A plan for study of flood hydrology of foothill streams in Colorado

A comprehensive plan is presented for researching methods of flood-data analysis and informatin transfer for foothill areas, and for establishing a hydrologic data-collection network in the foothill areas of Colorado. The research will concentrate on three areas: (1) Developing methods to analyze flood peaks in foothill areas by using gaging-station records to obtan annual arrays of snowmelt and rainfall peaks; (2) investigating techniques for flood informatin transfer, using physical and climatic characteristics; and (3) testing and, if required, verifying hydrologic models. The available gaging-station data consists of records from 81 active and 43 discontinued gaging stations. The National Weather Service operates 53 recording and 70 non-recording precipitation gages, and has 476 storm observers within the project boundaries. The Soil Conservation Service is installing a network (SNOTEL) of 46 automated snowpack monitors. A data-collection network will be established in areas of data deficiencies, consisting of streamflow stations , crest-stage gages, and precipitation stations. (Kosco-USGS)