|
Lawn Lake Dam Failure - Summary, Page 2
Loss of life included three individuals; one was overcome by the flood wall
itself at a campsite along the Roaring River, and two lives were lost at Aspen
Glen campground when, despite repeated warnings, the individuals returned to
their flooded campsite to recover personal belongings.
|
|
|
|
|
| This is what was left of part of Aspenglen Campground. |
|
The new Roaring River channel scoured out to 100s of feet wide. Click to enlarge image |
|
An aerial view of the new Roaring River drainage. |
The flood “destroyed 18 bridges, damaged road systems (particularly Fall River
Road), inundated 177 businesses (75% of Estes Park’s commercial activity), and
damaged 108 private residences. Most businesses reported 3 to 4 ft. of water,
and as much as 1 to 2 ft. of mud in their establishments. The flood occurred
during the three summer months when businesses depend on tourism to generate a
major part of their income … Business, physical damage, and economic injury
losses of almost $17.2 million accounted for the majority of the total damages
of almost $31 million.”i
The flood also destroyed Cascade Dam at the east end of Horseshoe Park, and the
Fall River Hydroplant originally built
by F.O. Stanley in 1909 and currently owned by the Town of Estes Park (this link
will take you to images and description of the restored Hydroplant web
site).
|
|
|
|
|
|
US 34, Fall River Road washout. The bridge to the State Fish Hatchery
further up the valley met the same fate. |
|
Downtown Estes Park looking east to the 9-hole golf course. Click images
to enlarge. |
|
Debris deposited between Cleave Street and Elkhorn Avenue on Fall River. |
[i] Hydrology, Geomorphology,
and Dam-Break Modeling of the July 15, 1982 Lawn Lake Dam and Cascade Dam
Failures, Larimer County, Colorado. US Geological Survey Open File Report
84-612.
|
|
