Page images
PDF
EPUB

CHAPTER II.

STREAM-FLOW MEASUREMENTS.

Six gauges have been installed and are being maintained by this department for the purpose of determining the flow of the Arkansas river and its use for irrigation. These gauges are automatic in their action and make a continuous record of the gauge height, or the depth of the water passing the gauge. One gauge is on the river a short distance below the Kansas-Colorado state line. The other five are on the five principal irrigation canals. location of these gauges is such that the river gauge makes a record of all water coming into this state from Colorado, while the canal gauges, being just below the headgates of the respective canals, show the amounts of water diverted by such canals.

The

At first the river gauge was located at Coolidge, on a wagon bridge south of town, but this gauge was lost in the flood of June, 1921, which destroyed : the highway bridge to which it was attached. In replacing the river gauge the new one was located at Syracuse, fifteen miles farther downstream, partly because the large steel piers under the bridge at Syracuse offered a more secure place to attach the gauge, and partly because Syracuse can be reached more conveniently either by auto or by rail.

In June, 1922, a river gauge was installed coöperatively by the irrigation commissioner and the United States Geological Survey, the irrigation commissioner furnishing the well and shelter, and the Geological Survey the recording instrument. Discharge measurements at this station will, for the most part, be made by the irrigation commissioner. This installation will not only be valuable as a check on those farther upstream, but it will furnish valuable information on return seepage from the irrigation projects above, and the effect of such irrigation on the water supply in the valley below. No records from this gauge are available for this biennium.

FLOOD OF JUNE, 1921.

In June, 1921, the Arkansas river valley was visited by a flood of such destructive proportions that, because of the damage which it caused to the irrigation canals, it should receive some mention in connection with the stream-flow measurements for that year.

This flood had its origin in rains of unusual intensity over a limited area between Pueblo and Canon City. Rain begain falling on the various tributaries between three and six o'clock on the afternoon of June 3. By nine p. m. the converging streams were pouring the most destructive flood in its history into the city of Pueblo, and within the remarkably short time of three hours the larger part of the business district was flooded to a depth of from ten to fourteen feet.

Proceeding down the valley, the flood increased in volume from an estimated flow of 103,000 second feet at Pueblo to 200,000 second feet at La Junta. Below La Junta the maximum flood flow decreased to approximately 120,000 second feet at Holly, just west of the Kansas line. This decrease was due mostly to the natural storage afforded by the wide, shallow valley as the water flooded over the land.

[ocr errors]

The property loss in Colorado was estimated at over $19,000,000, and while the total loss of human life is not known because many bodies were washed away, seventy-eight bodies were found.

A more complete report of the flood in Colorado is given by the United States Geological Survey, Water Supply Paper 487, "The Arkansas River Flood of June 3-5, 1921," from which most of the foregoing information was obtained.

Flood damage in Kansas was very small compared with that in Colorado, and so far as is known no loss of life occurred. The maximum volume of the flood in Kansas is not known, but from high-water marks on the bridge at Syracuse and on adjacent objects, and from subsequent stream-flow measurements, it does not seem probable that it was greatly in excess of 45,000 second feet at that place. This, however, was sufficient to cause considerable damage to irrigation works. Water washed around the head gate of the Amazon, and, farther down, overtopped the canal banks, washing out a considerable section of one side of the canal. About 1,200 feet of the South Side ditch were carried completely away, caused by the river shifting its channel to what was formerly the site of the canal. In reconstructing the canal it was necessary to make a wide detour to the south, where considerable rock was encountered in the excavation. At another place shifting of the river channel washed away a section of the Great Eastern canal, where it was carried around the point of a hill above the river. Reconstruction here necessitated making a deep and expensive cut through the hill. Damage to the Farmers' ditch was small, and the canal was in service again within a few days after the flood. The head works of the Garden City ditch, which were already in a poor state of repair, sustained considerable damage and required almost complete reconstructing. The following is the cost of repairing the flood damage as reported by officials of the various canals:

[blocks in formation]
[ocr errors]

The actual cost of reconstruction, however, was not the total loss sustained by the farmers under these canals due to the flood, and was probably the smaller part. Many of the canals were out of service most of the summer, and the damage to crops through lack of water was considerable.

ARKANSAS RIVER AT COOLIDGE.

Location. At highway bridge half a mile south of Coolidge, in section 26, township 23 south, range 43 west.

Drainage area. Approximately 25,200 square miles.

Records available. March 1, 1921, to May 30, 1921. (Gauge destroyed in flood of June 5, and new one erected in its place at Syracuse, approximately fifteen miles further downstream.)

Gauge. Gurley automatic water stage register on downstream side of bridge, and staff gauge spiked to bridge pile.

[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Discharge measurements.

wading at low stages.

Made from bridge during high water and by

Channel and control. Shifting.

Extremes of discharges. Maximum, 1.51 feet, March 9 (discharge 244 second feet); minimum, 0.10, May 30 (discharge 1 second foot).

Diversions. There are court decrees for the diversion of approximately 12,825 second feet from the Arkansas and its tributaries above this station in Colorado.

Accuracy. Rating curve fairly well defined between stages of 0.85 feet and 1.50 feet. Daily discharges determined by applying hourly gauge heights to rating curve. Records fair.,

DISCHARGE MEASUREMENTS of the Arkansas river at Coolidge during 1920-'21.

[blocks in formation]

DAILY GAUGE HEIGHT, in feet, of Arkansas river at Coolidge, 1920-'21.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

DAILY DISCHARGE, in second feet, of Arkansas river at Coolidge, 1920-'21.

Day. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May. June. July. Aug.

Sept.

[subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][subsumed][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

ARKANSAS RIVER AT SYRACUSE.

Location. At highway bridge half a mile south of Syracuse, in section 18, township 24 south, range 40 west.

Drainage area. Approximately 25,500 square miles.

Records available. June 20, 1921, to December 31, 1921.

Gauge. Gurley automatic graphic water-stage register on downstream side of bridge pier, and staff gauge on outside of gauge well.

Discharge measurements. Made from bridge during high water and by wading at low stages.

Channel. Shifting.

Extremes of discharge. Maximum stage, 5.50 feet, July 20, 1921 (discharge 13,450 second feet); minimum stage, 0.94, September, 1921 (discharge 4 second feet). On June 6, 1921, prior to the installation of the gauge, the river reached a stage of about 9.75 feet, and a discharge of more than 45,000 second feet.

Ice. Stage-discharge relation apparently affected but little by ice in 1921 and 1922.

Diversions. There are court decrees for the diversion of approximately 12,825 second feet from the Arkansas and its tributaries above this station in Colorado, and two small diversions above it in Kansas.

Accuracy. Rating curve fairly well defined between stages of 0.94 and 5.22 ft. Daily discharge ascertained by applying hourly gauge heights to rating curve. Records fair.

« PreviousContinue »