Big Thompson Flash Flood - Drake, CO
Posted by: 
ronjean
N 40° 25.731 W 105° 19.113
13T E 472979 N 4475405
144 people, mostly camping alongside the river, were swept away in a 1976 flash flood
Waymark Code: WM92TM
Location: Colorado, United States
Date Posted: 06/19/2010
Views: 11
From the memorial plaque: "Beginning about 7:00 p.m. a thunderstorm towering over 50,000 feet stalled near Hague's Peak in the upper reaches of the Big Thompson Canyon.
The torrential downpour from that storm put almost 12 inches of rainfall in the Glen Comfort and North Fork areas in just four hours. This normally pleasant river rapidly became a raging torrent as the volume of water reached a peak 31,000 cfs, far above the 200 cfs that normally flow through the narrows.
The resulting flash flood caused destruction as far as the Platte River southeast of Greeley, Colorado. It destroyed homes, businesses, and roads...
It took the lives of 144 people. However rare, it is important to know all canyon areas are subject to flash flooding. For safety, do not drive through flooded areas. Climb to safety."
The flood also destroyed a power generating station, leaving only the foundation and parts of the turbines. The height of the water reached 17 feet above the average 3 foot depth of the river. According to the USGS, the flow of water was estimated at 30100 cubic feet per second, where the average annual flow is 125 cfs (average summer flow is 200cfs).
Disaster Date: 07/31/1976
Date of dedication: 07/31/2001
Memorial Sponsors: Big Thompson Canyon Flood Memorial, Inc.
Disaster Type: Natural
Relevant Website: [Web Link]
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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