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<br />Mr. Jeff Schwarz <br />December d, 2001 <br />Page 4 <br />0.0015 ft/ft, which was slightly greater than the measured bed slope (5=.001 ft/ft: established using the <br />Epp and Associates survey data). LA's divergence from measured bed slope is justified in that the water <br />surface energy slope rather than the channel slope is an essential element in [his calculation. Under lower <br />Flood Flow conditions, the effect of [he Brantner will also ac[ [o steepen the energy slope. The decision to <br />use a slope of 0.0015 is fitrther validated by field evidence that supports channel's containment of events <br />lower than 6000 cfs. A[ a slope of 0.001, [he river would overtop the bank a[ 5000 cfs, rather than 6500 <br />cfs. Historic evidence doesn't support [his. <br />Assuming there aze no pre-existing "breaches" in the channel bank, stage discharge curves were <br />developed at the northern and southern "breach cross section location" (Tables 1 and 2). The normal <br />depth analysis for the northern breach indicates that the levee begins to overtop at 6,500 cfs (Reference <br />Table I where a stage height of 10 feet is equal to 5038.8 feet). Normal depth analysis of the southern <br />breach indicates that the levee will not be overtopped until the discharge is in excess of 8,000 cfs (please <br />reference Table 2 where a stage height of 9 fee[ equates to 5038 feet). In January 2001, a photo was taken <br />by Urban Drainage (Figure 3. I) which indicates the presence of an erasion cut (i.e., the area of the May 5, <br />2001 breach) at the north location. LA has estimated that this "cut" was approximately four (a) feet deep <br />and 10 feet wide (see attached photo). Assumin: the top of bank is elevation of 5039, the invert of the <br />cut is 5035. This would suggest that flow would begin to enter the "cut" and discharge from the South <br />Platte River to [he Bull Seep Slough, when the main channel is flowing around 2300 cfs, <br />Tables 3 and 3A present hydraulic analyses of the assumed dimensions initial breach using the weir <br />equation CLH"'. Depending on the assumed size of the erosion cut (4 versus 6 feet deep), somewhere <br />from 266 cfs to X190 cfs may have passed through the "erosion cut" at the northern breach location <br />assuming that the geometry of the "erosion cut" remained unchanged during the May 5, 2001 event. This <br />is an unlikely scenario and LA concludes that as more and more flow passed through the May 5, 2001 <br />breach, the erosion cut progressively enlarged until failure was achieved. Because the levee was <br />constructed of non-engineered fill material, once water started flowing through the breach, failure <br />occurred quite rapidly. Ultimately the breach enlarged to an opening approximately six (6) to seven (7) <br />feet deep by 100 feet long based on field observations of [he breach repair which occurred at the end of <br />May, 2001, Table d presents a rating table for the breach utilizing these enlarged dimensions. <br />Normal depth analyses were performed for the Bull Seep Drain at cross sections approximately 200 feet <br />upstream and 800 feet downstream of the north breach (Table 5 and 6 respectively). To complete the <br />normal depth analysis, a roughness coefficient of 0.035 and an average slope of 0.003 fUft was assumed. <br />Table 5 identifies the actual pre-Flood capaciq~ (=t00 cfs) of the Bull Seep drain. Permit M-78-052 <br />(MPM's reclamation permit) required a capacity of 350 cfs. Table 6 reflects the conveyance capacity of <br />the pre-flood Bull Seep Slough below the North Breach. Neither the existing nor the permitted Bull Seep <br />Drain (Table 5), upstream of the Bull Seep Slough could convey the flood event of May 5, 2001 (> 1500 <br />cfs: Table 6). With this said, the location of the Bull Seep Drain would trot make any difference with <br />respect to downstream material damage within the Bull Seep Slough. <br />It is LA's understanding [ha[ a breach did exist at the southern location at the time of the May 5, 2001 <br />event. The dimensions of this breach at the time of the Mav flood event are unknown but field evidence <br />indicates that; (1) the invert of this breach was higher than the northern breach; (2) the conveyance <br />capacity of the river cross section at this location was greater than its downstream counterpart; and (3) <br />due to the geometrica: configuration of this breach (off-channel from the South Platte) that development <br />of the opening would be limited. The potential impact of the southern breach on the Bull Seep Slough as <br />