06d

• Board Meeting Date: 5/20/2008
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM UPDATE - In March the CWCB and FEMA joined
forces to provide flood insurance workshops in communities experiencing a high snowpack with a high
potential for flooding this spring and summer. Four flood insurance workshops were offered statewide in
the following locations: Gunnison County, Rio Grande County, Pagosa Springs, and Steamboat Springs,
Colorado. The workshops were a success with a high participation turn out and positive feedback from
participants
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the number of
communities participating nationwide continues to grow. In Colorado, the number of communities
participating also continues to increase. Recently, the communities that have elected to join this program
include the City of Saguache, Leadville, and Mount Crested Butte. Other communities that are currently
in the progress of joining include the Town of Granby, Saguache County, the Town of Simla, and
Brookside, Colorado.
There are two newly incorporated communities in Colorado: Castle Pines North and Watkins, Colorado.
Castle Pines North is located approximately 20 miles south of Denver in Douglas County and has nearly
10,000 residents. The Town of Watkins is about 26 miles east of Denver in Adams County and has
nearly 2,500 residents. CWCB is working jointly with Urban Drainage Flood Control District (UDFCD)
to assist these two new communities in possibly joining the NFIP.
The last update on the NFIP includes the Community Rating System (CRS) program, which is a voluntary
incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that
exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to
reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions. Currently, the City of Fort Collins
has the best community rating in the State and local residents are receiving a 30% discount on flood
insurance premiums. Two communities -Morgan County and Eagle County -have recently submitted
their applications to join the CRS program and hopefully will receive a discount on flood insurance
premiums for their local residents. (Tom Browning)
COLORADO WATERSHED PROTECTION FUND -Grant applications for the Colorado
Watershed Protection Fund (CWPF) were due on Apri130th. The CWPF is part of the Colorado
Individual Income Tax Refund Check-off Program. The grant program was established jointly by the
CWCB and the Water Quality Control Commission, in cooperation with the Colorado Watershed
Assembly. The CWCB is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the fund. Grant applications
may be submitted for locally-based watershed protection efforts, provided that the applicant is committing
to a collaborative approach to the restoration and protection of lands and natural resources within
Colorado's watersheds.
This year 13 applications were submitted for planning and project grants. Planning grants are limited to a
maximum of $25,000, and project grants are limited to a maximum of $50,000. Four planning grants
were submitted for a total request of $77,000. Nine project grants were submitted for a total request of
$251,349. Staff will review the applications in cooperation with the Water Quality Control Division and
the Colorado Watershed Assembly. The target date for approval is July 30th, and the grants will be
awarded by September 30th, 2008.
~~
9 ~l
~~