Finance Committee Meeting 2013

• Board Meeting Date: 9/26/2013
• Description: Finance Committee Meeting September 26, 2013
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Meeting

STATE OF COLORADO
• Colorado Water Conservation Board `°"s4,
Department of Natural Resources
1580 Logan Street,Suite 600
Denver,Colorado 80203 -(,,?z)
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Phone:[phone]
Fax:[phone] ` th 7`' •
www.cwcb.state.co.us •1937 e
TO: Finance Committee
Colorado Water Conservation Board John W.Hickenlooper
Governor
FROM: Kevin Houck, P.E. —Chief Mike King
DNR Executive Director
Watershed Protection and Flood Mitigation Section
Taryn Finnessey- Drought& Climate Specialist James Eklund
CWCB Director
Water Supply Planning Section
DATE: September 13, 2013
SUBJECT: Non-Reimbursable Investment Item#5
Flood and Drought Response Fund
Introduction
A $150,000 Flood Response Program was authorized in the 2001 Construction Fund Bill (SB 01-157)
• and enacted by the Colorado General Assembly. This amount was increased in the 2007
Construction Fund Bill (SB 07-122) to $300,000 to reflect the additional cost of performing existing
program functions and the addition of valuable services under the program. This amount is proposed
to increase to $500,000 in FY14. This increased amount reflects activities associated with Drought
Response (the amount was not previously increased when the Fund annexed drought responsibilities)
and to address the increasing threat of wildfires and post-wildfire activities. The Flood Response
Fund (Fund) was originally created to give the CWCB an ability to quickly respond to events and
have program funds in the areas of: 1) flood documentation, 2) flood forecasting and outlooks, 3)
post-event floodplain mapping, 4) aerial photography, and 5) flood mitigation. The FY 2012/13
request included an expanded scope involving drought response activities, and this year's request
also includes this expanded scope.
The current request is to refresh the account up to $500,000 for FY 2014/15 for flood and drought
response purposes, including post-wildfire activities. Use of this fund to address both flood and
drought increases the efficiency and effectiveness of the CWCB to adequately respond to natural
hazards affecting Colorado while also recognizing the current fiscal constraints by utilizing existing
resources. Staff clearly recognizes that there will be years in the future when both flood conditions
and drought conditions exist during the same water year and/or during the same fiscal year. In those
situations,the Fund could be stressed by needs from the two extreme conditions, and Staff will
prioritize expenditures.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Board request the General Assembly to authorize$500,000 from the
Construction Fund to be appropriated to the Department of Natural Resources for allocation to the CWCB
for technical activities related to flood and drought response, as called out in the scope of the Flood
and Drought Response Fund.
Interstate Compact Compliance•Watershed Protection•Flood Planning&Mitigation•Stream&Lake Protection
Water Project Loans&Grants•Water Modeling•Conservation&Drought Planning•Water Supply Planning