"At no time in the history of residents here has the river ever assumed the alarming proportions that it has during the rainy season just passed. The women and children at the Water Company town at Platte Canon found refuge, some at the Union school building and others at neighboring houses on the east side of the river far enough removed to be out of danger. Six of the women, however, refused to leave. While their husbands were fighting the torrent trying to save the intake dam and the Company property, they were preparing what temporary comfort for them they could in the way of dry clothing and food. Most of the men worked over thirty-six hours without rest and in case of the intake or further flood cars were ready to take those in camp at the first signal to the high hill near..."

--"Acequia Items." Record Journal of Douglas County. June 10, 1921.

The severest flood of record on South Platte River occurred during June 1921 and was caused by heavy rains widespread throughout the State, June 2-7. The rainfall extended east of the mountains for considerable distance, and the plains tributaries as well as those in the mountains contributed to the flow in the South Platte River. No gaging stations were being maintained at the mouths of the tributaries, and it is impossible to determine the discharge entering the river from tributary streams. At South Platte, in the canyon section, the flood reached a stage of about 9 feet and washed out the narrow-gage track of the Colorado & Southern Railroad in the canyon. From the mouth of the canyon to Denver, a distance of 43 miles, farms in the bottom lands were inundated by the overflow, which varied in width from 1/2 to 1-1/2 miles. Several families were driven from their homes. Bridges were rendered impassable, and several were destroyed. The South Platte River rose about 7 feet in Denver; the local press estimated that about 500 houses were inundated and many families forced to seek higher ground.

--Follansbee, Robert and Leon R. Sawyer. "Floods in Colorado." USGS. 1948.