Flood Simulation and Assessment due to Dam Breaching of the Cherry Creek Reservoir, Colorado

Flooding causes the United States close to $8 billion a year. It can result in property damage, loss of life, and damage to the ecosystem. Oftentimes when houses and other infrastructure are built in places of high flooding potential, contractors need to follow specific building requirements in order to mitigate potential damage. Cherry Creek Dam is a man-made body of water located just southeast of Denver, Colorado. The dam was built in 1950 to prevent flooding from the South Platte River floodwaters, and since then it has not flooded. However, modeling has not been done to evaluate the effects of a probable maximum precipitation (PMP) storm, used to estimate a probable maximum flood (PMF). If such a storm would occur, it would be important to understand where the flooding would occur and to what extent. SRH-2D is a software program which can be used to model potential flooding. In this study, a research is designed to use SRH-2D to evaluate the flooding under PMF condition and subsequent breaching of the Cherry Creek Dam. Using the model results, future damage can be prevented through preparation and proper infrastructure standards.