Moreover, the current rate of urbanization of the area indi- <br />cates that the entire valley downstream from Morrison will be fully ~ <br />urbanized by the year 2000. In 1960, adjacent community development <br />areas which influence growth in this valley had a population of 27,500. <br />By the year 2000, the population level of these community development <br />areas is expected to reach 160,000. The more recent urban expansion <br />into the valley has been predominantly higher quality residential con- <br />struction and commercial development. New shopping centers are located <br />in areas of flood hazard subject to damage from the larger probable flood. <br /> <br />e. <br />from the <br />a threat <br /> <br />Since Bear Creek enters the South Platte River just upstream <br />city of Denver, the larger probable floods on Bear Creek pose <br />of extensive flood damages from overflow of the South Platte <br /> <br />38 <br />