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" . . n01U(\~ Colorado ~tate Office Soil Conservation Service June 28, 1965 BACKGROUND INFORMATION - STORM EVENTS WEEK OF JUNE 14, 1965 IN EASTERN COLORADO This period vas preceded by a build up of varm gulf moisture and cool Pacific Northvest moisture along the east front of the Continental Divide during vhich time scattered shovers and thunderstorms occurred vith no appreciable damages in Colorado and wyoming. The South Platte River Basin in Colorado About 4:30 p.m" June 14,1965, a three-pronged tornado hit the western edge of Loveland, Colorado, traveling about 1'2 miles northeast through a trailer park, a major highvay, and a business and residential section causing injury to about nineteen people and damages in excess of a half million dollars. During the late evening of June 14 and up to 5:00 p,m. the afternoon of June 15, thunderstorms occurred in a band across the northern part of the State from Fort Collins, Colorado to Julesburg, Colarado. Reported intensities vary from 3 inches in 15 minutes to 0.95 inch in 30 minutes vith total rainfall amounts ranging from 1.40 inch to 6 inches. About 3:00 p.~. the 16th, a tornado vith hail and rain occurred on the Palmer Lake Divide moving north and east across West and East Plum Creeks, past Larkspur and Castle Rock, Colorado, then e.cross the vestern and lover part of Cherry Creek vith a tornado touching down and damaging the Valley Country Club south of the Cherry Creek reservoir and then eastvard across Tollgate, Sand, and Comanche Creeks. The resulting floods are nov history but although very fey lives vere lost, the extremely high property damages and the cleanup and repair costs viII long be remembered. These damages occurred as the flood crest proceeded down East Plum Creek through Larkspur, tearing out railroad and highvay grades and bridges, inundating the floodplain and farm and road equipment as it tore into Castle Rock. Here homes, house trailers, trucks and cars vere added to the flood crests of West Plum Creek and the South Platte River vhich as it approached Littleton, Colorado vas estimated at 200 feet vide and 20 feet high and moving at 10 miles per hour. Hail and precipitation in East and West Plum Creeks vere estimated at 10 inches in 3 to 4 hours, This was the basic cause of all of the flooding downstream. Combined flows in the South Platte River vere esti- mated at 44,000 c.f,s. vhen it hit 1he low lying area of Littleton, Colorado, about 9:30' p.m.; 'Wedn'esday night.