BOARD01965

• Board Meeting Date: 3/22/2005
• Description: Flood Section - Presentation of the CWCB's Draft Rules and Regulations for Regulatory Floodplains in Colorado
• Board Meetings - Doc Type: Memo

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regularly with the Committee for the purpose of drafting and reviewing language for the proposed Floodplain .
Rules.

Updating and revising the existing Floodplain Ru1es can reasonably increase flood hazard protection in
Colorado through modernized technical standards for regulatory floodplains and flood risk awareness. The
CWCB .will be able to provide Colorado entities with updated and te.chnically sound information that is
consistent with national standards and Colorado needs. Use of the updated Floodplain Rules can also lead to
more accurate floodplain designations that will greatly assist communities in maintaining their eligibility in the
. National.F1ood Insurance Program and will help to minimize damages caused by flood events.

Tiineline
The AG's Office and staffwill establish a timeline for the proposed rulemaking process following our March
23,2005 presentation based upon Board member comments and schedu1ing preferences. A formal notice of
rulemaking will then be published once the timeline has been established. .

Intent of Floodplain Rules

The Staff and the Project Advisory Committee will present the fmal draft "Ru1es and Regulations for Regulatory
Floodplains in Colorado" for Colorado Board Conservation Board (Board) review and comment. To assist the
Board in better understanding the intent of each rule, the following "draft basis and purpose statements". are
prepared and presented. These statements have been prepared to elaborate upon and clarify the provisions
contained in the Floodplain Ru1es for the designation and approval of the Regulatory Floodplain by the Board
for the Colorado communities. .

RULE 1

TITLE

The Floodplain Rules are titled to reflect the implementation of administrative responsibilities of the Colorado
Water Conservation Board (Board) as authorized in the Colorado Revised Statutes.

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RULE 2

AUTHORITY

This Rule cites the specific statutory authority ofthe Board to promulgate and revise the Floodplain Rules and
Regulations for the Designation and Approval of the Regulatory Floodplain (IOO-year).

RULE 3

PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This rule states the purpose of the Floodplain Rules and assures that reasonably uniform standards are used by
the Board in its designation and approval of the Regulatory Floodplains in Colorado regarding zoning,
subdivisions, engineering criteria, levees, and detention dams, and other related issues and concerns. The
Floodplain Rules are a statewide concern to Colorado and the Board. These Floodplain Rules will revise the
existing 1988 Rules and Regulations.

RULE 4 DEFINITIONS

This Ru1e defines terms used in the Floodplain Rliles to ensure that their meaning and usage are clearly
understood and consistent with the industry standard for government and private industry users. In adflition,
some terms previously defined in the 1988 Rules and Regulations have been restated orredefined. .

RULE 5 STATE REGULATORY FLOODPLAIN

This Ru1e defines the regulatory floodplain for the State of Colorado. The Board's 1966 authority states that it
must designate and approve "Storm or Floodwater Runoff Channels." This term has evolved over the years to
mean the I OO-year floodplain standard. This rule simply states: "The regulatory floodplain is the 100- year
floodplain," .

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Flood Protection. Water Project Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply. Protection . Conserva~on Planning

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