BOARD00518

• Board Meeting Date: 1/24/2001
• Description: CF Section - En-bloc Non-Reimbursable Investments Recommendations - CWCB Flood Emergency Response Fund
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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Proposed Flood Emergency Response Program
by the Colorado Water Conservation Board

Executive Summarv

Two recent CWCB initiatives have identified a myriad ofurunet needs by local
govenunents to more adequately address flooding. The first initiative culminated in a
report entitled "Statewide River Rehabilitation altd Floodplain Management Needs
Inventory". It solicited input from local government officials in recognizing community
needs for restoring river corridors. The second report, "1999 Colorado Flood Hazard
Mitigation Plan ", identified community flood miiigation needs and sets forth strategies
to implement mitigation recommendations.

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The Board has the statutory responsibility to "prdmote the conservation of the waters of
the State of Colorado to secure the greatest utiliz4tion of such waters and the utmost
prevention offloods" CRS 37-60-106(1).

Over the past twenty-five (25) years, the Board stiufhas played a major role in five
presidential disaster declarations. In addition, the'State and various local govenunents
have declared numerous local flood disasters sinch 1900. Through the Board's
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participation in disaster operations, unmet needs Have continued to be identified by local,
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state and federal personnel. i

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The Flood Protection Section ofthe Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) is
proposing an Emergency Response Program which will provide funding for response and
recovery activities following flood disasters. The specific objective of this request is to
develop a comprehensive, annually funded flood emergency program that would allow
the CWCB to provide .technical assistance to locai govenunents following a flood
disaster. The activities under this program wouldicompliment but not be in conflict with
services provided by the Colorado Office of Eme~gency Management (OEM).

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