BOARD01677

• Board Meeting Date: 7/26/1999
• Description: CWCB Director's Report
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

Flood Update: On May 17, 1999, President Clinton issued a disaster declaration for flooding
in 12 Colorado counties and their municipalities as a result of flooding which occurred during
the period April 29-May 17, 1999 (incident period). The declaration makes federal assistance
available to individuals, governmental entities and non-profit organizations for costs associated
with response and recovery. In addition, mitigation funds are also available to undertake
activities that will lessen or reduce the effects of future floods. Shortly after the declaration,
Mark Matulik of the CWCB Flood Section Staffwas assigned temporary duty to the Colorado
Office of Emergency Management (OEM) to serve as State Hazard Mitigation Officer for the
declaration. CWCB 1999 flood activities to date include:

. Staffing at the Disaster Field Office (DFO) in Colorado Springs to provide technical
assistance.
. Attending public meetings in impacted communities.
. Coordinating the Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team meeting on June 24, 1999. The
purpose of the meeting was to formulate flood hazard mitigation priorities and revised the
Colorado Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan to reflect those priorities.
. Developing Notices ofInterest and ranking of eligibility for proposed flood hazard mitigation
projects by local governments - 78 jurisdictions in the 12 declared counties.
. Convening meetings of the State Hazard Mitigation Team (SHMT). Team members assist in
the review and revision of the Colorado Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan and will formulate and
implement hazard mitigation measures across Colorado.
. Organizing the 1999 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) applicant briefmgs.
. Securing Habitat For Humanity funding to build a new home for a selected flood victim in
. north La Junta.

Flood Funding Request: As discussed above, and in cooperation with the Office of
Emergency Management (OEM), we are managing necessary tasks to meet Federal Emergency
.Management Agency (FEMA) requirements for flood recovery activities. However, these
emergency response activities impose a large new workload on our Flood Protection Section.
Based upon past experience, communication with the OEM and affected communities, Larry
Lang and his staff have developed a list of initial flood recovery activities. To expedite the
implementation of these activities, Greg Walcher joined us in a request to Governor Owens for
authority to use $137,500 from the State Disaster Emergency Fund forthe following projects.-

Summary Of Requests For Disaster Project Funding

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Federal.Sbare

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Flood Documentation Report
Hazard Mitigation Grant Program

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$12,500

To be determined by
State Coordinating Officer

$37,500
$1,000,000 (approx.)

La Junta, Colorado - Flood Recovery Plan
. Feasibility Study - $75,000
. Flood Mitigation Officer - $40,000
. Flood Warning System - $10,000

$125,000

o

I The total amount of state funding is not expected to exceed $500,000 for these tasks.

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