WSP05425

• File Number: 8101
• Description: Arkansas River Basin Description
• State: CO
• Basin: Arkansas
• Water Division: 2
• Date: 9/1/1962
• Author: High Plains SCD
• Title: Watershed Work Plan - Limon Watershed Protection Project - Elbert and Lincoln Counties - Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

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INVESTIGATIONS AND ANALYSES

The investigations and analyses made in formulating and
evaluating this project follow the established Soil Conservation
Service Technical Standards and requirements and conform to Federal
and State laws and regulations.

The follo",ing investigations and ol:udies are also in accord
l;ith agreements reached with sponsors and planning groups as
discussed in "Basis for Project Formulation."

Hydrology and Hydraulics

The Limon Watershed lies in the central plains of eastern
Colorado where the principal source of moisture for flood-producing
summer thunderstorms in the region is tropical maritime air from the
Gulf of Hexico, Unstable maritime tropical air is transported
into the region under the influence of a low pressure area to the
south of Colorado, Severe chunderstorms are initiated, either by
the local instability of the air mass, or along a squall line
preceding a cold front for~med by the ntrusion of cold Pacific air
from the north,

These convective type storms are usually of short duration
and high intensity and normally are liwi ted to a ten to hlenty-
square mile area for the intense portion of the stonn. The maximtun
recorded twenty-four hour precipitation amount at Limon is 3,87 inches
in April 25, 1935,

Hydrologic investigations were related to the probability of
various flood magnitudes and to the location and area of resulting
damage. This relationship supported the economic justification of
the reco~"ended plan. Approved standard criteria and methods were
used in hydrologlc development.

\Jatershed soil and cover conditions were evaluated from
detailed surveys made by the soil scientist and range conservationist.
The two surveys were correlated with the state soil scientist and
the state conservation engineer. A soil-cover complex number of 79
was determined for present condition and a soil-cover complex number
of 77 was determined for future conditions with land treatment
applied, The composite soil-cover complex nurr~er of 77 ,las used
for determining runoff for evaluations,