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<br />~ <br /> <br />3) "Future Conditions Hydrology," which means to evaluate and regulate floodplains based on the increased <br />flood discharges that would occur asswning fully developed conditions based on a community's current <br />land-use and zoning maps. This approach anticipates the expanded floodplain that would be realized <br />following community build-out given floodplain encroachments and increased runoff from developed <br />impervious surfaces (such as buildings, pavements, streets and modified landscapes). The UDFCD currently <br />uses future conditions hydrology for the following reasons: (a) reduction ofloss of life and damage to <br />structures, (b) improved CRS rating opportunities, (c) more informed decisions, and (d) reduced need to <br />update floodplain studies. <br /> <br />4) ~'Community Rating System," which means the system for recognizing and encouraging floodplain <br />management activities that exceed minimwn NFIP standards as discussed earlier. Of the 938 communities <br />participating in the CRS, 182 are rated class 7 or better and 394 are rated class 9. Boulder joins 362 <br />communities in the class 8 rating. The highest classifications awarded include one in class 3 (Tulsa, <br />Oklahoma) and two in class 4 (one of which is the city of Fort Collins). The CRS claims a series of rewards <br />in addition to reduced flood insurance premiums. These include: (a) enhanced local floodplain management, <br />(b) benchmark assessments, (c) federal technical assistance, (d) incentive based program maintenance, and <br />(e) qualification for federal assistance programs. Primary credit categories include public information <br />activities, mapping and regulations, flood damage reduction activities and flood preparedness activities. <br /> <br />C. Regional Trends <br />Regional floodplain management trends and philosophies adopted in recent years include: <br /> <br />1) City of Fort Collins - Following the flooding of 1997, the city of Fort Collins updated its storm water <br />management program. The most significant change in the program involved the 1999 adoption of increased <br />rainfall conditions for major flood events. The primary components emphasized include: (a) increasing 100- <br />year rainfall standards, (b) additional factors of safety in design, (c) sensible floodplain regulations, (d) <br />improving emergency response, (e) providing education and outreach, (f) providing flood proofing <br />information and flood insurance benefits, and (g) maintaining the storm water system. <br /> <br />2) Urban Drainage and Flood Control District- The UDFCD recently updated its Urban Storm Drainage <br />Criteria Manual. The 2001 manual provides the UDFCD's drainage policy and is adopted by the city's <br />Design and Construction Standards for many storm water and flood management improvements. A summary <br />ofUDFCD principles and policies include: (a) drainage is a regional phenomenon that does not respect the <br />boundaries between government jurisdictions or between properties, (b) a storm drainage system is a <br />subsystem of the total urban water resource system, (c) every urban area has an initial (minor) and a major <br />drainage system, whether or not they are actually planned and designed, (d) runoff routing is primarily a <br />space allocation problem, (e) planning and design of storm water drainage systems generally should not be <br />based on the premise that problems can be transferred from one location to another, (f) an urban storm <br />drainage strategy should be a multi-objective and multi-means effort, (g) design of the storm water drainage <br />system should consider the features and functions of the existing drainage system, (h) in new developments, <br />attempts should be made to reduce storm water runoff rates and pollutant load increases after development <br />to the maximwn extent practicable, (i) the storm water management system should be designed, beginning <br />with the outlet or point of outflow from the project, giving full consideration to downstream effects and the <br />effects of off-site flows entering the system, (j) the storm water management system should receive regular <br />maintenance, (k) floodplains need to be preserved whenever feasible and practicable, and (1) reserve <br />sufficient right-of-way to permit lateral channel movement in the floodplain when the stream is contained <br />within a narrow natural channel. <br /> <br />7 <br />