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<br />WATTENBERG, COLORADO FLOOD H~ZARD MITIGATION PLAN <br /> <br />AUGUST 1996 <br /> <br />line. Bankfull discharges were experienced <br />along portions of the main stem of the South <br />Platte River for most of the month of May <br />and into June. <br /> <br />1983 Flood <br /> <br />It was one of the strangest years for weather <br />that Weld County experience. A mild <br />winter was followed by heavy snows in <br />April and May. In late May and June, the <br />mountain stream runoff caused many <br />problems for Weld County. The winter <br />brought high snowpack levels in the <br />mountains, and when the early summer <br />weather became unusually hot, the rivers <br />began to rise. The area reminded old settlers <br />why the floodplains were there and how they <br />were created. The rivers didn't fall below <br />flood stage until July. <br /> <br />Large floods can happen in the Wattenberg <br />area, this was clearly demonstrated by the <br />area floods of 1965. Hazards of large <br />floods, the extent of damage caused by any <br />flood, depends on the topography of the area <br />flooded, depth and duration of flooding, <br />velocity of flow, rate of rise, developments <br />on the floodplain, and the amount of debris <br />in the floodwater. Deep floodwater flowing <br />at high velocity and carrying floating debris <br />will create conditions hazardous to persons <br />and vehicles attempting to cross flooded <br />areas. In general, floodwater 3 feet deep or <br />more and flowing at a velocity of 3 feet per <br />second or more can easily sweep an adult <br />person off his feet, thus creating definite <br />danger of injury or drowning. Rapidly rising <br />and swiftly flowing floodwater may trap <br />persons in homes that are ultimately <br />destroyed or in vehicles that are ultimately <br />submerged or floated. Isolation of areas by <br />floodwaters can create medical, fire, or law <br />enforcement responses. <br /> <br />PLANNING AND ZONING <br /> <br />Weld County Planning Department <br /> <br />Weld County's rural areas contain a number <br />of small unincorporated residential <br />commUnItIes that are surrounding by <br />agricultural uses. Wattenberg is placed into <br />this category. Unincorporated communities <br />generally provide housing for those <br />employed in agricultural and other industries <br />in the surrounding region. <br /> <br />With few exceptions, these settlements have <br />had little or no growth compared to the rest <br />of Weld County since their inception. <br />Substantial population growth is not <br />anticipated in these communities due to the <br />lack of community water and/or sewer <br />facilities. The goals and policies developed <br />by the Weld County Planning Department <br />for unincorporated Weld County <br />communities are as follows: <br /> <br />Goal 1: Assure proper location and <br />operation of compatible land uses by <br />maintaining land-use regulations within <br />unincorporated communities. <br /> <br />Policy 1: Expansion <br />unincorporated COmmUnItIes <br />on the following criteria: <br /> <br />of existing <br />will be based <br /> <br />Policy 1.1: Urban growth boundary goals <br />and policies should apply in reviewing land- <br />use applications which are adjacent to or <br />propose to expand existing unincorporated <br />communities; and <br /> <br />Policy 1.2: Additionally, any goals and <br />policies adopted for a particular type of <br />development will also be used for review <br />and evaluation. For example, the planned <br />unit development goals and policies would <br />also apply when reviewing a planned unit <br /> <br />9 <br />