Dam Break Modeling on the Cherry Creek Reservoir to Predict Potential Flood Impacts

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Presenter(s)(s)

Bryne Knowles, Emily Lai

Abstract or Description

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 has not flooded. However, modeling has not been done to evaluate the risk of a Probable Maximum Precipitation (PMP) storm, used to estimate a Probable Maximum Flood (PMF). If such a storm occurred it would be important to understand where the flooding would occur and to what extent. SRH-2D is a software program that can be used to model potential flooding. Our research project is designed to use SRH-2D modeling to evaluate the potential flooding and subsequent damage of the Cherry Creek Dam. By modeling future floods, future damage can be prevented through preparation and proper infrastructure standards.