BOARD00071 ‎(2)‎

• Board Meeting Date: 11/13/2006
• Description: CF Section - En-Bloc Non-Reimbursable Investments Recommendations - Flood Section - CWCB - Flood Decision Support System
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

To:
From:
Date:
Re:

Colorado Water Conservation Board
Tom Browning, Chief, Flood Protection Section
October 30, 2006
Agenda Item 11I (En-bloc non-reimbursable investments)
CWCB Flood DSS
November 13-15,2006 CWCB Meeting

Russell George
Executive Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Background
The CWCB has invested in Decision Support Systems (DSSs) for several years, in particular the basin DSSs
collectively known as Colorado's Decision Support Systems (CDSS). The DSS efforts provide specific
solutions to meet the prioritized needs of the CWCB and DWR and also provide a general framework for data
management, modeling, analysis, and dissemination of information. The Flood DSS prototype was successfully
completed by RTi under contract to the CWCB. It recognizes the framework of CDSS and, as much as possible,
was implemented in a way that uses CDSS components and data, extends CDSS with additional data and
capabilities, and allows for continued reuse and integration with CDSS components.

Discussion
A Flood DSS was initially envisioned as an impetus to statewide digitization of designated floodplains, a goal
that has since been achieved through the State's document imaging system. Subsequently, the primary focus of
the Flood DSS is to meet the following needs: 1) Provide a clearinghouse of flood-hazard information for use
by a variety of users, 2) Provide timely and well-organized flood outlook data products for the emergency
managers (e.g., Flood Task Force), and 3) Provide a clearinghouse of additional flood-related data, including
weather modification, stream restoration, levee & dam inventories, etc. The ability to utilize flood hazard
information from different sources in a GIS environment, as well as access information from CWCB's Content
Manager document system for interpretation together with spatial information, will greatly facilitate the
effectiveness of decision-making. The DSS prototype demonstrated this utility, and was helpful in garnering
support to fully develop a statewide Flood DSS. The specific objectives of Flood DSS development are to: 1)
Implement a web site to organize and disseminate spatial data, via an ArclMS web site on a State web server,
that will allow for a clearinghouse concept, 2) Provide links between selected spatial and non-spatial data in
order to maximize functionality of the tool, and 3) Allow CWCB Flood Protection staff to increase the
efficiency and use of pertinent data for both internal decision making as well as external delivery.

Staff Request
The CWCB Staff requests that the Board consider approving $250,000 for Phase I of the Colorado Flood
Decision Support System (DSS) for Fiscal Year 2008.

Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request that the General assembly authorize $250,000 from the
Construction Fund to be appropriated to the Colorado Water Conservation Board for Phase I of the
Colorado Flood Decision Support System.

Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Financing. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation Planning