Pueblo chieftain., 1921-08-07

| Due to limited storage possibilities
and as very little. II any, water is
available for storage in the Arkansas
River above Pueblo. there does not
appear to be any prospect of develop
| ing irrigation storage with economy in
conjunction with flood detention
storage.
The utilization of a small amount of
storage capacity in the Rock Canyon
reservoir for the domestic supply OF
Pueblo does not appear feasible be-
cause OF the tendency of such small
reservoirs to I'll with silt when locat-
ed on the main channel of a silt laden
stream.
| II irrigation storage were developed
in the Rock Canyon reservoir, 1t might
be possible to develop a small amount
Of electric powa- at this site FOR
municipal or other purposes. 1t is
concluded. however. that very little X
any continuous power would result
from such an Installation because any
further irrigation development on the
Arkansas River in Colorado would
depend largely on hoid-over storage.
| Accurate Topographic and hydrogra-
phic data will be needed before any
lated for flood control OF the Arkansas
River and Fountain Creek. This data
should be collected while high water
marks are well defined.
Tho best solution OF The flood prob
lem based on incomplete data and
very preliminary studies appears to be
some combination of flood detention
storage IN Rock Canyon reservoir site
with channel enlargement OF the Ar
kansas River through Pueblo. together
with bank protection or channel en-
lsrgement OF Fountain Creek through
Pueblo. The following plans appear to
be the most economical:
!
Plan C.-Combination No. I, embrac-
ing 1900 acre feet of detention stor-
a 90 and channel enlargement to $4,000
! second feet. Estimated cost ss, SOC, 900
Fountain Creek
Plan E.-Bank protection to 10000
second feet capacity Estimated cost
/ S.. 500 o0a.
Total sa.ooo,oS.
History of Former Floods 90.
The first flood in the Arkansas VAL
ley known to white settlers occurred
il 1854. At thaS time Pueblo was lit
tic more than trading post and the
damage was slight. The next flood
Of unusual volume was In 1924. At.the
time OF this flood Pueblo had little or
no river protection and the Arkansas
River meandsred through the city
cutting It's banks and changing It's
course. This flood covered the rail-
road yards extending to Third and
Fourth streets in pueblo and submerg-
ed the lower bottom lands down the
valley, doing considerable damage.
After the flood of 1891 the city of
and built substantial levces leaving
the river in tho condition obtaining at
the time of the recent flood.
With the exception OF n flood in the
Purgatorie River in 1905 which wash
ed out the Fort Bent Canal diversion
do 10 NIT fiNg-ginn
dam. there has been but little damage
to irrigation works through floods on
tho Arkansas River or its tributaries
iu the past twenty years. The minor
damages occurring from time to time
during this pcriou Tcre chargeable
more to poor construction or insuffi-
cient protective work than to unusual
flood conditions. No noteworthy dam
nge to either county or city property
occurred in this period.
Description of Flood
Tho recent flood came with little
warning at Pueblo and even when
warned many of the endangered
people could not realize the over
whelming proportions OF the flood
and would not leave their homes.
This fact added greatly to the loss of
life.
on tho afternoon of June 2. the
Arkansas River through Pueblo was
carrying about s.1oo second feet. At
1870 +. NJ. II began to rise rapidly
and at $500 A. NJ. OF June 8 the dis
charge was about 2s.5o0 second feet.
At 500 A. NJ. June the discharge
had dropped to $500 second feet and
from noon to 500 p. NJ. on June 3
the discharge was only 2.s0o second
feet A. 500 p. NJ. June 3 the river
started to rise very rapidly. reaching
n gng. height Of 1c7 feot and dis
charge of $4,000 second feet at $40
=. NJ. where IL remained stationary
until T:iO r. NJ. At 7.40 +. NJ. II
started rising rapidly again overtop-
ping the levees and beginning TO
flood tho city at s:45 p. NJ. June 3,
with n gage height OF 1914 feet
When the river began to overflow
its hanks the discharge was probably