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<br />......~ ~ " <br />tl J .l'~\ <br /> <br />The rough topography and steep stream slopes of the upstream <br />portions of the South Platte River basin produce very high peak <br />discharges of short duration which diminish as they move down- <br />stream. The tributaries. such as BiJou Creek. have contributed to <br />sharp flood peaks in the lower reaches of the river. Major flood <br />crests ms:;r take from a few days to more than a week to traverse <br />the South Platte River downstream from Denver. <br /> <br />Moderate or minor floods in the upper basin are reduced by <br />valley storage and by irrigation diversions as they move down- <br />stream. Existing flood protection works in the study area of the <br />South Platte River are limited to isolated levees or bank protec- <br />tion constructed by local interests. Floods on the lower South <br />Platte River have damaged irrigated and dryland corps, highways, <br />railroad and highway bridges. the main line of the Union Pacific <br />Railroad. and irrigation works. and have caused bank erosion and <br />siltation of cultivated areas and silting of irrigation wells. <br />Urban damages have resulted in communities along the river valley <br />in Colorado and in Nebraska. <br /> <br />FLOOD HISTORY <br /> <br />The U.S. Geological Survey and the State of Colorado have <br />maintained official gaging stations on 'the Lower South Platte <br />River since 1896, Five stream gaging stations are now operating; <br />Weldona, Balzac. and Julesburg in Colorado and Paxton and North <br />Platte in Nebraska. One station has records covering about 20 <br />years, one station has about 30 years of data, and three stations <br />have over 50 years of record. Additional gages were operated from <br />time to time, covering periods ranging from 1 year to almost 30 <br />years. Records of early floods are fragmentary; detailed accounts <br /> <br />4 <br />