Laserfiche WebLink
<br />Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />Department of Natural Resources <br />721 Centennial Building <br />1 31 3 Sherman Street <br />Denver. Colorado 80203 <br />Phone: (3D)) a66.34~1 <br />FAX; 13031 866,4474 <br /> <br />STATE OF COLORI\DO <br /> <br />- <br /> <br />~' <br /> <br />Roy I{om~r <br />CAJ...~rnQr <br /> <br />MEMORANDUM <br /> <br />J,lm~ S. lochhe,l(j <br />E~eculi"'e Director, ONI{ <br />O.uiesC.Lile. P.E. <br />Director. eWeB <br /> <br />TO: <br /> <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board Members <br /> <br />FROM: <br /> <br />Larry F. Lang <br /> <br />DATE: <br /> <br />November 20, 1997 <br /> <br />SUBJECT: <br /> <br />Agenda Item 1ge, November 24-25, 1997 Board Meeting- <br />Elk River Floodplain Management Planning and Improvements <br /> <br />INFORMATION <br /> <br />The lower reaches of the Elk River Channel and Floodplain have experienced major flooding <br />probl~m s during the 1995, 1996, and 1997 spring snowmelt runoff season, These flood events <br />have caused serious damages and losses to human developments and the natural environment. <br />On June 2-3,1997, the Elk River watershed experienced the "flood-of-record". This flood event <br />caused many flood-related problems throughout the channel and floodplain areas. A summary of <br />the flood problems and issues are: <br /> <br />. Serious stream bank erosion; <br />. Major overbank flooding of human developments; <br />. Damage to existing flood protection structures; <br />. Re-alignment of the historical stream channel; <br />. Debris buildup in flow conveyance areas; <br />. Destruction of natural vegetation and habitat areas; <br />. Demonstration of poor floodplain management planning; and <br />. lllustration of the undersized culvert and bridge openings. <br /> <br />The residents of the Elk River Valley have made formal requests to the Governors' office and to <br />Routt County for technical and financial assistance. These requests have been forwarded to the <br />Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). In response to these requests, the Board's staff <br />has implemented a number of actions. <br /> <br />ACTIONS <br /> <br />The June 2-3, 1997 flood event was greater than the 100- year frequency flood, Since the CWCB <br />has approved and designated approximate floodplain information for the Elk River, we have an <br />interest in providing flood hazard information that is representative of actual flood characteristics <br />and conditions for the stream. In response to this duty, we have performed floodplain <br />information and post-flood mitigation investigations. <br />