Flooding in the South Platte River and 

Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, 

September 9–18, 2013

Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5119

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. Flooding from Boulder Creek, looking south on North 75th Street near Boulder, Colorado, September 13, 2013.

Photograph by Kit Fuller, U.S. Geological Survey.
Flooding in the South Platte River and 

Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, 

September 9–18, 2013

By Robert A. Kimbrough and Robert R. Holmes, Jr.

Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5119

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

SALLY JEWELL, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2015

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Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials 

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Suggested citation:

Kimbrough, R.A., and Holmes, R.R., Jr., 2015, Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in 

eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5119, 33 p., 

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155119.

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)
iii

Acknowledgments

This study could not have been accomplished without the assistance from numerous staff from 

the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) who spent many hours in the field during the September 2013 

flood ensuring that streamgages were recording accurate data, and post flood collecting data 

that ultimately were used to calculate peak streamflows for the event. In particular, the authors 

acknowledge the dedicated efforts from staff in the Lakewood and Southeast Colorado Field 

Offices of the USGS Colorado Water Science Center, and to the USGS employees who traveled 

to Colorado from out of State shortly after the event to assist with field work. In addition, the 

authors acknowledge the valuable assistance from the Colorado Division of Water Resources 

and Urban Drainage and Flood Control District for making hydrologic data from September 2013 

available for inclusion in this report. Finally, the authors acknowledge the Office of Surface 

Water of the USGS Water Mission Area for partially funding this study. The authors thank John 

Fulton, Richard Kiah, Zachary Martin, Rodger Ortiz, Michael Roark, and Betty Palcsak for their 

thoughtful reviews of the document. A thank you also goes to the Rolla Publishing Servicing 

Center of the USGS for graphic design and report publication.
iv

Contents

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................iii

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................2

Description of the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins ...............................................2

Flooding Dynamics and Select Historic Floods ...............................................................................6

General Weather Conditions Leading to the Flooding.............................................................................7

Data Collection Effort: Stream Stage, Streamflow, and Rainfall............................................................8

Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin .......................................................................10

Plains Streams – Upstream from Denver to Fort Lupton..............................................................12

Bear Creek and Clear Creek .............................................................................................................13

Boulder Creek......................................................................................................................................14

St. Vrain Creek.....................................................................................................................................16

Big Thompson River............................................................................................................................17

Cache la Poudre River .......................................................................................................................17

South Platte River — Near Greeley to Mouth ...............................................................................18

Description of Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin.............................................................................20

Summary........................................................................................................................................................23

References Cited..........................................................................................................................................24

Appendixes ...................................................................................................................................................27

1–1. Peak stage and streamflow data at selected streamgages and non-gaged sites in

the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013................................28

1–2. Rainfall data for selected sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins,

September, 2013..........................................................................................................................32

Figures

1. Map showing selected streamgages in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek

Basins, eastern Colorado ............................................................................................................3

2. Map showing sites in and along the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains

in the South Platte River Basin, eastern Colorado..................................................................4

3. Map showing sites in the upper Fountain Creek Basin, eastern Colorado ........................5

4. Photograph showing flood damage at the confluence of Little James and James

Creeks in Jamestown, Colorado, located in the foothills northwest of Boulder,

September 14, 2013.......................................................................................................................6

5. Photograph showing overbank flooding along the South Platte River at 

U.S. Route 34 near Greeley, Colorado, on September 16, 2013.............................................6

6. Map showing rainfall analysis for a part of the South Platte River Basin, eastern

Colorado, during September 9–16, 2013....................................................................................7

7. Map showing annual exceedance probabilities for maximum 24-hour rainfall,

September 9–16, 2013, for parts of the South Platte River Basin, eastern Colorado ........9

8. Photograph showing a U.S. Geological Survey field crew surveys high-water marks

and channel geometry as part of an indirect measurement of streamflow .....................10
v

9. Graph showing streamflow for Sand Creek above Burlington Ditch near Commerce

City (site 24), and cumulative rainfall for Toll Gate at 6th Avenue at Aurora (site 23),

September 10–16, 2013, eastern Colorado .............................................................................12

10. Graph showing streamflow for Bear Creek above Evergreen (site 8) and Clear

Creek at Golden (site 28), September 9–16, 2013, and cumulative rainfall for Lookout

Mountain Colorado (site 27), September 9–15, 2013, eastern Colorado............................13

11. Graph showing stage for Boulder Creek Broadway (site 43), South Boulder Creek

near Eldorado Springs (site 44), Coal Creek near Plainview (site 47), and Boulder

Creek at North 75th Street near Boulder (site 46), and cumulative rainfall since

September 9 at Sugar Loaf Colorado (site 40), September 11–14, 2013 ............................14

12. Map showing extent of water surface on September 13, 2013, at the confluence of

the Boulder and St. Vrain Creeks, eastern Colorado, derived from remotely sensed

data ...............................................................................................................................................15

13. Graphs showing stage for Middle St. Vrain at Peaceful Valley (site 34) and Big

Thompson River below Moraine Park near Estes Park (site 51), and cumulative

rainfall since September 9 at Johnny Park (site 35), September 10–14, 2013; and

streamflow for St. Vrain Creek at Lyons (site 36), St. Vrain Creek at Longmont (site 37), 

St. Vrain Creek below Longmont (site 39), and St. Vrain Creek at mouth near

Platteville (site 50), September 10–14, 2013............................................................................16

14. Graphs showing cumulative rainfall 11 miles northwest of Fort Collins (site 58), and

streamflow for the Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins (site 59), July 31–August 2,

1976; and cumulative rainfall since September 9 11.8 miles northwest of Fort Collins

(site 57), and streamflow for the Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins (site 59),

September 11–14, 2013 ..............................................................................................................18

15. Graphs showing peak streamflow in the South Platte River near Kersey (site 61)

compared to peak streamflow in the South Platte River at Fort Morgan (site 64),

1935; South Platte River at Balzac (site 65), 1965; and South Platte River at Balzac

(site 65), 1973 ...............................................................................................................................19

16. Graph showing stage, adjusted to a common base of 0 feet, for selected

streamgages along the lower South Platte and Platte Rivers, 

September 12–30, 2013 ..............................................................................................................19

17. Map showing total rainfall at 32 locations in the Colorado Springs area, 

September 10–16, 2013 ..............................................................................................................21

18. Graph showing cumulative rainfall for selected sites in the Colorado Springs area,

September 10–16, 2013 ..............................................................................................................22

19. Graph showing streamflow in Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs (site 99),

Fountain Creek near Fountain (site 113), and cumulative rainfall since 

September 10 at the Rod and Gun meteorologic station at Fort Carson (site 112), 

September 12–13, 2013 ..............................................................................................................23

Tables

1. Peak streamflow data that ranked in the top five for the period of record at

selected streamgages with at least 10 years of record in the South Platte River

Basin, September, 2013..............................................................................................................11

2. Peak streamflow data that ranked in the top five for the period of record at

selected streamgages with at least 10 years of record in the Fountain Creek Basin,

September, 2013..........................................................................................................................20
vi

Conversion Factors

Inch/Pound to International System of Units

Multiply By To obtain

Length

inch (in.) 25.4 millimeter (mm)

foot (ft) 0.3048 meter (m)

mile (mi) 1.609 kilometer (km)

Area

square mile (mi2

) 2.590 square kilometer (km2) 

Volume

cubic foot (ft3

) 0.02832 cubic meter (m3) 

acre-foot (acre-ft) 1,233 cubic meter (m3

)

Flow rate

cubic foot per second (ft3

/s) 0.02832 cubic meter per second (m3/s)

Datums

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 

(NAVD 88). 

Horizontal coordinate information is referenced to the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83). 

Elevation, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

Supplemental Information

A water year is the 12-month period, October 1 through September 30, and is designated by the 

calendar year in which it ends.
Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek 

Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

By Robert A. Kimbrough and Robert R. Holmes, Jr.

Abstract

On September 9, 2013, rain began to fall in eastern Colorado as a large low-pressure system pulled plumes of tropical 

moisture northward from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of 

Mexico. By September 16, 2013, as much as 12 to 20 inches 

of rain had fallen in the foothills of the Front Range of the 

Southern Rocky Mountains and adjacent plains near Colorado 

Springs, Colorado, north to the Colorado-Wyoming border. 

The rain caused major flooding during September 9–18, 2013, 

in a large part of the South Platte River Basin and in the Fountain Creek Basin. The floods resulted in several fatalities, more 

than 31,000 damaged or destroyed structures, and an estimated 

3 billion dollars in damages. The U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) documented peak stage, streamflow, or both from the 

flood event for 80 sites located on selected rivers and streams 

in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins and 

on the Platte River in Nebraska. The majority of flood-peak 

streamflows occurred on September 12 or 13, 2013, coinciding with the period of maximum rainfall. The flood resulted in 

new record peak streamflows at 17 streamgages having at least 

10 years of record; 13 in the South Platte River Basin and 4 in 

the Fountain Creek Basin.

Flooding in the South Platte River Basin was primarily 

contained to select streams in Aurora and the Denver metropolitan area, most of the mountain tributaries joining the main 

stem South Platte River from Denver to Greeley, and in the 

main stem South Platte River from Denver to the ColoradoNebraska State line. In Aurora, where about 15 inches of rain 

fell, streamflow peaked at 5,470 cubic feet per second (ft3

/s) in 

Toll Gate Creek, a tributary to Sand Creek. Downstream 

from Aurora near the confluence with the South Platte River, 

Sand Creek peaked at 14,900 ft3/s, which was the highest streamflow since at least 1992, but less than the peak of 

25,500 ft3/s in 1957 that occurred 4 miles upstream from the 

mouth. Flood-peak streamflows in the Denver metropolitan 

area were generally below historic records. The peak of 

3,930 ft3

/s on September 12 at the State of Colorado 

streamgage South Platte River at Denver ranked 59 out of 

116 peaks and was less than the 1965 peak of 40,300 ft3/s. 

Ten of the 13 streamgages in the South Platte River Basin with 

new record peak streamflows were located on the mountain 

tributaries; Bear Creek, Fourmile Creek, Boulder Creek, 

St. Vrain Creek, the Big Thompson River, and the Cache 

la Poudre River. A daily average streamflow of 8,910 ft3/s 

on September 13 in Boulder Creek at the confluence with 

St. Vrain Creek was more than twice the previous instantaneous peak of 4,410 ft3

/s from 1938. The USGS calculated 

a peak streamflow of 23,800 ft3/s for the St. Vrain Creek 

at Lyons; the highest streamflow on record at this State of 

Colorado streamgage (122 years of record) is 10,500 ft3/s 

from 1941. A peak streamflow of 16,200 ft3/s was calculated 

for the Big Thompson River at mouth of canyon near Drake 

streamgage, which is the second highest peak in 90 years 

of record and about one-half the magnitude of the peak of 

31,200 ft3/s from July 31, 1976. A streamflow of 60,000 ft3/s 

in the South Platte River at Fort Morgan (September 15, 2013) 

suggests that a new record streamflow occurred in the main 

stem in the Greeley area, about 45 miles upstream from Fort 

Morgan. The current peak of record at a State of Colorado 

streamgage at Kersey, about 6.5 miles downstream from Greeley, is 31,500 ft3

/s from 1973. Given that there was minimal 

inflow between Kersey and Fort Morgan, the USGS estimates 

there was probably at least 60,000 ft3/s at Kersey, which would 

be almost double the peak streamflow of record from 1973.

Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin was primarily 

contained to Fountain Creek from southern Colorado Springs 

to its confluence with the Arkansas River in Pueblo, in lower 

Monument Creek, and in several mountain tributaries. New 

record peak streamflows occurred at four mountain tributary 

streamgages having at least 10 years of record; Bear Creek, 

Cheyenne Creek, Rock Creek, and Little Fountain Creek. Five 

streamgages with at least 10 years of record in a 32-mile reach 

of Fountain Creek extending from Colorado Springs to Piñon 

had peak streamflows in the top five for the period of record. 

A peak of 15,300 ft3

/s at Fountain Creek near Fountain was the 

highest streamflow recorded in the Fountain Creek Basin during the September 2013 event and ranks the third highest 

peak in 46 years. Near the mouth of the basin, a peak of 

11,800 ft3

/s in Pueblo was only the thirteenth highest annual 

peak in 74 years. A new Colorado record for daily rainfall of 

11.85 inches was recorded at a USGS rain gage in the Little 

Fountain Creek Basin on September 12, 2013.
2 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Introduction

Excessive rainfall resulted in major flooding during 

September 9–18, 2013, in eastern Colorado including a large 

part of the South Platte River Basin, primarily north of and 

downstream from Denver, and in the Fountain Creek Basin, 

a tributary to the Arkansas River (fig. 1). During September 9–16, 2013, as much as 12 to 20 inches of rain fell in the 

foothills of the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains 

and adjacent plains near Colorado Springs, Colorado, north to 

the Colorado-Wyoming border (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014a; U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). 

The floods resulted in 10 fatalities, more than 31,000 damaged or destroyed structures, and an estimated 3 billion dollars 

in damages (Colorado Division of Homeland Security and 

Emergency Management, 2014). On September 14, 2013, the 

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) issued a 

major disaster declaration that ultimately included 19 counties 

(Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2014).

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) documented 

the occurrence and magnitude of flooding at selected sites 

in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins and 

on the Platte River in Nebraska. Most of the sites were at 

streamgages operated by the USGS or other agencies. In the 

South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, the USGS 

operates about 100 streamgages in cooperation with numerous local, State, and Federal agencies. The Colorado Division 

of Water Resources operates a network of streamgages in the 

South Platte River Basin, with some dating back to the 1880s 

(Ley and others, 2010). The Urban Drainage and Flood Control District manages a network of streamgages in Denver and 

parts of six counties surrounding Denver (Urban Drainage and 

Flood Control District, 2014a). At locations where streamgage 

data were not available during the peak of flooding, field 

surveys of high-water marks were obtained to calculate peak 

streamflow. Several others have documented peak streamflow 

for this event using data from streamgages or the results of 

field surveys (Yochum and Moore, 2013; CH2MHILL, 2014; 

Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014a; Griffin, 2014; 

Houck, 2014; Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., 2014a, 2014b, 

2014c; Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014b, 

2014c; URS, 2014). 

Purpose and Scope

This report summarizes the results of a study to document 

flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins 

in eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013. Data collection 

and a synopsis of the general weather conditions that preceded 

the flooding are included. Peak stream stage, streamflow, or 

both, that transpired during the flood are presented for 80 sites 

(data for 72 of the 80 sites were determined by the USGS). 

Flood-peak streamflow for 62 streamgages are placed into 

historical context by ranking the streamflows with the annual 

peak streamflows for the period of record at each streamgage. 

Graphs of continuous stage or streamflow for selected 

streamgages show the timing and magnitude of peak data 

during the flood event. Rainfall data collected during the event 

are presented for 5 sites in the South Platte River Basin and 

32 sites in the Fountain Creek Basin. Graphs of cumulative 

rainfall, some of which accompany graphs of continuous stage 

or streamflow, are presented for selected sites. Annual Exceedance Probabilities for the September 2013 flood-peak streamflows are not included in this report. An analysis of the effects 

of urbanization and regulation on the flood-peak streamflows 

is recommended as part of any future flood–frequency analyses for these sites. 

Description of the South Platte River and 

Fountain Creek Basins

The South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins 

have headwater streams originating in the Front Range of 

the Southern Rocky Mountains (hereafter referred to as the 

“Front Range”). Mountain peaks greater than 14,000 feet (ft) 

in elevation are present in both basins. The headwater streams 

flow out of the Front Range foothills into the Great Plains 

Province at elevations ranging from about 5,500 to 7,000 ft. 

Most of the population of Colorado resides at the mountain/

plains interface from Pueblo to Fort Collins (fig. 1). 

After exiting the mountains, the South Platte River 

flows north-northeast for about 80 miles (mi) to near Greeley, 

passing through the Denver metropolitan area and primarily 

agricultural land downstream from Denver. Between the metropolitan area and Greeley, several major mountain tributaries 

join the main stem South Platte River including Bear Creek, 

Clear Creek, St. Vrain Creek, the Big Thompson River, and 

the Cache la Poudre River (figs. 1 and 2). Between the mountains and the South Platte River, the mountain tributaries flow 

through mixed urban and agricultural land-use areas. From 

Greeley, the South Platte River flows east-northeast for about 

230 mi through the plains of eastern Colorado and western 

Nebraska before joining the North Platte River near North 

Platte, Nebraska (elevation about 2,800 ft). Plains streams 

(Crow Creek, Kiowa Creek, Bijou Creek, Beaver Creek, and 

Lodgepole Creek) are ephemeral and contribute little water to 

the South Platte River during most years (Dennehy and others, 

1993). The South Platte River Basin has a drainage area of 

about 24,300 square miles (mi2

). 

Exiting the foothills, Fountain Creek and Monument 

Creek flow southeast along the Front Range and are the two 

principal streams that form the Fountain Creek Basin (Kohn 

and others, 2014). Monument Creek flows through the Colorado Springs metropolitan area for about 7.5 mi before joining 
Introduction 3

Fountain Creek (fig. 3). Fountain Creek flows into Colorado 

Springs about 3 mi upstream from the confluence with Monument Creek. Downstream from Monument Creek, Fountain 

Creek flows for about 44 mi before joining the Arkansas River 

in Pueblo (elevation 4,640 ft) (fig. 1). Major tributaries in this 

lower reach include the mountain streams Bear Creek, Cheyenne Creek, Rock Creek, and Little Fountain Creek, and the 

plains streams Sand Creek and Jimmy Camp Creek (fig. 3). 

Downstream from Sand Creek, Fountain Creek becomes wider 

and exhibits a more meandering and braided character than 

its upstream reaches (Zuellig and others, 2008). From Jimmy 

Camp Creek to Pueblo, Fountain Creek flows for about 26 mi 

through relatively undeveloped land with the exception of 

a narrow band of some irrigated agriculture adjacent to the 

stream channel. The Fountain Creek Basin has a drainage area 

of 930 mi2.

Figure 1. Selected streamgages in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, eastern Colorado.

COLORADO

KANSAS

NEBRASKA

WYOMING

Sand Creek

Arikaree River

North Platte River

South Platte River

Cache la Poudre River

Cherry Creek

Republican River

BearCreek

Clear Creek

Plum

Creek

South Fork Republican River

Beaver Creek

Kiowa Creek

Bijou Creek

Boulder

Fountain Creek

Crow Creek

Lodgepole Creek

St. Vrain Creek

Big Dry

Creek

Big Thompson River

Arkansas River

South Platte River

 Creek

North Fork Smoky Hill River

Smoky Hill River

Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains

GREAT PLAIN PROVINCE

Area of figure 2

Cheyenne

Julesburg

North Platte

Fort Collins

Greeley

Kersey

Balzac

Fort Morgan

Boulder

Denver

Pueblo

Colorado

Springs

South 

Platte River

Basin

Fountain 

Creek 

Basin

116

114

113

115

63

62

64

65

66

67

68

Piñon

106° 105° 104° 103° 102° 101°

41°

40°

39°

Base from National Land Cover Database, 2006,

and Esri, 2014 . Map image is the intellectual

proper license ty of Esri and is used herein under .

Copyright © 2014 Esri and its licensors. All rights

reserved.

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983

Streamgage with site number 

(table 1–1)

EXPLANATION

62

0 20 40 60 80 100 MILES

0 20 40 60 80 KILOMETERS 100

Area of figure 3 and 17
4 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Figure 2. Sites in and along the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains in the South 

Platte River Basin, eastern Colorado.

105°30’ 105°00’

40°30’

40°00’

39°30’

South Platte River Basin

0 5 10 MILES

0 5 10 KILOMETERS

Cache la Poudre River

Big Thompson River

M

St. Vrain Creek

iddle St.Vrain Creek

Fourmile Creek

South Boulder Creek

Boulder

Creek

Coal Creek

Big Dry Creek

Clear Creek

Sand Creek

Plum Creek

Bear Creek

Toll Gate Creek

Cherry Creek

North Fork South Platte River

South

Platte River South Platte River

Pueblo

Colorado

Springs

Map Fort Collins

area Denver

COLORADO

Fort Collins

Greeley

Boulder

Denver

Aurora

Lyons

Longmont

Morrison

Estes Park

Platteville

Loveland

Golden

1

3

2

18

6

5 4

7 12

11

13 14

8

9 10

15

16 17

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

27

28 29

30

31

32

33

47

44

40

41 42

43

45 46

34 48

35

36

37

38

39

49

50

51

52

53

58

57

54

55

56

59

60

61

26

Jamestown

Creek Left Hand

Base from National Land Cover Database, 2006, 

and Esri, 2014. Map image is the intellectual 

property of Esri and is used herein under license. 

Copyright © 2014 Esri and its licensors. All rights 

reserved.

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983

Streamgage with site number 

(table 1−1) 

Streamflow measurement site with 

site number (table 1−1)

Rain gage with site number (table 1−2) 

EXPLANATION

38

27

2
Introduction 5

Monument Creek Monument Creek

West Monument Creek

Fountain Creek

Sand Creek

Cottonwood

Creek

Camp Creek

Williams

Canyon

Waldo

Canyon

Bear Creek

Cheyenne

Creek

Rock Creek

Little Fountain Creek

Jimmy Camp Creek

Fountain Creek

113

112

109

110

111

108

106

107

98

100

104

103

94

95

96

99 97 105

77 76

80

92 93 72

74

79

91

89 85

88

90

86

87

102

101

78

84

71

73

81

82 83

75

Fountain

Springs

Colorado

105°00’ 104°50’ 104°40’

39°00’

38°50’

38°40’

Pikes

Peak

0 6 MILES

0 6 KILOMETERS Streamgage with site number (table 1−1)

Rain gage with site number (table 1−2)

Streamgage with rain gage with site 

number (table 1−1 or table 1−2)

EXPLANATION

113

108

112

Base from National Land Cover Database, 2006, 

and Esri, 2014. Map image is the intellectual 

property of Esri and is used herein under license. 

Copyright © 2014 Esri and its licensors. All rights 

reserved.

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983

U.S. Air Force

Acadamy

Peterson

Air Force

Base

Fort Carson

Military Reservation

Fountain Creek Basin

Figure 3. Sites in the upper Fountain Creek Basin, eastern Colorado.
6 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013 

Flooding Dynamics and Select Historic Floods

Flooding in the foothills of the Front Range and adjacent plains in eastern Colorado is primarily caused by rain, 

snowmelt, or a combination of rain falling on snow; however, snowmelt does not usually produce substantial flooding 

(McCain and Shroba, 1979). Rain events that produce flooding 

range from intense short-duration localized thunderstorms 

to large-scale multiday storms that can be accompanied by 

intense localized thunderstorms (Collins and others, 1991). 

Subtropical moisture from the Pacific Ocean and Gulf of Mexico transported into Colorado by mid-latitude frontal systems 

and monsoon circulation are major sources for rain in eastern 

Colorado (Collins and others, 1991). Easterly winds pushing humid air upward against the Front Range can exacerbate 

thunderstorm activity in and along the foothills, a process that 

contributed to the flood in the Big Thompson River in 1976 

(Jarrett and Costa, 2006). 

Flooding in foothills streams of the Front Range can 

be flashy because of the steep gradients and narrow channel 

valleys facilitating the rapid movement and concentration of 

surface runoff into the stream. The relatively large amount 

of water transported at high velocities typically results in 

extensive amounts of erosion and damage (fig. 4). No longer 

confined by steep canyon sidewalls, flood streamflows tend to 

produce overbank flooding after exiting the foothills into less 

steep topography. In September 2013, streamflow from mountain tributaries contributed to overbank flooding in the main 

stem of the South Platte River near Greeley (fig. 5). 

Major floods in Colorado’s Front Range and eastern 

plains during the last century include events in 1921, 1938, 

1965, 1976, and 1997. In June 1921, widespread rains over 

several days combined with snowmelt to cause flooding in the 

South Platte River Basin extending from the foothills upstream 

from Denver to the Colorado-Nebraska State line. During 

this same storm, localized cloudbursts caused flash flooding 

on the Arkansas River and lower Fountain Creek that killed 

about 100 people in Pueblo (Follansbee and Sawyer, 1948). In 

September 1938, an atmospheric circulation pattern that persisted for 3 days transported subtropical moisture into eastern 

Colorado, resulting in flooding in nearly every Front Range 

stream from Colorado Springs to the Wyoming border (Lukas, 

2013a). Rainfall over 5 days in June 1965 resulted in one of 

the largest floods in eastern Colorado in the 20th century, 

affecting most of the Arkansas River Basin east of the mountains and the plains region of the South Platte River Basin 

from just upstream from Denver to the Colorado-Nebraska 

State line (Matthai, 1969; Snipes and others, 1974). A peak 

streamflow of 40,300 cubic feet per second (ft3/s) at the South 

Platte River at Denver streamgage on June 17, 1965, remains 

the peak of record for that site. Other notable peak streamflows during the 1965 flood include a peak of 124,000 ft3

/s in 

Jimmy Camp Creek in the Fountain Creek Basin, and a peak 

of 466,000 ft3/s in Bijou Creek, a plains stream in the South 

Platte River Basin (Matthai, 1969; Snipes and others, 1974). 

Some of the more recent catastrophic localized flash floods 

generated by thunderstorms include the 1976 flood in the Big 

Thompson River canyon that killed 144 people and caused 

more than 35 million dollars in damages (Jarrett and Costa, 

2006) and the 1997 Fort Collins flood that resulted in 5 deaths 

and caused an estimated 200 million dollars in damages (Colorado State University, 2007).

Figure 4. Flood damage at the confluence of Little James and 

James Creeks in Jamestown, Colorado, located in the foothills 

northwest of Boulder, September 14, 2013. Federal Emergency 

Management Agency News photograph.

Figure 5. Overbank flooding along the South Platte River at 

U.S. Route 34 near Greeley, Colorado, on September 16, 2013. 

Photograph by the Denver Post.
General Weather Conditions Leading to the Flooding 7

General Weather Conditions Leading to 

the Flooding

Rain began to fall in parts of the South Platte River 

Basin on September 9, 2013, and in the Fountain Creek Basin 

on September 10 as a large slow-moving, upper-level, lowpressure system became nearly stationary over Nevada and 

Utah. The broad counterclockwise flow around this system 

pulled plumes of tropical moisture northward from the Pacific 

Ocean off the western coast of Mexico and the western Gulf 

of Mexico (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014a). By September 11, 2013, the combination of the 

low-pressure system, the presence of a stalled cold front across 

east-central Colorado, record amounts of precipitable water 

vapor in the atmosphere, and upslope easterly flow resulted 

in torrential rain in and along the Front Range of Colorado 

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014a). 

Most of the rain fell in a 36-hour period, from the afternoon of 

September 11 until the early morning hours of September 13 

(Lukas, 2013b). 

Rainfall amounts in the South Platte River Basin for September 9–16, 2013, ranged from about 1 to 20 inches (fig. 6). 

Maximum rainfall in the South Platte River Basin was concentrated in the foothills in an area extending from west of Denver to north of Estes Park and in an area east of Denver that 

included the City of Aurora. As much as 12 inches of rain fell 

in the foothills west of Fort Collins and along the ColoradoWyoming border southwest of Cheyenne. During September 10–16, 2013, the National Weather Service Cooperative 

Observer rain gage in Boulder recorded new record rainfall 

amounts for 24 hours (9.08 inches), 48 hours (11.52 inches), 

and 7 days (16.9 inches) (Lukas, 2013b). This rain gage has 

records dating back to 1893. Total rainfall at the Boulder rain 

gage for September 2013 totaled 18.16 inches, slightly less 

than the average annual amount of 18.99 inches (1893–2013) 

(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014b). 

An analysis of the annual exceedance probability (AEP) 

for maximum 24-hour rainfall (worst cast 24-hour rainfall) 

provides a good indication of the rarity of this rainfall event. 

The AEP is the probability of exceeding a given amount of 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2014;

Radar data supplied by Weather Decision Technologies, Inc.

Map created with the Storm Precipitation Analysis System 

through a collaborative effort by Applied Weather Associates, LLC, 

MetStat, Inc., and the Colorado Climate Center, Colorado State University

Figure 6. Rainfall analysis for a part of the South Platte River Basin, eastern Colorado, during 

September 9–16, 2013 (National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, 2014a).
8 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

rainfall at least once in any given year at a given location. A 

part of the South Platte River Basin that experienced maximum 24-hour rainfall magnitudes during September 9–16, 

2013, with AEPs ranging from greater than 10 percent to less 

than 0.1 percent, is shown in figure 7 (National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration, 2013). Swaths of AEPs ranging 

from less than 0.1 percent to about 0.2 percent were determined for areas extending northwest from Boulder to Estes 

Park and north from Aurora (fig. 7). The beginning and ending 

times of the maximum 24-hour rainfall observation period 

were not necessarily the same for each location. As a result, 

figure 7 does not represent isohyets of rainfall at any particular 

point in time. 

In the Fountain Creek Basin, a network of rain gages 

operated by the USGS in the vicinity of Colorado Springs 

(fig. 3) measured between 2 and 16 inches of rain for September 10–16, 2013. Downstream from Colorado Springs, rainfall 

totals for September 10–16, 2013, were 2.17 inches in the City 

of Fountain, and 1.02 inches at the Pueblo Memorial Airport, 

6 mi east of Pueblo (National Climatic Data Center, 2015a, 

2015b). During September 10–16, 2013, 15.64 inches of rain 

were recorded at a USGS rain gage at Fort Carson, located 

just south of Colorado Springs in the Fountain Creek Basin 

(site 112, fig. 3). Of this amount, 11.85 inches fell from midnight on September 11 to midnight on September 12, setting 

a new daily-record rainfall amount for the State of Colorado 

(Nolan Doesken, State Climatologist for Colorado, written 

commun., 2014).

Data Collection Effort: Stream Stage, 

Streamflow, and Rainfall

Peak stream stage (water level), streamflow, or both, 

that transpired during the flood were collected for 80 sites 

(78 streamgages and 2 non-gaged sites) (table 1–1, figs. 1–3). 

Flood data for 72 of the sites were determined by the USGS 

(http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis), whereas data for 8 sites 

were obtained from other sources. Of the 80 sites, 54 are in 

the South Platte River Basin, 24 are in the Fountain Creek 

Basin, and 2 are on the Platte River in Nebraska (sites on the 

Platte River are not shown on figures; the Kearney, Nebr., 

site is about 100 mi downstream from North Platte, and the 

Grand Island, Nebr., site is about 45 mi downstream from 

Kearney). Table 1–1 also includes 8 sites that are referenced 

in this report but peak stage and streamflow for September 

2013 were not available. The streamgages and non-gaged 

sites included in table 1–1 were chosen because (1) the 2013 

flood-peak streamflow for the streamgage ranked in the top 

five peak annual streamflows for the period of record, (2) the 

location was a non-gaged site where the peak streamflow was 

determined by indirect measurement, or (3) the streamgage 

was included to allow comparison of this event and past major 

floods. At 62 streamgages, the flood-peak streamflow was also 

the maximum annual peak streamflow for water year 2013 

(a water year is the 12-month period, October 1 through 

September 30, and is designated by the calendar year in which 

it ends). For these streamgages, the flood-peak streamflow is 

placed into historical context by ranking the peak streamflow 

with the annual peak streamflows for the period of record 

(table 1–1).

Stream stage and streamflow data were collected either 

systematically at streamgages or derived from field observations obtained at streamgages or at locations where no 

streamgages were present (non-gaged sites). The typical 

streamgage automatically records observations of stream 

stage. Derivation of streamflow from stage data at a 

streamgage requires direct measurements of streamflow at 

various stages for constructing a relation that converts stage 

to streamflow. In most cases, the relation is a simple stagestreamflow rating curve. Onsite direct measurements of 

streamflow are calculated by USGS personnel using physical 

observations of stream velocity, depth, and width (Turnipseed 

and Sauer, 2010). Periodic measurements of streamflow are 

required to maintain calibration of the rating curve. The rating 

curve allows for the determination of streamflow from the 

stage data when USGS personnel are not physically present at 

the streamgage to make a streamflow measurement.

Alternatively, the USGS used indirect measurement 

methods to determine September 2013 flood-peak streamflows 

at 15 sites (non-gaged sites or at sites where streamgages 

did not provide adequate data during the flood) (table 1–1). 

Indirect measurements use water-surface profiles determined 

by high-water marks and channel geometry with hydraulic 

equations based on the principle of conservation of energy to 

compute peak streamflow (Benson and Dalrymple, 1967). The 

high-water marks and channel geometry are determined 

by field surveys (fig. 8). The methods used to estimate 

peak streamflow from the September 2013 flood at 14 of the 

15 sites where indirect methods were employed include the 

contracted-opening method (Matthai, 1967), critical-depth 

method (Hulsing, 1967), culvert-computation method (Bodhaine, 1968), and the slope-area method (Dalrymple and Benson, 1968). The USGS assigns uncertainty estimates to each 

indirect measurement based on the hydraulic and geometry 

conditions present at each field site. Estimates of uncertainty 

for some of the indirect measurements conducted for the September 2013 flood event are included in this report.

The slope-area method was initially applied for computing peak streamflow in the St. Vrain Creek at Lyons (site 36). 

As part of this effort, the USGS surveyed more than 700 highwater marks and channel geometry at 8 cross sections in a 

1 mi reach of St. Vrain Creek in the town of Lyons (Chris 

Curran, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2014). 

The value of peak streamflow computed from the slope-area 

method was ultimately discounted due to evidence that flow 

conditions in the St. Vrain Creek through the town of Lyons 

were highly non-uniform, precluding assumptions of onedimensional, uniform flow that are appropriate for the slopearea method (Mark Smith, U.S. Geological Survey, written 

commun., 2014). 
Data Collection Effort: Stream Stage, Streamflow, and Rainfall 9

Figure 7. Annual exceedance probabilities (AEPs) for maximum 24-hour rainfall, September 9–16, 2013, for 

parts of the South Platte River Basin, eastern Colorado. Adapted from 

the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (2013).

Hydrometeorological Design Studies Center

Office of Hydrologic Development, National Weather Service

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Created 17 September 2013

EXPLANATION

Annual exceedance probabilities, 

in percent

Greater than 10

2 to 10

1 to 2

0.5 to 1

0.2 to 0.5

0.1 to 0.2

Less than 0.1

Precipitation frequency estimates from the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,

Atlas 14, Volume 8, Version 2

Rainfall values come from 6-hour multi-sensor data

0 10

MILES

20
10 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

As an alternative, peak streamflow at the St. Vrain 

Creek at Lyons (site 36), was determined using the USGS 

FaSTMECH (Flow and Sediment Transport with Morphological Evolution of Channels) two dimensional hydraulic 

model (Nelson and McDonald, 1996, Nelson and others, 

2003, McDonald and others, 2006, Nelson and others, 2010). 

The model assumes flow is incompressible, hydrostatic, and 

quasi-steady, where quasi-steady indicates that the dynamic 

part of streamflow variations can be neglected in the equations 

expressing conservation of momentum (Nelson and others, 

2010). A variety of topographic data were used for model calibration, including post-flood aerial light detection and ranging 

(lidar), and the surveys of channel geometry and high-water 

marks obtained for the slope-area computation.

To determine the optimal (peak) streamflow using 

FaSTMECH, the parameter space of both streamflow and 

surface roughness was modeled to find the best fit between 

the observed and simulated water-surface elevations. This 

involved modeling a range of streamflows using various 

scenarios of surface roughness where roughness was characterized by a drag coefficient. For each streamflow and 

surface-roughness simulation, the fit between the observed and 

simulated water-surface elevations was determined by calculating the root mean squared error. The optimal streamflow 

was identified by the combination of streamflow and surface 

roughness that produced the lowest root mean squared error, 

or the best fit to the observed water-surface elevation (inferred 

from the high-water marks) (Richard McDonald, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2014).

Data from continuous-recording rain gages were used for 

calculating total cumulative rainfall for periods encompassing the September 2013 flood and for select sites, displaying 

rainfall intensity in graphs. Rainfall data were collected for 

37 sites; 5 sites in the South Platte River Basin and 32 sites in 

the Fountain Creek Basin (table 1–2, figs. 2 and 3). Rainfall 

data for one site in the South Platte River Basin and all sites 

in the Fountain Creek Basin were collected using tipping 

bucket rain gages operated and maintained by the USGS using 

procedures similar to those documented by Gotvald (2010). 

Rainfall data for four sites in the South Platte River Basin 

were obtained from other sources (table 1–2).

Agencies other than the USGS collect streamflow data. 

For the most part, these data are collected using methods and 

standards similar to those used by the USGS. Any non-USGS 

data presented in this report have not been quality assured by 

USGS personnel; however, the collecting agency is identified. 

Any questions regarding methods of data collection for nonUSGS data should be referred to the collecting agency. 

Description of Flooding in the South 

Platte River Basin

In September 2013, flooding in the South Platte River 

Basin in eastern Colorado was primarily contained to select 

streams in Aurora and the Denver metropolitan area, most of 

the mountain tributaries joining the main stem South Platte 

River from Denver to Greeley, and the main stem of the South 

Platte River from Denver to the Colorado-Nebraska State line. 

Large parts of the South Platte River Basin did not experience flooding in September 2013, including about 2,600 mi2

upstream from Denver, most of which is in the mountains. 

Downstream from Greeley, flooding in the main stem South 

Platte River resulted from the progression of the flood crest 

moving downstream and not from additional inflow from 

plains tributaries. The majority of flood peaks occurred on 

September 12 or 13, 2013, coinciding with the period of maximum rainfall (table 1–1). Streamgages on the lower South 

Platte River, including one in Nebraska, did not record peaks 

until September 15–21, 2013 (table 1–1). The flood crest in the 

South Platte River was recorded near the Colorado-Nebraska 

State line on September 18, 2013, at Julesburg, Colorado.

Twenty-nine streamgages in the South Platte River Basin 

with at least 10 years of record had peak streamflows during 

the September 2013 flood that ranked in the top five for the 

period of record, and 13 of those sites set a new record peak 

streamflow (table 1, table 1–1). The majority of streamgages 

with new record peak streamflow (10 of 13, table 1) were 

located on the mountain tributaries; Bear Creek, Fourmile 

Creek, Boulder Creek, St. Vrain Creek, the Big Thompson 

River, and the Cache la Poudre River. A new record peak 

streamflow at a streamgage does not necessarily mean that a 

higher streamflow has not been recorded on the same stream 

in the past. As an example, a record peak streamflow of 

19,000 ft3/s was calculated for the USGS streamgage on the 

Big Thompson River at Loveland (site 53) for the September 

2013 event; however, the historic Big Thompson River flood 

of 1976 had a peak streamflow of 31,200 ft3

/s at a site in the 

Figure 8. A U.S. Geological Survey field crew surveys high-water 

marks and channel geometry as part of an indirect measurement 

of streamflow.
Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin 11

Table 1. Peak streamflow data that ranked in the top five for the period of record at selected streamgages with at least 10 years of 

record in the South Platte River Basin, September, 2013.

[no., number; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; N. F., North Fork; Nebr., Nebraska]

Site no.

(fig. 1 or 2) USGS site number Site name Streamflow(ft3

/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

1 06708800 East Plum Creek above Haskins Gulch near Castle Rock 930 3 14

2 06709000 Plum Creek near Sedalia 1,260 4 28

6 06710150 Big Dry Creek below C-470 at Highlands Ranch 527 2 10

8 06710385 Bear Creek above Evergreen 1,350 1 30

10 06710605 Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake near Morrison 1,800 1 28

11 06711515 Little Dry Creek near Arapahoe Road at Centennial 631 3 28

18 393109104464500 Cherry Creek near Parker 819 3 22

25 394839104570300 Sand Creek at mouth near Commerce City 14,900 1 21

26 06718550 North Clear Creek above mouth near Black Hawk 402 3 19

29 06719560 Lena Gulch at Lakewood 546 4 33

31 06720820 Big Dry Creek at Westminster 642 4 26

32 06720990 Big Dry Creek at mouth near Fort Lupton 781 1 22

33 06721000 South Platte River at Fort Lupton 10,300 1 40

36 06724000 St. Vrain Creek at Lyonsa 23,800 1 122

39 06725450 St. Vrain Creek below Longmont 31,700 1 35

42 06727500 Fourmile Creek at Orodell 2,510 1 22

46 06730200 Boulder Creek at North 75th Street near Boulder 8,400 1 27

48 06730500 Boulder Creek at mouth near Longmontb 8,910 1 62

51 402114105350101 Big Thompson River below Moraine Park near 

Estes Park

 1,130 1 15

52 06738000 Big Thompson River at mouth of canyon near Drakea 16,200 2 90

53 06741510 Big Thompson River at Loveland 19,000 1 35

54 06751150 N. F. Cache la Poudre River below Halligan Reservoir

 near Virginia Dale

 1,050 2 15

55 06751490 N. F. Cache la Poudre River at Livermore 4,510 2 27

56 06752000 Cache la Poudre River at mouth of canyon near 

Fort Collinsc

 9,730 4 131

59 06752260 Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins 8,140 1 39

60 06752260 Cache la Poudre River above Box Elder Creek near 

Timnath

 7,010 2 34

64 06759500 South Platte River at Fort Morgan 60,000 2 28

67 06764000 South Platte River at Julesburgc 21,800 5 109

68 06764880 South Platte River at Roscoe, Nebr. 19,100 2 31

a

Streamgage operated by Colorado Division of Water Resources but September 2013 peak streamflow data determined by USGS.

b

Peak streamflow for September 2013 is an estimated daily average.

c

Streamgage operated by and data obtained from Colorado Division of Water Resources (Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014b).
12 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Big Thompson River Canyon, about 10 mi upstream from 

Loveland and 3 years prior to the establishment of the Big 

Thompson River at Loveland (site 53) streamgage.

Plains Streams – Upstream from Denver to Fort 

Lupton

Upstream from and south of Denver, more than 2 inches 

of rain in less than 2 hours on September 14 (Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014a) resulted in floodpeak streamflows at sites in the Plum Creek Basin (sites 1, 

2, and 3, table 1–1); however, the magnitude of the peaks 

was much less than the peak streamflow of 154,000 ft3/s that 

transpired on Plum Creek in 1965 (Matthai, 1969). The rain 

on September 14 also extended east of Denver into Aurora 

and resulted in a peak streamflow of 5,470 ft3/s on September 14 in Toll Gate Creek (site 22) a tributary to Sand Creek. 

Matthai (1969) reports peak streamflows in Toll Gate Creek 

of 16,000 ft3/s in 1965 and 10,400 ft3/s in 1957. The rain on 

September 14 contributed to a total of about 15 inches of rain 

in Aurora for September 9–16, 2013 (fig. 6). A large part of 

Aurora is contained in the Sand Creek Basin, which joins the 

South Platte River in northeast Denver (figs. 1 and 2). Early 

on September 10, streamflow in Sand Creek 0.3 mi upstream 

from the confluence with the South Platte River (Sand Creek 

above Burlington Ditch near Commerce City, site 24) was 

about 2 ft3/s (fig. 9). Site 24 recorded relatively small peaks 

in streamflow on September 10 and September 11–12 before 

quickly rising to a peak of 14,800 ft3/s on September 12 that 

coincided with 5.8 inches of rain that fell in about 9 hours at 

the Toll Gate at 6th rain gage (site 23) located about 10.5 mi 

upstream from the mouth of Sand Creek (fig. 2). A subsequent 

peak of 11,000 ft3/s at site 24 on September 14 coincided with 

2.2 inches of rain that fell in 1 hour at the Toll Gate at 6th rain 

gage (site 23). Just downstream from site 24, peak streamflow 

on September 12 at Sand Creek at mouth near Commerce City 

(site 25) was 14,900 ft3/s. The peak streamflows on September 

12 at sites 24 and 25 near the mouth of Sand Creek were the 

highest streamflows in Sand Creek since at least 1992. Peak 

streamflow data prior to 1992 is scarce; however, Matthai 

(1969) reports peak streamflow in Sand Creek at a location 

4 mi upstream from the mouth was 25,500 ft3/s in 1957 and 

18,900 ft3/s in 1965.

September 2013 peak streamflows in the Denver metropolitan area were generally well below historical records with 

the exception of Big Dry Creek below C-470 at Highlands 

Ranch (site 6), which peaked at 527 ft3/s (second highest in 

10 years record); Little Dry Creek near Arapahoe Road at 

Centennial (site 11), which peaked at 631 ft3/s (third highest in 28 years); and Lena Gulch at Lakewood (site 29), 

which peaked at 546 ft3/s (fourth highest peak in 33 years of 

record) (table 1, table 1–1). Streamflows in several urbanized 

tributaries in the Denver area were higher in July or August 

2013 compared to streamflows observed in September 2013 

(table 1–1); including sites on Lee Gulch (site 4), Dutch Creek 

(site 5); Harvard Gulch (site 14), Weir Gulch (site 15), Dry 

Gulch (site 16), and Lakewood Gulch (site 17). Four main 

stem South Platte River sites in Denver (sites 7, 13, 20, and 

21) experienced annual peak streamflows for water year 2013 

occurring during the September 2013 event but the peaks 

were not in the top 15 for their period of record (table 1–1). 

Figure 9. Streamflow for Sand Creek above Burlington Ditch near Commerce City (site 24), and cumulative rainfall for 

Toll Gate at 6th Avenue at Aurora (site 23), September 10–16, 2013, eastern Colorado. (Rainfall data from Urban Drainage 

and Flood Control District, 2014a)

10 11 12 13 14

September 2013

15 16

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Rainfall, in inches

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Streamflow, site 24

Rainfall, site 23

EXPLANATION
Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin 13

The peak of 3,930 ft3/s on September 12 at the State of 

Colorado streamgage South Platte River at Denver (site 20) 

ranked 59 out of 116 peaks and was less than the 1965 peak of 

40,300 ft3/s (Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014b).

Downstream from Aurora and the Denver metropolitan 

area, flood-peak streamflow in the main stem of the South 

Platte River was moderate compared to the historical record. 

In the South Platte River at Henderson (site 30), located about 

10 mi downstream from the mouth of Sand Creek (fig. 2), the 

peak of 11,200 ft3/s on September 13 was about one-third the 

magnitude of the 1973 peak of 33,000 ft3/s (Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014b). About 14 mi downstream 

from Henderson, a USGS streamgage on the South Platte 

River at Fort Lupton (site 33) that was not operational in 1973 

(period of record 1929–57, 2003–13) recorded a new record 

peak streamflow of 10,300 ft3/s. Two USGS streamgages on 

Big Dry Creek recorded peaks in the top five for the period of 

record. Big Dry Creek is a plains tributary between Henderson and Fort Lupton that drains an area of mixed urban and 

agricultural land use north of Denver. The peak streamflow 

of 642 ft3/s at Big Dry Creek at Westminster (site 31) ranked 

fourth highest out of 26 annual peaks, and the peak streamflow 

of 781 ft3/s at Big Dry Creek at the mouth near Fort Lupton 

(site 32) ranked the highest out of 22 annual peaks.

Bear Creek and Clear Creek

At sites on the mountain tributaries of Bear Creek (site 8, 

above Evergreen) and Clear Creek (site 28, at Golden) west 

of Denver, streamflow steadily increased from September 9 

through most of September 12 before increasing sharply 

late September 12 (fig. 10). The sharp increase coincided 

with 4.5 inches of rain that fell in 20 hours at a rain gage on 

Lookout Mountain (site 27), which is located between the two 

drainage basins (fig. 2). Streamgages in both basins recorded 

peak streamflows on September 13. The peak streamflow of 

1,530 ft3/s in Clear Creek at Golden (site 28) ranked only the 

eighth highest out of 39 years of record. Streamflow at Bear 

Creek above Evergreen (site 8) and Bear Creek above Bear 

Creek Lake near Morrison (site 10) was the highest since the 

streamgages were installed in 1984 and 1986, respectively. 

The peak streamflow at Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake 

near Morrison (site 10) occurred on September 13 and was 

1,800 ft3/s. To put this peak into historical perspective, maximum annual peak streamflows at Bear Creek at Morrison 

(site 9), a State of Colorado streamgage located 1.3 mi 

upstream from the Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake near 

Morrison streamgage (site 10), have been greater than 

1,800 ft3/s nine times in the 104 years of record for the station; 

the peak streamflow of record is 8,600 ft3/s in 1896 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014; Colorado Division of Water Resources, 

2014b).

About 2 mi downstream from the Bear Creek above Bear 

Creek Lake near Morrison streamgage (site 10), high streamflow in Bear Creek was reduced significantly with the storage of flood flow in the Bear Creek Lake reservoir. The dam 

forming Bear Creek Lake reservoir is owned by the U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers and was constructed in 1977 to reduce 

the risk of flooding in the Denver area. During the September 

2013 flood event, the water level in the reservoir increased 

50.4 ft to an elevation of 5,607.8 ft, which is the highest water 

Figure 10. Streamflow for Bear Creek above Evergreen (site 8) and Clear Creek at Golden (site 28), September 9–16, 

2013, and cumulative rainfall for Lookout Mountain Colorado (site 27), September 9–15, 2013, eastern Colorado. (Rainfall 

data from Western Regional Climate Center, 2014)

9 10 11 12 13 14

September 2013

15 16

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

1,800

0

2

4

6

8

10

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Rainfall, in inches

EXPLANATION

Streamflow, site 8

Streamflow, site 28

Rainfall, site 27
14 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

level in the reservoir since it was completed (Brian Twombly, 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, written commun., 2014). The 

rise in water level equated to an additional 12,500 acre-feet 

(acre-ft) of water stored in the reservoir (calculated by USGS 

using data obtained from the Colorado Division of Water 

Resources, 2014b).

Boulder Creek

Flooding in the Boulder Creek Basin, a tributary basin 

to St. Vrain Creek, began late on September 11, about 

24 hours before flooding began in the Bear Creek and Clear 

Creek Basins. Streamgages located near the mountain-plains 

interface—Boulder Creek Broadway (site 43) (located in 

the City of Boulder), South Boulder Creek near Eldorado 

Springs (site 44), and Coal Creek near Plainview (site 47)—all 

recorded sharp rises in stage beginning late on September 11, 

coinciding with increased rainfall in the foothills (Sugar Loaf 

Colorado, site 40, table 1–2), rising to an initial peak around 

midnight September 11 or early on September 12 (fig. 11). 

During the day of September 12, stage at each of the three 

streamgages had similar fluctuations before rising sharply 

late on September 12 to a peak level for the event (a peak on 

September 12 at the Coal Creek near Plainview streamgage 

was not confirmed because of a gap in stage record). Three 

USGS streamgages located in the foothills west of Boulder 

on Boulder Creek tributaries also recorded an initial sharp 

rise in stage late on September 11 before being damaged by 

the flood event: Fourmile Creek at Logan Mill Road near 

Crisman (site 41), Fourmile Creek at Orodell (site 42), and 

Fourmile Canyon Creek near Sunshine (site 45). Peak flows 

determined for the three sites by indirect measurement are 

listed in table 1–1. Peak streamflow at Fourmile Creek at 

Orodell (site 42) was 2,510 ft3/s, setting a new peak of record 

for the 22-year-old gage. A peak streamflow of 1,090 ft3/s 

was calculated for the relatively new Fourmile Canyon Creek 

near Sunshine streamgage (site 45) (2 years of record). This 

streamgage drains only 1.8 mi2, resulting in a peak flood 

streamflow rate of 606 ft3/s/mi2. This was the highest streamflow rate per square mile during the September 2013 event for 

sites documented in this report.

Peak streamflow on September 12, 2013, as recorded at 

the Boulder Creek Broadway streamgage (site 43) in the City 

of Boulder (drainage area of 135 mi2) was 4,970 ft3/s (Urban 

Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014a). The peak of 

record for Boulder Creek in the vicinity of downtown Boulder 

is tied to the flood of May 29–June 1, 1894. In 1912, Metcalf 

& Eddy consulting engineers of Boston estimated the peak 

streamflow for the 1894 event in Boulder Creek near 4th Street 

in Boulder (drainage area of 132 mi2) ranged from 9,000 to 

13,600 ft3/s (Follansbee and Sawyer, 1948).

Stage in Boulder Creek at North 75th Street near Boulder (site 46; drainage area of 307 mi2

), located about 7 mi 

downstream from the Boulder Creek Broadway streamgage 

(site 43), exhibited a similar pattern to the three upstream 

streamgages in figure 11; however, the timing of the fluctuations was delayed several hours due to the time it took for 

flood streamflow to travel downstream. Peak streamflow for 

Boulder Creek at North 75th Street near Boulder on September 13 was 8,400 ft3

/s, which set a new peak of record for this 

27-year-old streamgage.

Stage at the streamgage Boulder Creek at mouth near 

Longmont (site 48) peaked at 5:15 a.m. on September 13; 

however, an instantaneous streamflow associated with the 

Figure 11. Stage for Boulder Creek Broadway (site 43), South Boulder Creek near Eldorado Springs (site 44), Coal 

Creek near Plainview (site 47), and Boulder Creek at North 75th Street near Boulder (site 46), and cumulative rainfall 

since September 9 at Sugar Loaf Colorado (site 40), September 11–14, 2013. (Data for sites 44 and 47 from Colorado 

Division of Water Resources, 2014b; data for site 43 from Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014a; rainfall data 

for site 40 from Western Regional Climate Center, 2014)

11 12 13

September 2013

14

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Stage, in feet

Rainfall, in inches

Stage, site 43

Stage, site 44

Stage, site 47

Stage, site 46

Rainfall, site 40

EXPLANATION
Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin 15

stage was not determined. An analysis of remotely sensed 

data indicates that water at the streamgage on September 13 

was a combination of streamflow from both Boulder Creek 

and St. Vrain Creek (fig. 12); therefore, a value of streamflow 

corresponding to the peak stage would not accurately reflect 

what was flowing in Boulder Creek at the peak. A streamflow 

measurement of 7,920 ft3/s obtained 5 mi upstream from 

the Boulder Creek at mouth near Longmont streamgage at 

about 12:00 p.m. on September 13 was used to estimate a 

daily-mean streamflow for September 13 equal to 8,910 ft3/s. 

Although an instantaneous peak was not determined, the value 

of the daily-mean streamflow for September 13 indicates 

that streamflow was at least more than twice the magnitude 

of the instantaneous peak streamflow of record of 4,410 ft3/s 

from 1938 for the Boulder Creek at mouth near Longmont 

streamgage.

Figure 12. Extent of water surface on September 13, 2013, at the confluence of the Boulder and St. Vrain Creeks, 

eastern Colorado, derived from remotely sensed data (Kristine Verdin, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 

2014).

Base from National Land Cover Database, 2006, and Esri, 2014. Map image is the 

intellectual property of Esri and is used herein under license. Copyright © 2014 

Esri and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983

0 625 1,250 2,500 FEET

0 125 250 500 METERS

EXPLANATION

Imaged water, September 13, 2013

Continuous streamgage with site number (table 1–1)

National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution streams

48

48

39

Saint Vrain Creek

Boulder Creek

40°09’

40°09’30”

105°01’ 105°00’30”
16 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

St. Vrain Creek

In the St. Vrain Creek (excluding Boulder Creek) and Big 

Thompson River Basins, most of the streamgages operated by 

the USGS and State of Colorado Division of Water Resources 

were damaged or destroyed during the September 2013 flood 

and few captured a continuous record of stage or streamflow 

for the event. Two headwaters streamgages, Middle St. Vrain 

at Peaceful Valley (site 34) and Big Thompson River below 

Moraine Park near Estes Park (site 51), recorded continuous records of stage for the event that had patterns similar to 

that observed in the Boulder Creek Basin where stream stage 

began to increase more quickly late in the day on September 11 rising to an initial peak on September 12 (fig. 13A). 

The increased stage coincided with increased rainfall at 

Johnny Park (site 35) located in the foothills of the St. Vrain 

Creek Basin. After a slight recession on September 12, stage 

at sites 34 and 51 increased to a peak for the event early on 

September 13 (fig. 13A).

An area of high rainfall west of Lyons (fig. 6) located 

over the St. Vrain Creek Basin produced large amounts of 

runoff that became concentrated in the main stem of the 

St. Vrain Creek at Lyons. The State of Colorado streamgage 

in Lyons (site 36) recorded an initial sharp rise in flood waters 

beginning at 8:00 p.m. on September 11, 2013. By 11:00 p.m. 

that evening, the gage had suffered extensive damage and had 

stopped reporting streamflow readings. Several other gages 

on St. Vrain Creek recorded the leading edge of the flood 

wave as it progressed downstream from Lyons; however, 

these gages also stopped reporting streamflow either shortly 

before or when they were destroyed by flood waters; St. Vrain 

Creek at Longmont (site 37), St. Vrain Creek below Longmont (site 39), and St. Vrain Creek at mouth near Platteville 

(site 50) (fig. 13B). 

Figure 13. A, Stage for Middle St. Vrain at Peaceful Valley (site 34) and Big Thompson River below Moraine Park near Estes 

Park (site 51), and cumulative rainfall since September 9 at Johnny Park (site 35), September 10–14, 2013; and B, streamflow 

for St. Vrain Creek at Lyons (site 36), St. Vrain Creek at Longmont (site 37), St. Vrain Creek below Longmont (site 39), and 

St. Vrain Creek at mouth near Platteville (site 50), September 10–14, 2013. (Data for sites 34, 36, 37, and 50 from Colorado 

Division of Water Resources, 2014b; rainfall data for site 35 from Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014a.)

10 11 12 13 14

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

B

September 2013

0

2

4

6

8

10

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Stage, in feet

Rainfall, in inches

A

Streamflow, site 36

Streamflow, site 37

Streamflow, site 39

Streamflow, site 50

Stage, site 34

Stage, site 51

Rainfall, site 35

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION
Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin 17

When applying the FaSTMECH two-dimensional model 

for determining peak streamflow in the St. Vrain Creek at 

Lyons (site 36), there was evidence that high-water marks surveyed on the left bank (looking downstream) may have been 

influenced by an adjacent highway and water diversion and 

canal systems. Therefore, it was thought that high-water marks 

surveyed on the right bank would provide a better predictor 

of peak streamflow. Under this assumption, the best overall 

calibration of the model was achieved using only right-bank 

high-water marks, and a surface roughness drag coefficient 

equal to 0.01, resulting in a peak streamflow of 23,800 ft3/s, 

and a root-mean square error of 0.10 for the fit between 

observed and simulated water-surface elevations. For reference, a drag coefficient of 0.01 corresponds approximately to a 

Manning’s n of 0.036 where the depth is 6.5 ft which is a good 

average value for the modeled reach of the St. Vrain Creek in 

Lyons. The peak streamflow was assigned an uncertainty of 

plus or minus 10 percent (Richard McDonald, U.S. Geological Survey, written commun., 2014). The peak streamflow of 

23,800 ft3/s is more than double the record peak of 10,500 ft3/s 

recorded in 1941.

Downstream from the confluence with Left Hand Creek 

(located about 10 mi downstream from Lyons), the peak 

streamflow in St. Vrain Creek was estimated to be 31,700 ft3/s 

at St. Vrain Creek at North 119th Street near Longmont 

(site 38), and downstream from the confluence with Boulder 

Creek, the peak was estimated to be 37,000 ft3/s at St. Vrain 

Creek at I-25 near Longmont (site 49). The peak streamflow 

at site 38 was calculated using the slope-area method and 

was assigned an uncertainty of plus or minus 15 percent. The 

peak streamflow at site 49 was calculated using the contracted 

opening and culvert methods and was assigned an uncertainty 

of plus or minus 15 to 25 percent. Flood-peak stage and 

streamflow data were not determined for the State of Colorado 

streamgage St. Vrain Creek at mouth near Platteville (site 50), 

located about 12 mi downstream from Interstate 25 (Colorado 

Division of Water Resources, 2014b). The historical peak of 

record at the mouth of St. Vrain Creek is 11,300 ft3/s dating 

back to 1938. The peak streamflow of 37,000 ft3/s at St. Vrain 

Creek at I-25 near Longmont (site 49) may be an indication 

that streamflow was higher than 11,300 ft3

/s at the mouth in 

September 2013; however, there was most certainly some 

attenuation of the peak in the lower reaches of the St. Vrain 

Creek as it flowed for about 12 mi through relatively flat agricultural land.

Big Thompson River

The largest flood in the Big Thompson River since 

records began in 1888 happened on July 31, 1976 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). That flood resulted from as much as 

7.5 inches of rain that fell in about 1 hour over the middle Big 

Thompson River Basin and to a lesser extent in parts of the 

Cache la Poudre River Basin (Jarrett and Costa, 2006). During 

the event, a peak streamflow of 31,200 ft3

/s was estimated 

for the Big Thompson River at mouth of canyon near Drake 

(site 52). For the September 2013 flood, the USGS estimated 

peak streamflow at this same site to be 16,200 ft3

/s; the second 

highest peak on record. Farther downstream, the USGS calculated a peak streamflow of 19,000 ft3

/s at the Big Thompson 

River at Loveland (site 53), which is the highest streamflow 

recorded for this site since it was established in 1979, shortly 

after the 1976 flood event.

Cache la Poudre River

Flooding in the Cache la Poudre River peaked on 

September 13, 2013. A peak streamflow of 9,730 ft3/s was 

recorded at the Cache La Poudre River at mouth of canyon near Fort Collins streamgage (site 56) located 11.4 mi 

upstream from Fort Collins (Colorado Division of Water 

Resources, 2014b). The State of Colorado streamgage at 

the mouth of Poudre Canyon is one of the longest operating 

streamgages in the State and has 131 annual streamflow peaks 

on record dating back to 1882. The 2013 peak ranks the fourth 

highest out of the 131 peaks and is slightly less than one-half 

the value of the peak of record of 21,000 ft3/s set in 1891. 

That peak resulted in the failure of Chambers Lake Dam (not 

labeled on a figure) (Follansbee and Sawyer, 1948). Farther 

downstream, peak streamflow in the Cache la Poudre River 

at Fort Collins (site 59) was 8,140 ft3/s. The 2013 peak in 

the Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins is the highest peak 

recorded since the gage was established in 1975 (39 years of 

record).

Although the 1976 flood is most commonly associated 

with flooding in the Big Thompson River, the 1976 event did 

cause a significant peak in the Cache la Poudre River at Fort 

Collins (site 59) of 5,700 ft3/s (U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). 

This value ranks the fourth highest in the 39-year history of 

the station. The 1976 and 2013 peaks were both the result of 

rainfall events, and a comparison of data for the two events 

highlights the difference in storm characteristics (fig. 14). 

The flashy streamflow peak of 1976 (fig. 14A) is indicative of a short-duration, high intensity rainfall event. A record 

of continuous rainfall during the 1976 event was obtained 

11 mi northwest of Fort Collins in the Cache la Poudre River 

Basin (McCain and Shroba, 1979). Rainfall data for this site 

show that, beginning late on July 31, 1976, about 6.1 inches 

of rain fell in about a 4-hour period (fig 14A), which translates 

to a rate of about 1.5 inches per hour. Shortly after this period 

of intense rainfall, streamflow in the Cache la Poudre River at 

Fort Collins increased by about 5,600 ft3/s in just 2.5 hours, or 

an average increase of 2,240 ft3/s per hour. With a temporary 

cessation in rainfall, streamflow dropped relatively quickly 

following the peak.

Compared to the 1976 peak, the more sustained and 

broader 2013 streamflow peak (fig. 14B) is indicative of a 

longer duration, lower intensity rainfall event. Rainfall that 

began on September 9, 2013, at another site northwest of 

Fort Collins (site 57) had accumulated to just over 2 inches 
18 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

on September 11 (fig 14B). From late September 11 through 

September 12, an additional 7.7 inches of rain fell, translating to a rate of about 0.3 inches per hour for this time period. 

The largest increase in streamflow associated with this rainfall 

occurred between midday September 12 to about 7:00 a.m. on 

September 13 when streamflow increased by about 360 ft3

/s 

per hour.

South Platte River — Near Greeley to Mouth

On September 14, 2013, high streamflow coming out of 

the Denver metropolitan area in the main stem South Platte 

River in combination with flood flows from the mountain 

tributaries probably resulted in a new record peak streamflow in the main stem of the South Platte River near Greeley. Unfortunately, a streamgage on the South Platte River 

near Kersey (site 61) located about 6.5 mi downstream from 

Greeley was damaged during the event and did not capture a 

peak streamflow (Russell Stroud, Colorado Division of Water 

Resources, written commun., 2014). A peak of 60,000 ft3

/s 

on September 15 for the South Platte River at Fort Morgan 

(site 64) about 45 mi downstream from Kersey is the basis 

for assuming record flow occurred near Greeley and Kersey. 

The relation between peak streamflow in the South Platte 

River near Kersey (site 61) and at Fort Morgan (site 64) 

or at Balzac (site 65, located 20 mi downstream from Fort 

Morgan) varies depending on the amount of inflow between 

the gages from the intermittent plains streams Crow, Kiowa, 

Bijou, and Beaver Creeks (fig. 1). Peak streamflow in the 

South Platte River at Fort Morgan (1935 flood) and at Balzac (1965 flood) was much greater than the peak streamflow 

in the South Platte River near Kersey during those events 

(fig. 15A, B) because of a large amount of inflow from Bijou 

Creek. Peak streamflow in Bijou Creek near Wiggins (site 63) 

was 282,900 ft3

/s in 1935 and 466,000 ft3/s in 1965 (Matthai, 1969). During the 1973 flood, which is the flood of 

record in the South Platte River near Kersey, peak streamflow 

near Kersey was 31,500 ft3/s, but only 20,300 ft3/s at Balzac (fig. 15C). The smaller peak in the South Platte River at 

Balzac in 1973, compared to near Kersey, may indicate that 

there was very little inflow between the two sites and that 

Figure 14. A, Cumulative rainfall 11 miles northwest of Fort Collins (site 58), and streamflow for the Cache la Poudre River 

at Fort Collins (site 59), July 31–August 2, 1976; and B, cumulative rainfall since September 9 11.8 miles northwest of Fort 

Collins (site 57), and streamflow for the Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins (site 59), September 11–14, 2013. (Data for 1976 

from McCain and Shroba, 1979)

Sept. 11, 2013 Sept. 12, 2013 Sept. 13, 2013 Sept. 14, 2013

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

B. 2013

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Rainfall, in inches

July 30, 1976 July 31, 1976 Aug. 1, 1976 Aug. 2, 1976

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

A. 1976

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Rainfall, in inches

EXPLANATION

EXPLANATION

Streamflow, site 59

Rainfall, site 58

Streamflow, site 59

Rainfall, site 57
Description of Flooding in the South Platte River Basin 19

the amplitude of the flood wave had probably attenuated as 

it traveled down the main stem South Platte River from near 

Kersey to Balzac. During the September 2013 event minimal 

inflow to the main stem South Platte River was observed 

between the streamgages located near Kersey (site 61) and at 

Fort Morgan (site 64) (Brent Schantz, Colorado Division of 

Water Resources, oral commun., 2015). Without additional 

inflow between the two sites, the relation between streamflow 

near Kersey and at Fort Morgan was probably similar to the 

1973 flood and it is possible that streamflow in the main stem 

South Platte River near Kersey (site 61) was at least as large 

as at Fort Morgan (60,000 ft3/s). If that assumption is correct, it would mean there was probably record streamflow at 

the South Platte River near Kersey streamgage surpassing the 

peak of record of 31,500 ft3/s from 1973 (109 annual peaks on 

record between 1902–2012).

Several State of Colorado and USGS streamgages 

recorded the progression of the flood crest as it moved down 

the lower South Platte River in eastern Colorado and in the 

Platte River across Nebraska (fig. 16). River stage in the South 

Platte River near Weldona (site 62) began to rise steadily early 

on September 12 before rising sharply to its peak on September 14. Similar to the stage near Weldona (site 62), stage 

in the South Platte River at Fort Morgan (site 64) increased 

by about 10 feet in 3 hours on September 14. The flood crest 

exited Colorado on September 18, 2013, after peaking in the 

South Platte River at Julesburg (site 67) on September 18 

at 21,800 ft3/s, the fifth highest flow in 109 years of record 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2014). Two hundred mi downstream 

from Greeley, and at least that far downstream from the source 

of the flood runoff, stage rose more than 10 ft on September 

19 in the South Platte River at Roscoe, Nebr. (site 68). About 

400 mi downstream from Greeley, stage in the Platte River at 

Grand Island, Nebr. (site 70) rose almost 4 ft from September 25 to September 29, 2013.

Figure 16. Stage, adjusted to a common base of 0 feet, for selected streamgages (sites 62, 64–70; site numbers in table 1–1) along the 

lower South Platte and Platte Rivers, September 12–30, 2013. Data for site 65 obtained 5.6 mi upstream from site 65. Data for sites 62, 

65–67 from Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014b.

September 2013

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Adjusted stage, in feet

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

EXPLANATION

Site 62, South Platte River near Weldona 

Site 64, South Platte River at Fort Morgan 

Site 65, South Platte River at Balzac 

Site 66, South Platte River near Crook

Site 67, South Platte River at Julesburg 

Site 68, South Platte River at Roscoe 

Site 69, Platte River near Kearney 

Site 70, Platte River near Grand Island

A. 1935

B. 1965

C. 1973

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

Site 61 Site 64

Site 61 Site 65

Site 61 Site 65

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

Figure 15. Peak streamflow in the South Platte River near Kersey 

(site 61) compared to peak streamflow in the A, South Platte River 

at Fort Morgan (site 64), 1935; B, South Platte River at Balzac (site 

65), 1965; and C, South Platte River at Balzac (site 65), 1973.
20 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Description of Flooding in the Fountain 

Creek Basin

Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin (figs. 1 and 3) 

primarily occurred in Fountain Creek from southern Colorado 

Springs to its confluence with the Arkansas River in Pueblo, 

in lower Monument Creek in Colorado Springs, and in several 

mountain tributaries. All of the streamgages in the Fountain 

Creek Basin recorded streamflow peaks on September 12 or 

13, 2013, coinciding with the period of maximum rainfall. 

Twelve streamgages in the Fountain Creek Basin with at least 

10 years of record had peak streamflows during the September 

2013 flood that ranked in the top five for the period of record, 

and 4 of those sites set a new record peak streamflow (table 2, 

table 1–1).

Flooding originated in the upper part of the Fountain 

Creek Basin coinciding with heavy rainfall that occurred in 

and around the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. Data from 

a network of USGS rain gages indicate that rainfall totals for 

September 10–16, 2013, generally increased from east to west 

across Colorado Springs with the highest amounts occurring in the foothills south and southwest of the city (fig. 17). 

Data for selected sites (fig. 18) indicate that rainfall in the 

foothills began late on September 10 with most of the rain 

occurring from late on September 11 through the morning of 

September 13; from highest totals to lowest: Rod and Gun 

meteorologic station at Fort Carson (site 112), Bear Creek near 

Colorado Springs (site 97), Oak Meadow Park meteorologic 

station at Colorado Springs (site 107), Upper Williams Canyon 

met above Manitou Springs Canyon (site 75), Lower Waldo 

Canyon met above Manitou Springs (site 74), West Monument 

Creek at U.S. Air Force Academy (site 84), and Upper Waldo 

Canyon met above Cascade (site 73). To the east and southeast 

of Colorado Springs, rainfall primarily occurred from late on 

September 12 through the morning of September 13 at Penrose 

met at Penrose Elementary at Colorado Springs (site 94), Pine 

Creek met site below Old Ranch Road at Colorado Springs 

(site 83), Ridgeview met below Dublin Blvd. at Colorado 

Springs (site 102), and Fountain Creek at Security (site 108). 

All of the rain gages in figure 18 recorded additional rainfall 

on September 15. 

On the east side of Colorado Springs, the relatively small 

amounts of rainfall recorded in the Sand Creek Basin (sites 

101-105) was not enough to produce flooding, and streamflow 

in Sand Creek above mouth at Colorado Springs (site 106) was 

actually higher in August 2013 compared to September 2013. 

A similar situation existed at most streamgages in the Monument Creek Basin where streamflow was higher in August 

2013 compared to September 2013, including three sites on 

the main stem of Monument Creek (sites 81, 85, and 90), and 

two sites on Cottonwood Creek (sites 87 and 88). Only two 

streamgages with more than 10 years record in the Monument 

Creek Basin had peak streamflows in September 2013 that 

ranked in the top five for the period of record; West Monument Creek at U.S. Air Force Academy (site 84) where a peak 

of 151 ft3

/s ranked second highest in 44 years of record, and 

Monument Creek at Bijou Street at Colorado Springs (site 96), 

where a peak of 6,150 ft3/s ranked the third highest in the 

11 years of record (table 2, table 1–1).

Table 2. Peak streamflow data that ranked in the top five for the period of record at selected streamgages with at least 10 years of 

record in the Fountain Creek Basin, September, 2013.

[no., number; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; ft3/s, cubic feet per second]

Site no. 

(fig. 1 or 3)

USGS site 

number Site name Streamflow(ft3

/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

80 07103703 Camp Creek at Garden of the Godsa 339 2 22

84 07103800 West Monument Creek at U.S. Air Force Academy 151 2 44

96 07104905 Monument Creek at Bijou Street at Colorado Springs 6,150 3 11

97 07105000 Bear Creek near Colorado Springsa 222 1 22

98 07105490 Cheyenne Creek at Evans Avenue at Colorado Springs 1,470 1 22

99 07105500 Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs 8,670 3 38

100 07105530 Fountain Creek below Janitell Road below Colorado Springs 10,300 4 24

108 07105800 Fountain Creek at Security 12,600 5 49

110 07105940 Little Fountain Creek near Fountain 2,810 1 12

111 07105945 Rock Creek above Fort Carson 805 1 35

113 07106000 Fountain Creek near Fountain 15,300 3 46

115 07106300 Fountain Creek near Pinon 11,800 3 41

a

Peak streamflow for 2013 is an estimate.
Description of Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin 21

Monument Creek Monument Creek

West Monument Creek

Fountain Creek

Sand Creek

Cottonwood

Creek

Camp Creek

Williams

Canyon

Waldo

Canyon

Bear Creek

Cheyenne

Creek

Rock Creek

Little Fountain Creek

Jimmy Camp Creek

Fountain Creek

112

108

107

98

104

103

94

95

96

105 97

76

80

92 93 72

74

79

91

89 85

86

87

102

101

78

84

71

73

82 83

75

Fountain

Springs

Colorado

105°00’ 104°50’ 104°40’

39°00’

38°50’

38°40’

Pikes

Peak

EXPLANATION

> 2 to 3

> 3 to 4

> 4 to 5

> 5 to 6

> 7 to 8

> 8 to 9

> 9 to 10

> 11 to 12

> 13 to 14

> 15 to 16

Rainfall, in inches (>, greater than)

Rain gage with site number (table 1−2) 

112

Base from National Land Cover Database, 2006, and 

Esri, 2014. Map image is the intellectual property of 

Esri and is used herein under license. Copyright © 2014 

Esri and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Universal Transverse Mercator projection, zone 13

North American Datum of 1983

0 6 MILES

0 6 KILOMETERS

U.S. Air Force

Acadamy

Peterson

Air Force

Base

Fort Carson

Military Reservation

Fountain Creek Basin

Figure 17. Total rainfall at 32 locations in the Colorado Springs area, 

September 10–16, 2013 (sites 71–76, 78–80, 82–87, 89, 91–98, 101–105, 107, 

108, and 112; site numbers in table 1–2).
22 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Rainfall totaling between 9 and 14 inches produced 

new record peak streamflows at two mountain-tributary 

streamgages on the west side of Colorado Springs; Bear Creek 

near Colorado Springs (site 97), and Cheyenne Creek at Evans 

Avenue at Colorado Springs (site 98); and a peak ranking second at Camp Creek at Garden of the Gods (site 80). All three 

streamgages have 22 years of record (table 2, table 1–1). 

In a 32-mi reach of Fountain Creek extending from 

Colorado Springs to Piñon, peak streamflows in the top five 

for the period of record were documented at five streamgages 

having at least 10 years of record. Peak streamflow was third 

highest in 38 years at Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs 

(site 99), fourth highest in 24 years at Fountain Creek below 

Janitell Road below Colorado Springs (site 100), fifth highest in 49 years at Fountain Creek at Security (site 108), third 

highest in 46 years at Fountain Creek near Fountain (site 113), 

and third highest in 41 years at Fountain Creek near Pinon 

(site 115) (table 2, table 1–1).

The flood peaks initially recorded in Fountain Creek 

at Colorado Springs (site 99) were also recorded about 

2 to 4 hours later about 18 mi farther downstream at the 

streamgage Fountain Creek near Fountain (site 113) (fig. 19). 

The first two streamflow peaks recorded at the gage near 

Fountain (site 113) on September 12 of about 10,800 and 

4,800 ft3/s (fig. 19) were about 25 percent larger than the 

upstream corresponding peaks at Colorado Springs (site 99). 

The third peak recorded at the gage near Fountain (site 113) 

early on September 13 of 15,300 ft3/s was about 88 percent 

larger than the upstream corresponding peak at Colorado 

Springs (site 99). The proportionally greater volume of water 

for this particular peak is attributed to additional inflow 

from Little Fountain Creek located on the west side of the 

basin. Streamflow in the Little Fountain Creek Basin rose to 

record levels late on September 12 following intense rainfall. 

Figure 19 shows cumulative rainfall for a site located in the 

Little Fountain Creek Basin, Rod and Gun meteorologic station at Fort Carson (site 112), where about 9.8 inches of rain 

fell during the last 6 hours of September 12. Streamflow at 

Rock Creek above Fort Carson Reservation (site 111), located 

in the upper reaches of the Little Fountain Creek Basin, 

peaked at 805 ft3

/s and was the highest streamflow recorded in 

the 35-year history of the station. Upstream from the confluence with Rock Creek at Little Fountain Creek near Fountain 

(site 110), streamflow peaked at 2,810 ft3/s, ranking as the 

highest peak in the 12-year history of the station. 

The peak of 15,300 ft3/s at the Fountain Creek near 

Fountain streamgage (site 113) that occurred at 1:35 a.m. on 

September 13 was the highest streamflow recorded in the 

Fountain Creek Basin during the September 2013 event and 

ranks as the third highest in the 46 years of record for the 

station, with the peak of record being 22,100 ft3

/s from 1940. 

The flood crest was recorded about 12 hours later on September 13 near the mouth of the Fountain Creek Basin in the City 

of Pueblo. Streamflow in Fountain Creek at Pueblo (site 116) 

peaked at 11,800 ft3/s and ranked only thirteenth highest out of 

74 annual peaks with the highest on record being 47,000 ft3/s 

in 1965 (table 1–1).

Figure 18. Cumulative rainfall for selected sites in the Colorado Springs area, September 10–16, 2013 (sites 73–75, 83, 84, 

94, 97, 102, 107, 108, and 112; site numbers in table 1–2).

10 11 12 13 14

September 2013

15 16

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

Rainfall, in inches

Site 112

Site 97

Site 107

Site 75

Site 74

Site 84

Site 73

Site 94

Site 83

Site 102

Site 108

EXPLANATION
Summary 23

Summary

Excessive rainfall caused major flooding during September 9–18, 2013, in eastern Colorado including a large 

part of the South Platte River Basin, primarily north of and 

downstream from Denver, and in the Fountain Creek Basin, a 

tributary to the Arkansas River. The floods resulted in several 

fatalities, more than 31,000 damaged or destroyed structures, 

and an estimated 3 billion dollars in damages. On September 

9, 2013, rain began to fall in eastern Colorado as a large lowpressure system pulled plumes of tropical moisture northward 

from the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. By September 

16, 2013, as much as 12 to 20 inches of rain had fallen in the 

foothills of the Front Range of the Southern Rocky Mountains 

and adjacent plains near Colorado Springs, Colorado, north 

to the Colorado-Wyoming border. Maximum rainfall in the 

South Platte River Basin was concentrated in the foothills in 

an area extending from west of Denver to north of Estes Park 

and in an area east of Denver that included the City of Aurora. 

The annual exceedance probability for maximum 24-hour 

rainfall for parts of the South Platte River Basin was as small 

as 0.1 percent, indicating the rarity of the rainfall event. In 

the vicinity of Colorado Springs in the upper Fountain Creek 

Basin, rainfall totals for September 10–16 ranged from about 

2 to 16 inches. On September 12, 2013, a total of 11.85 inches 

of rain was recorded at a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) rain 

gage in the Fountain Creek Basin, setting a new daily-record 

amount for Colorado. 

The USGS documented peak stage, streamflow, or both 

from the flood event at 80 sites located on selected rivers and 

streams in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins 

and on the Platte River in Nebraska. Most of the data were 

collected by the USGS at streamgages or derived from field 

surveys of high-water marks and channel geometry as part of 

an indirect measurement of streamflow. Some of the data were 

obtained from other sources. Rainfall data were collected for 

37 sites; 5 sites in the South Platte River Basin and 32 sites in 

the Fountain Creek Basin. 

Flooding in the South Platte River Basin was primarily 

contained to select streams in Aurora and the Denver metropolitan area, most of the mountain tributaries joining the main 

stem South Platte River from Denver to Greeley, and in the 

main stem South Platte River from Denver to the ColoradoNebraska State line. The majority of flood-peak streamflows 

occurred on September 12 or 13, 2013, coinciding with the 

period of maximum rainfall. Twenty-nine streamgages in the 

South Platte River Basin with at least 10 years of record had 

peak streamflows during the September 2013 flood that ranked 

in the top five for the period of record, and 13 of those sites set 

a new record peak streamflow.

In Aurora, where about 15 inches of rain fell, streamflow in Toll Gate Creek (a tributary to Sand Creek) peaked at 

5,470 cubic feet per second (ft3/s). Downstream from Aurora 

near the confluence with the South Platte River, Sand Creek 

peaked at 14,900 ft3/s on September 12, which was the highest streamflow since at least 1992, but less than a peak of 

25,500 ft3/s that occurred in 1957 about 4 miles (mi) upstream 

from the mouth. With the exception of sites on Big Dry Creek 

in Highlands Ranch, Little Dry Creek in Centennial, and Lena 

Gulch in Lakewood, September 2013 peak streamflows in the 

Denver metropolitan area were generally well below historical 

records. The peak of 3,930 ft3

/s on September 12 at the State 

of Colorado streamgage South Platte River at Denver ranked 

59 out of 116 peaks and was less than the 1965 peak of 

40,300 ft3/s. 

Figure 19. Streamflow in Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs (site 99), Fountain Creek near Fountain (site 113), and cumulative 

rainfall since September 10 at the Rod and Gun meteorologic station at Fort Carson (site 112), September 12–13, 2013.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000

Streamflow, in cubic feet per second

September 2013

Rainfall, in inches

Streamflow, site 99

Streamflow, site 113

Rainfall, site 112

EXPLANATION

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

12 13

6 hours
24 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Ten of the 13 streamgages in the South Platte River Basin 

with new record peak streamflows were located on the mountain tributaries; Bear Creek, Fourmile Creek, Boulder Creek, 

St. Vrain Creek, the Big Thompson River, and the Cache la 

Poudre River. At a USGS streamgage west of Denver on Bear 

Creek, streamflow reached 1,800 ft3/s. At a State of Colorado 

streamgage located nearby upstream, Bear Creek has had 

maximum annual peaks greater than 1,800 ft3/s nine times in 

the past 104 years.

In Boulder Creek, a tributary to St. Vrain Creek, streamflow in the City of Boulder peaked on September 12 at 

4,970 ft3/s at a station operated by the Urban Drainage and 

Flood Control District, which was much less than the 1894 

peak estimated to be between 9,000 to 13,600 ft3/s. Peak 

streamflow at the mouth of Boulder Creek was not determined, 

but an estimate of a daily-mean streamflow for September 13 

equal to 8,910 ft3/s indicates the peak was probably at least 

two times the magnitude of the instantaneous peak of record 

of 4,410 ft3/s recorded in 1938. Peak streamflow in St. Vrain 

Creek at Lyons was estimated by the USGS to be 23,800 ft3/s, 

which is more than double the previous peak of 10,500 ft3/s 

recorded in 1941.

For the September 2013 flood, the USGS calculated a 

peak streamflow of 16,200 ft3/s for the Big Thompson River 

at mouth of canyon near Drake streamgage, which was the 

second highest peak in 90 years of record and about one-half 

the magnitude of the peak of 31,200 ft3/s from July 31, 1976. 

Flood streamflows in the Cache la Poudre River peaked on 

September 13 at 9,730 ft3/s at the mouth of Poudre Canyon. 

The State of Colorado streamgage at the mouth of Poudre 

Canyon is one of the oldest gages in the State and has 

131 annual streamflow peaks on record dating back to 1882. 

The 2013 peak ranks the fourth highest out of the 131 peaks 

and is slightly less than one-half the value of the peak of 

record of 21,000 ft3/s set in 1891, which resulted from the 

failure of Chambers Lake Dam.

Streamflow in the main stem South Platte River combined with inflow from the mountain tributaries probably 

resulted in record flooding in the Greeley area. The current 

peak of record at a State of Colorado streamgage at Kersey, 

about 6.5 mi downstream from Greeley, is 31,500 ft3

/s from 

1973. For the September 2013 event, the USGS computed a 

peak flow of 60,000 ft3/s at Fort Morgan, about 45 mi downstream from Kersey. Given that there was minimal inflow 

between Kersey and Fort Morgan, the USGS estimates there 

was probably at least 60,000 ft3/s at Kersey, which would be 

almost double the peak streamflow of record from 1973.

Flooding in the Fountain Creek Basin was primarily 

contained to Fountain Creek from southern Colorado Springs 

to its confluence with the Arkansas River in Pueblo, in lower 

Monument Creek, and in several mountain tributaries. All of 

the streamgages in the Fountain Creek Basin recorded streamflow peaks on September 12 or 13, 2013, coinciding with the 

period of maximum rainfall. Twelve streamgages with at least 

10 years of record had peak streamflows during the September 

2013 flood that ranked in the top five for the period of record, 

and 4 of those sites set a new record peak streamflow.

Flooding originated in the upper part of the Fountain 

Creek Basin coinciding with heavy rainfall that occurred in 

and around the Colorado Springs metropolitan area. Data 

from a network of USGS rain gages indicate that rainfall for 

September 10–16, 2013, generally increased from about 2 to 

16 inches from east to west across Colorado Springs with the 

highest amounts occurring in the foothills south and southwest 

of the city.

Relatively small amounts of rainfall were not enough to 

produce flooding in the Sand Creek Basin in eastern Colorado Springs and most of the Monument Creek Basin. At 

many streamgages in these basins, streamflows were higher 

in August 2013 compared to September 2013. An exception 

was a streamflow peak of 6,150 ft3

/s ranking third highest 

in 11 years of record near the mouth of Monument Creek. 

New record peak streamflows were documented at two 

streamgages located on mountain tributaries on the west side 

of Colorado Springs (Bear and Cheyenne Creeks). Both these 

streamgages have 22 years of record. Five streamgages with at 

least 10 years of record in a 32-mile reach of Fountain Creek 

extending from Colorado Springs to Piñon had peak streamflows in the top five for the period of record.

New record peak streamflows were also recorded at two 

sites in the Little Fountain Creek Basin; Rock Creek above 

Fort Carson Reservation (35 years of record), and Little 

Fountain Creek near Fountain (12 years of record). Inflow 

from these two mountain tributaries contributed to a peak of 

15,300 ft3/s at the Fountain Creek near Fountain streamgage; 

the highest streamflow recorded in the Fountain Creek Basin 

during the September 2013 event and ranking the third highest 

in 46 years of record. Near the mouth of the Fountain Creek 

Basin in the City of Pueblo, streamflow in Fountain Creek 

peaked at 11,800 ft3/s and ranked only thirteenth highest out of 

74 annual peaks with the highest on record being 47,000 ft3/s 

in 1965.

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Appendixes
28 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013 Table 1–1. Peak stage and streamflow data at selected streamgages and non-gaged sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013. [no., number; mi2, square miles; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; n/a, not applicable; --, data not available; N. F., North Fork; Nebr., Nebraska; Blvd., boulevard; U.S., United States; Res., reservation] Site no. (figs. 1, 2, or 3) Agency site numbera Site name Contributing drainage area (mi2

)

Peak streamflow for period of 

record prior to September 2013 Peak streamflow for September 2013

Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

1 06708800 East Plum Creek above Haskins Gulch 

near Castle Rock

116 6/6/2012 9.04 1,470 9/14/2013 7.96 930 3 14

2 06709000 Plum Creek near Sedalia 275 8/8/1945 6.52 7,700 9/14/2013 8.89 1,260 4 28

3 06709530 Plum Creek at Titan Road near Louviers 316 4/30/1999 8.05 2,900 9/14/2013 10.30 1,300 9 30

4 06709740 Lee Gulch at Littletonb 2.5 1983 16.00 444 9/10/2013 9.94 50 n/a n/a

5 06709910 Dutch Creek at Platte Canyon Drive near 

Littletonb

14.7 6/1/1991 11.51 1,090 9/12/2013 10.19 86 n/a n/a

6 06710150 Big Dry Creek below C-470 at Highlands 

Ranch

11.2 6/7/2012 6.69 901 9/10/2013 5.11 527 2 10

7 06710247 South Platte River below Union Avenue at 

Englewood

3,098 5/2/2007 14.57 2,600 9/12/2013 12.62 552 16 18

8 06710385 Bear Creek above Evergreen 103 6/18/1995 5.39 573 9/13/2013 8.41 1,350 1 30

9 06710500 Bear Creek at Morrisonc 164 7/24/1896 -- 8,600 9/13/2013 9.05 2,660 6 104

10 06710605 Bear Creek above Bear Creek Lake near 

Morrisond

176 6/9/1995 6.45 841 9/13/2013 8.46 1,800 1 28

11 06711515 Little Dry Creek near Arapahoe Road at 

Centenniald

1.4 7/9/1985 10.52 953 9/10/2013 9.82 631 3 28

12 06711555 Little Dry Creek above Englewood 23.7 8/5/1983 15.64 961 9/12/2013 6.73 363 25 31

13 06711565 South Platte River at Englewood 3,391 6/4/1995 7.21 9,710 9/12/2013 3.21 1,140 26 31

14 06711575 Harvard Gulch at Harvard Park at Denverb 4.0 7/8/2001 17.44 2,120 9/23/2013 14.28 401 n/a n/a

15 06711618 Weir Gulch upstream from 1st Avenue at 

Denvere

5.6 8/1/1991 11.91 523 9/12/2013 9.90 78 n/a n/a

16 06711770 Dry Gulch at Denvere 3.4 7/13/2013 13.64 468 9/12/2013 11.95 134 n/a n/a

17 06711780 Lakewood Gulch at Denvere 15.7 7/13/2013 17.38 2,660 9/12/2013 13.62 354 n/a n/a

18 393109104464500 Cherry Creek near Parker 287 6/6/2012 12.29 3,070 9/14/2013 10.25 819 3 22

19 06713500 Cherry Creek at Denver 410 7/26/1885 -- 20,000 9/12/2013 8.45 1,410 25 63

20 06714000 South Platte River at Denverc 3,866 6/17/1965 15.00 40,300 9/12/2013 7.41 3,930 59 116

21 06714215 South Platte River at 64th Ave at 

Commerce City

3,895 6/8/1987 8.09 14,300 9/12/2013 6.17 5,220 19 32

22 394329104490101 Toll Gate Creek above 6th Ave at Aurora 34.6 6/7/2012 8.01 874 9/14/2013 12.81 5,470 1 2

24 06714360 Sand Creek above Burlington Ditch near 

Commerce Cityd

187 n/a n/a n/a 9/12/2013 11.38 14,800 1 1
Appendixes 29

Site no. 

(figs. 1, 2, 

or 3)

Agency site 

numbera Site name

Contributing 

drainage area 

(mi2)

Peak streamflow for period of 

record prior to September 2013 Peak streamflow for September 2013

Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

25 394839104570300 Sand Creek at mouth near Commerce 

Cityf

187 7/29/1997 12.12 5,750 9/12/2013 -- 14,900 1 21

26 06718550 North Clear Creek above mouth near 

Black Hawk

60 6/2/1995 5.87 759 9/12/2013 6.03 402 3 19

28 06719505 Clear Creek at Golden 394 7/10/1983 6.44 2,370 9/13/2013 6.83 1,530 8 39

29 06719560 Lena Gulch at Lakewood 9.1 7/20/1975 14.41 641 9/9/2013 13.62 546 4 33

30 06720500 South Platte River at Hendersonc 4,768 5/6/1973 11.67 33,000 9/13/2003 11.65 11,200 9 88

31 06720820 Big Dry Creek at Westminster 43.9 7/8/2011 6.49 921 9/11/2013 5.46 642 4 26

32 06720990 Big Dry Creek at mouth near Fort Lupton 107 8/17/2008 9.36 700 9/12/2013 9.61 781 1 22

33 06721000 South Platte River at Fort Lupton 5,043 4/26/1942 7.24 9,000 9/13/2013 10.98 10,300 1 40

34 MIDSTECO Middle Saint Vrain at Peaceful Valleyc 18 -- -- -- 9/13/2013 4.98 -- -- --

36 06724000 St. Vrain Creek at Lyonsc d 216 6/22/1941 8.06 10,500 9/12 or 13 -- 23,800 1 12237 SVLONGCO St Vrain Creek at Longmontc 240 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

38 400911105042500 St Vrain Creek at North 119th Street near 

Longmontd

370 n/a n/a n/a 9/13/2013 -- 31,700 -- --

39 06725450 St Vrain Creek below Longmont 423 4/30/1999 6.87 3,600 9/13/2013 -- 31,700 1 35

41 06727410 Fourmile Creek at Logan Mill Road near 

Crismand

19.2 7/13/2011 12.30 820 9/12/2013 13.20 2,040 1 3

42 06727500 Fourmile Creek at Orodelld 24.2 7/13/2011 9.80 770 9/12/2013 13.57 2,510 1 2243 4580 Boulder Creek Broadwayg 135 -- -- -- 9/12/2013 8.18 4,970 -- --44 06729500 South Boulder Creek near Eldorado 

Springsc

111 9/2/1938 9.24 7,390 -- -- -- -- --

45 06730160 Fourmile Canyon Creek near Sunshined 1.8 7/30/2012 2.12 108 9/12/2013 3.13 1,090 1 2

46 06730200 Boulder Creek at North 75th Street near 

Boulderd

307 5/30/2003 4.97 2,050 9/13/2013 10.60 8,400 1 27

47 06730300 Coal Creek near Plainviewc 15.2 5/7/1969 5.30 2,060 -- -- -- -- --48 06730500 Boulder Creek at mouth near Longmonth 448 9/3/1938 6.94 4,410 9/13/2013 8.05 8,910 1 6249 401030104584801 St Vrain Creek at Interstate 25 near 

Longmontd

891 n/a n/a n/a 9/13/2013 -- 37,000 -- --

50 06731000 St Vrain Creek at mouth near Plattevillec 979 9/3/1938 8.93 11,300 -- -- -- -- --

51 402114105350101 Big Thompson River below Moraine Park 

near Estes Park

39.8 7/9/2011 7.32 1,020 9/12/2013 7.52 1,130 1 15

Table 1–1. Peak stage and streamflow data at selected streamgages and non-gaged sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013.—Continued[no., number; mi2, square miles; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; n/a, not applicable; --, data not available; N. F., North Fork; Nebr., Nebraska; Blvd., boulevard; U.S., United States; Res., reservation]
30 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013 Site no. (figs. 1, 2, or 3) Agency site numbera Site name Contributing drainage area (mi2

)

Peak streamflow for period of 

record prior to September 2013 Peak streamflow for September 2013

Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

52 06738000 Big Thompson River at mouth of 

canyon near Drakec d

305 7/31/1976 19.86 31,200 9/13/2013 -- 16,200 2 90

53 06741510 Big Thompson River at Lovelandd 531 4/30/1980 10.10 6,970 9/13/2013 11.93 19,000 1 35

54 06751150 N. F. Cache la Poudre River below Halligan Reservoir near Virginia Dale 354 4/30/1999 6.47 1,840 9/14/2013 5.62 1,050 2 15

55 06751490 N. F. Cache la Poudre River at Livermore 538 6/1/1991 17.53 5,430 9/13/2013 16.45 4,510 2 27

56 06752000 Cache la Poudre River at mouth of 

canyon near Fort Collinsc

1,054 6/9/1891 -- 21,000 9/13/2013 10.29 9,730 4 131

59 06752260 Cache la Poudre River at Fort Collins 1,128 4/30/1999 10.46 7,710 9/13/2013 11.56 8,140 1 39

60 06752280 Cache la Poudre River above Box Elder 

Creek near Timnath

1,244 5/1/1999 11.13 7,200 9/13/2013 10.97 7,010 2 34

61 06754000 South Platte River near Kerseyc 9,661 5/8/1973 11.73 31,500 -- -- -- -- --

62 06758500 South Platte River near Weldonac 13,205 5/8/1973 11.68 26,800 -- -- -- -- --63 06759000 Bijou Creek near Wigginsi 1,314 6/18/1965 -- 466,000 -- -- -- -- --64 06759500 South Platte River at Fort Morgan 14,648 5/31/1935 -- 84,300 9/15/2013 25.73 60,000 2 28

65 06760000 South Platte River at Balzacc j 16,623 6/18/1965 13.32 123,000 9/15/2013 13.71 -- -- --

66 06760500 South Platte River near Crookc 19,009 5/18/1957 8.02 9,890 -- -- -- -- --

67 06764000 South Platte River at Julesburgc 22,824 6/20/1965 10.44 37,600 9/18/2013 11.39 21,800 5 109

68 06764880 South Platte River at Roscoe, Nebr. 23,900 6/6/1995 11.29 20,100 9/21/2013 12.21 19,100 2 31

69 06770200 Platte River near Kearney, Nebr. 57,260 6/29/1983 7.42 23,700 9/28/2013 7.22 12,500 5 32

70 06770500 Platte River near Grand Island, Nebr. 57,650 6/6/1935 5.99 30,000 9/29/2013 6.52 9,700 23 80

72 07100300 Fountain Creek at Cascade 43.5 n/a n/a n/a 9/12/2013 4.89 144 1 1

77 07103700 Fountain Creek near Colorado Springs 102 8/4/1964 5.27 2,630 9/12/2013 7.44 1,540 6 56

79 07103702 Camp Creek above Glen Eyrie near Colorado Springsf 7.2 n/a n/a n/a 9/12/2013 6.15 309 1 1

80 07103703 Camp Creek at Garden of the Godsf 9.4 4/29/1999 5.40 430 9/12/2013 5.05 339 2 22

81 07103780 Monument Creek above North Gate Blvd. 

at U.S. Air Force Academyb

81.4 4/30/1999 9.01 1,790 9/13/2013 4.17 227 n/a n/a

84 07103800 West Monument Creek at U.S. Air Force 

Academy

14.8 7/30/2012 4.50 194 9/12/2013 3.62 151 2 44

85 07103970 Monument Creek above Woodmen Road 

at Colorado Springsb

180 8/4/2004 9.70 3,600 9/13/2013 7.06 1,280 n/a n/a

Table 1–1. Peak stage and streamflow data at selected streamgages and non-gaged sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013.—Continued[no., number; mi2, square miles; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; n/a, not applicable; --, data not available; N. F., North Fork; Nebr., Nebraska; Blvd., boulevard; U.S., United States; Res., reservation]
Appendixes 31

Site no. 

(figs. 1, 2, 

or 3)

Agency site 

numbera Site name

Contributing 

drainage area 

(mi2)

Peak streamflow for period of 

record prior to September 2013 Peak streamflow for September 2013

Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Date Stage (ft) Streamflow (ft3/s) Rank/annual peaks in record

87 07103980 Cottonwood Creek at Woodmen Road 

near Colorado Springsb

10.2 8/22/2013 7.61 3,500 9/13/2013 2.28 470 n/a n/a

88 07103990 Cottonwood Creek at mouth at Pikeviewb 18.9 8/4/2004 10.08 4,030 9/13/2013 7.83 1,410 n/a n/a

90 07104000 Monument Creek at Pikeviewb 203 8/4/2004 11.24 5,230 9/13/2013 10.82 3,330 n/a n/a96 07104905 Monument Creek at Bijou Street at 

Colorado Springs

235 6/6/2012 9.59 6,760 9/13/2013 9.77 6,150 3 11

97 07105000 Bear Creek near Colorado Springsf 6.9 4/30/1999 2.80 185 9/13/2013 6.70 222 1 22

98 07105490 Cheyenne Creek at Evans Avenue at 

Colorado Springsd

21.7 6/10/1997 3.51 595 9/12/2013 5.97 1,470 1 22

99 07105500 Fountain Creek at Colorado Springs 392 9/2/1994 12.12 10,100 9/12/2013 10.66 8,670 3 38

100 07105530 Fountain Creek below Janitell Road 

below Colorado Springs

413 4/30/1999 10.55 13,800 9/12/2013 10.31 10,300 4 24

106 07105600 Sand Creek above mouth at Colorado 

Springsb

52.4 6/27/2004 6.22 5,720 9/13/2013 2.80 171 n/a n/a

108 07105800 Fountain Creek at Security 500 7/24/1965 11.30 25,000 9/12/2013 9.29 12,600 5 49

109 07105900 Jimmy Camp Creek at Fountainb 65.4 6/17/1965 -- 124,000 9/13/2013 7.14 272 n/a n/a

110 07105940 Little Fountain Creek near Fountaind 26.9 8/23/1986 8.47 1,290 9/12/2013 14.39 2,810 1 12

111 07105945 Rock Creek above Fort Carson Res.d 6.8 6/10/1997 9.71 770 9/12/2013 7.30 805 1 35

113 07106000 Fountain Creek near Fountain 672 5/28/1940 9.19 22,100 9/13/2013 10.06 15,300 3 46

114 07106200 Fountain Creek above Young Hollow near 

Wigwam

793 n/a n/a n/a 9/13/2013 7.84 13,200 1 1

115 07106300 Fountain Creek near Pinon 865 4/30/1999 9.80 19,100 9/13/2013 8.68 11,800 3 41

116 07106500 Fountain Creek at Pueblo 925 6/17/1965 19.00 47,000 9/13/2013 8.62 11,800 13 74

aSite numbers assigned by U.S. Geological Survey, Colorado Division of Water Resources, or Urban Drainage and Flood Control District.bPeak streamflow for 2013 was higher in August.cStreamgage operated and data obtained from Colorado Division of Water Resources (Colorado Division of Water Resources, 2014b).dPeak streamflow for 2013 determined by U.S. Geological Survey by indirect measurement.ePeak streamflow for 2013 was higher in July.fPeak streamflow for 2013 is an estimate.gStreamgage operated and data obtained from Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, 2014a).hPeak streamflow for 2013 is an estimated daily average.iStreamgage discontinued in 1956.jData for September 2013 obtained 5.6 miles upstream from site 65.

Table 1–1. Peak stage and streamflow data at selected streamgages and non-gaged sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013.—Continued[no., number; mi2, square miles; ft, feet; ft3/s, cubic feet per second; n/a, not applicable; --, data not available; N. F., North Fork; Nebr., Nebraska; Blvd., boulevard; U.S., United States; Res., reservation]
32 Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013

Table 1–2. Rainfall data for selected sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013.

[no., number; NWS, National Weather Service; ID, identificaton; --, not applicable; SE, southeast; NW, northwest; Sec., section; T, township; N, north; R, range; 

W, west; WWTP, wastewater treatment plant; U.S., United States; N., north; Blvd., boulevard; E., east]

Site no. 

(figs. 2, 3, 

or 17)

Agency 

site numbera Site name Period of rainfall reported

Total

rainfall

(inches)

23 700 Toll Gate at 6thb 9/9/2013 11:57 p.m.–9/16/2013 11:57 p.m. 12.52

27 NWS ID 52003 Lookout Mountain Coloradoc 9/9/2013 1:00 a.m.–9/15/2013 11:59 p.m. 9.64

35 4310 Johnny Parkb 9/9/2013 2:41 a.m.–9/15/2013 9:27 p.m. 12.29

40 NWS ID 50604 Sugar Loaf Coloradoc 9/9/2013 1:00 a.m.–9/15/2013 11:59 p.m. 12.95

57 403846105164801 High Park precipitation on Rist Canyon 

Road near Bellvue

9/9/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/15/2013 11:55 p.m. 12.52

58 -- SE1/4 NW1/4 Sec. 31, T.8N., R.70W., 

Larimer Countyd

7/31/1976–8/2/1976 10.24

71 385653104583101 Sand Gulch met station above Chipita Park 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.63

72 07100300 Fountain Creek at Cascade 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.38

73 385449104565501 Upper Waldo Canyon met above Cascade 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 7.08

74 385241104560101 Lower Waldo Canyon met above Manitou 

Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.74

75 385334104544901 Upper Williams Canyon met above Manitou 

Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 10.00

76 385129104544601 Manitou Springs met below Ruxton Creek 

at Manitou Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 9.10

78 385640104555701 Upper Queens Canyon met station near 

Ormes Peak

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.35

79 07103702 Camp Creek above Glen Eyrie near 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.64

80 07103703 Camp Creek at Garden of the Gods 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 9.23

82 385906104495101 WWTP meteorological station at 

U.S. Air Force Academy

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.70

83 385846104462501 Pine Creek met site below Old Ranch Road 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 4.01

84 07103800 West Monument Creek at U.S. Air Force 

Academy

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.32

85 07103970 Monument Creek above Woodmen Road 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.73

86 385636104465601 N. Academy met station near Briargate Blvd. 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.55

87 07103980 Cottonwood Creek at Woodmen Road near 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 4.76

89 385548104503201 Foothills met station at Foothills Elementary 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.79

91 385520104530401 Douglas Creek met above Flying West Ranch 

Road at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.31

92 385349104501401 Douglas Creek met above North Chestnut 

Street at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.71

93 385351104454601 Templeton Gap met above Austin Bluffs at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.67

94 385240104444801 Penrose met at Penrose Elementary at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.08
Appendixes 33

Site no. 

(figs. 2, 3, 

or 17)

Agency 

site numbera Site name Period of rainfall reported

Total

rainfall

(inches)

95 385121104480701 Shooks Run met at Patty Jewett Golf Course 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 7.64

96 07104905 Monument Creek at Bijou Street at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 8.69

97 07105000 Bear Creek near Colorado Springs 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 13.21

98 07105490 Cheyenne Creek at Evans Avenue at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 13.59

101 385740104405501 Upper Sand Creek met above Lochwinnoch 

Lane at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 3.15

102 385519104415501 Ridgeview met below Dublin Blvd. at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 3.43

103 385259104410801 Middle Sand Creek met near Carefree Circle 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 3.26

104 385010104422901 E. Fork Sand Creek met below Platte 

Avenue at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 2.87

105 384908104453301 South Academy Blvd. meteorologic station 

at Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 5.86

107 384537104494701 Oak Meadow Park meteorologic station at 

Colorado Springs

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 11.49

108 07105800 Fountain Creek at Security 9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 2.94

112 384053104492001 Rod and Gun meteorologic station at Fort 

Carson

9/10/2013 12:05 a.m.–9/16/2013 11:55 p.m. 15.64

a

Site numbers assigned by the U.S. Geological Survey or Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, or obtained from the Western Region Climate Center 

(2014).

b

Data obtained from the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (2014a).

c

Data obtained from the Western Region Climate Center (2014).

d

Data obtained from McCain and Shroba (1979, p. 49).

Table 1–2. Rainfall data for selected sites in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins, September, 2013.—Continued

[no., number; NWS, National Weather Service; ID, identificaton; --, not applicable; SE, southeast; NW, northwest; Sec., section; T, township; N, north; R, range; 

W, west; WWTP, wastewater treatment plant; U.S., United States; N., north; Blvd., boulevard; E., east]
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For more information concerning this publication, contact: 

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415 National Center 

12201 Sunrise Valley Drive 

Reston, VA 20192 

(703) 648-5301

Or visit the Office of Surface Water Web site at: 

http://water.usgs.gov/osw/

Kimbrough and Holmes—Flooding in the South Platte River and Fountain Creek Basins in Eastern Colorado, September 9–18, 2013—Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5119

ISSN 2328-0328 (online)

http://dx.doi.org/10.3133/sir20155119