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SECTIONONE Program Vision <br />1.1 VISION STATEMENT <br />The CWCB will act as the coordinating and implementing agency for FEMA, providing accurate <br />digital floodplain management tools and flood insurance information to as many Colorado <br />residents as possible. A high emphasis on areas where existing flood hazard information needs <br />to be updated and revised, areas where flood hazard risk is high, and areas where future <br />development is anticipated, will be provided while maximizing local resources to complement <br />the provided FEMA funding and ensuring that floodplain mapping is being performed in a fair <br />and equitable manner throughout Colorado. <br />1.2 CURRENT PROGRAM <br />The CWCB has a long-standing history of floodplain management in Colorado, beginning with <br />the creation of the Board's Flood Protection Program in 1937 and the first designated floodplain <br />study dated October 1963. The Flood Protection Program has evolved over time and expanded <br />its operations to include numerous flood-related activities that assist in the prevention of loss of <br />life and damage to property caused by flooding events. There are currently two entities in <br />Colorado that have been designated by FEMA as Cooperating Technical Partners (CTPs) and <br />that play major roles in floodplain management and floodplain mapping activities within the <br />state. Those organizations are the CWCB and UDFCD. The CWCB is interested in continuing <br />an active role in floodplain management throughout the State of Colorado and is currently <br />drafting a"Statewide Floodplain and Stormwater Criteria Manual" that will provide guidance <br />and consistency to help ensure responsible growth based on sound engineering and planning <br />practices. In addition to the CWCB's long history in floodplain management, the UDFCD has a <br />long history in floodplain management in the Denver metro area. The UDFCD has an existing <br />Urban Storm Drainage Criteria Manual and an operating budget that allows it to monitor flood <br />hazards and revise delineations of those hazards as needs are identified. With approximately 2 <br />million people living within its boundaries, UDFCD addresses the needs of approximately half of <br />the residents of Colorado and approximately one quarter of the population of Region VIII. <br />1.2.1 Colorado Water Conservation Board <br />The CWCB is a state agency under the umbrella of the Colorado Department of Natural <br />Resources (Russell George, Executive Director). The CWCB is funded through the CWCB <br />Construction Fund. This fund was created by the Colorado General Assembly in 1971 to provide <br />low interest loans to water users in the development of water resource projects. The fund and its <br />use are governed by § 37-60-121 through 125 C.R.S. The CWCB Construction Fund is a <br />partially self-supporting revolving loan fund. Sources of revenue are from the return of principal <br />and interest on outstanding loans, interest earned on the cash balance of the fund through <br />investments by the state Treasurer, mineral lease fund distributions, and occasional cash transfers <br />from the General Assembly. The Flood Protection Program represents one of the six major <br />programmatic areas for the CWCB. The other five programs are: 1) Water Supply Protection, 2) <br />Water Supply Planning and Finance, 3) Stream and Lake Protection, 4) Water Conservation and <br />Drought Planning, and 5) Decision Support Systems. <br />The Flood Protection Program staff is responsible for floodplain management programs and <br />activities. The Flood Protection Program is directed in several citations of the Colorado Revised <br />Colorado Business Case Plan (Final Draft) 1-1 <br />