BOARD01401

• Board Meeting Date: 3/24/2003
• Description: Flood Section - Flood and Outlook Presentation
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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STATE OF COLORADO

Colorado Water Conservation Board

Department of Natural Resources
1313 Sherman Street, Room 721
Denver, Colorado 80203
Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.cwcb.state.co.us

MEMORANDUM

Bill Owens
Governor

GregE. Walcher
Executive Director

To:
From:
Date:
Re:

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Larry Lang, P.E., Chief, Flood Protection Section
March 11,2003
Agenda Item 18 - March 25-26, 2003 Board Meeting
Flood and Drought Outlook Presentation

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

Introduction
Beginning in 1995, the CWCB has been providing informational messages and assistance to
Colorado communities and interested citizens regarding seasonal flood potential. This activity was
in response to an unusually high flood threat that existed due to a record snowpack in 1995 (I wish
that was the case in 2003!), which culminated in "flood outlook reports". These outlook reports
are prepared cooperatively from the members of the Colorado Flood Task Force, and are posted on
the CWCB website. Additionally, any communities within the state that have been identified as
being at risk are email and/or faxed the reports as an early alter measure. The Flood Task Force is
chaired by the CWCB. These reports have proven to be of much interest to the Colorado citizenry
and government emergency response managers and are linked to the CWCB web page. The first
meeting of the Colorado Flood Task Force is scheduled for April 8, 2003.

The Colorado Drought Task Force, formerly chaired by the Colorado Office of Emergency
Management and currently chaired by the CWCB's Office of Water Conservation, meets
approximately once a month to discuss pertinent issues related to water availability in Colorado.
The two Task Forces (Flood and Drought) coordinate with each other and work in harmony.
Discussion
John Benz, a senior meteorologist with BDR Engineering Inc., has been an active member of the
Colorado Flood Task Force since 1995. John's long-term flood forecasts over the past seven years
have been of considerable value to the Colorado citizenry. John has been providing long-term
flood and drought forecasts to clients in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, Montana
and Idaho since the mid 1980's. John has been contracted by CWCB staff to utilize his expertise
by providing the CWCB with an overall view of upcoming weather patterns as well as
geographically specific weather forecasts for Colorado.

Presentation
John Benz will present his projections for spring and summer 2003 weather with specific forecasts
and outlooks for precipitation, temperature, severe weather, drought and flooding conditions for
major geographic areas of the state.

Flood Protection. Water Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning