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284 ,. . Discussion Background The CWCB has an active floodplain identification program for the state's 16,000 miles of floodplains. The state, in cooperation with many partners, has studied over 8,000 miles of stream reaches covering 90 percent of the developed floodplain areas in Colorado. The factors which might necessitate new mapping studies or revised studies include: 1. "natural aging" of floodplain maps prepared many years ago, 2. changes to the floodplain resulting from large floods, 3. changes to the floodplain resulting from human activities in the floodplain, 4. changes in engineering and mapping techniques and/or data allowing improved accuracy in studies, and 5. growth into floodplains previously unstudied. Due to these factors there will always be a need for new floodplain maps, At present Colorado is one of the most rapidly growing states in the country, so the need for new maps is especially high, . Historically a large number of floodplain maps in Colorado have been prepared by three Federal agencies (FEMA, the Corps of Engineers, the NRCS). In the Denver metropolitan area the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District has prepared many mapping studies. Some local governments in other parts of Colorado (e.g. Fort Collins/Larimer County, EI Paso County, Boulder County, Pitkin County) have prepared their own studies. In the past the Board funded floodplain studies, but more recently the Board's role has consisted primarily oftechuical assistance. Recently Federal funding for floodplain mapping has been greatly reduced, None of the three agencies listed above has a substantial budget for mapping. FEMA recently completed its Map Modernization Plan to update the nation's inventory of Flood Insurance Studies. To date, Congress has not chosen to fund the $750 - $800 million plan, either through a general appropriation or through a proposed real estate transaction fee. Until Congress chooses to provide substantial funding for the Map Modernization Plan or some similar program, there are two likely scenarios regarding updating of outdated mapping: 1) inaction or very limited action, or 2) a substantial increase in state and local funding of mapping, . In Colorado there has not been consistent state funding of floodplain mapping for many years. Outside of the Denver Urban Drainage and Flood Control District and a very few selected localities, funding has been unavailable or extremely limited at the local level. In many cases, development in or near floodplains has gone on with little or no floodplain engineering of adequate techuical quality, The result is that many maps in Colorado are simply old and/or unreliable! There is no real source of funding to reasonably meet the needs for new maps, techuical revisions, and updates. Local governments are usually able and willing to provide cost-share funding for such, but they are not able to carry the entire burden of the study cost.