FLOOD11468

• County: El Paso
• Community: El Paso County
• Stream Name: Pine Creek
• Basin: Arkansas
• Title: LOMR - Affected Panel 508F - Case No. 01-08-177P
• Date: 1/15/2004
• Prepared For: El Paso County
• Prepared By: FEMA
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Historic FEMA Regulatory Floodplain Information

CHANGES ARE MADE IN DETERMINATIONS OF BASE FLOOD ELEVATIONS FOR THE CITY
OF COLORADO SPRINGS AND THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF EL PASO COUNTY,
COLORADO, UNDER THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

On March 17, 1997, the Federal Emergency Management Agency identified Special Flood Hazard Areas
(SFHAs) in the City of Colorado Springs and in the unincorporated areas of EI Paso County, Colorado,
through issuance of a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). The Federal Insurance and Mitigation
Administration has determined that modification of the elevations of the flood having a I-percent chance
of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (base flood) for certain locations in these communities is
appropriate. The modified Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) revise the FIRM for the communities.

The changes are being made pursuant to Section 206 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (Public
Law 93-234) and are in accordance with the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, as amended
(Title XIII of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, Public Law 90-448), 42 U.S.C.
4001-4128, and 44 CFR Part 65.

A hydraulic analysis was performed to incorporate updated topographic information and the following
projects along Pine Creek: realignment and channelization from approximately 700 feet downstream to
approximately 800 feet upstream of Academy Boulevard; installation of a 36- foot by 10- foot concrete box
culvert under the Academy Boulevard crossing of the realigned creek; installation of two separate drop
structures along the realigned creek approximately 150 feet downstream and approximately 450 feet
upstream of Academy Boulevard, respectively; and construction of a stilling basin along the realigned
creek approximately 300 feet upstream of Academy Boulevard. This has resulted in a revised delineation
of the regulatory floodway, increases and decreases in SFHA width, and increased and decreased BFEs
for Pine Creek from approximately 100 feet upstream of its confluence with Pine Creek Tributary to
approximately 600 feet upstream of Academy Boulevard along the realigned Pine Creek. The
aforementioned channelized portion of Pine Creek contains the base flood. The table below indicates
existing and modified BFEs for selected locations along the affected lengths of the flooding source(s)
cited above.

Location

Existing BFE
(feet)*

Modified BFE
(feet) *

Pine Creek (realigned):
1 Approximately 2,800 feet downstream
of Academy Boulevard
1,2 Approximately 1,800 feet downstream
of Academy Boulevard
1.2 Approximately 600 feet upstream of
Academy Boulevard

6,361

6,362

6,388

6,387

None

6,445

*National Geodetic Vertical Datum, rounded to nearest whole foot
I Unincorporated areas of EI Paso County
2City of Colorado Springs

Under the above-mentioned Acts of 1968 and 1973, the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
must develop criteria for floodplain management. To participate in the National Flood Insurance Program
(NFIP), the community must use the modified BFEs to administer the floodplain management measures
of the NFIP. These modified BFEs will also be used to calculate the appropriate flood insurance premium
rates for new buildings and their contents and for the second layer of insurance on existing buildings and
contents.