BOARD02482

• Board Meeting Date: 11/16/2004
• Description: Flood Section - Update on the Statewide Floodplain Criteria Manual and Rules and Regulations Rulemaking Process
• 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

TO:
FROM:

Russel George
Executive Director

Colorado Water Conservation Board Members
Larry Lang, P.E., Chief, Flood Protection Section
Flood Protection Section Staff
November 4, 2004
Agenda Item 21, November 16-17, 2004 Board Meeting--
Update on Statewide Criteria Manual and Rules and Regulations
Rulemaking Process

Rod Kuharich
CWCB Director

DATE:
SUBJECT:

Dan McAuliffe
Deputy Director

Background
The CWCB conducted rulemaking during 1987 and 1988 in order to promulgate rules and
regulations entitled "Rules and Regulations for the Designation and Approval of Floodplains and of
Storm and Floodwater Runoff Channels in Colorado" (Floodplain Rules). They officially became
effective on January 30, 1988 and have served the Board very well since that time. The CWCB
received its flood protection responsibilities in 1937, and its authority to review, designate and
approve floodplains in 1966. CWCB staff, consulting engineers, floodplain managers and others has
realized the need to revise the existing Floodplain Rules due to a number of factors. Those factors
include: new federal policies and mandates, technological advances in modeling, G.I.S. and digital
mapping; debris flows, erosion hazards, alluvial fan hazards, post-wildfire hydrology, stormwater
detention, and ice jam flooding, all of which were not previously addressed or new updating in the
new Floodplain Rules.

Staff Action
Following the staff presentation and Board discussions regarding the "Colorado Floodplain and
Stormwater Criteria Manual"(Manual) and "Outline for the revision of the CWCB - Rules and
Regulations for the Designations and Approval of Floodplains and of Storm of Floodwater Runoff
Channels in Colorado" at the July 20, 2004 CWCB Meeting, staff has completed a number of actions.

The staff and the advisory committee for the Manual have made a few deletions in the manual
to stay within the project budget and scope of work for the original contract. The attached manual
outline presents the content of the Manual. The Manual's final draft is to be completed by December
31,2004.

On behalf of the State of Colorado and the CWCB, staff formed a Project Advisory Committee
(Committee) to assist in the revision of the Floodplain Rules - see attached participant list. In addition
to Committee input, a number of professionals have been invited to present testimony on certain issues.
These issues are "Home Rule Communities", "Letters of Map Changes", "Flood Water Detention
Policies", "Floodway Determinations", "Agricultural Exemptions" and others.
Flood Protection. Watee Supply Planning and Finance. Stream and Lake Protection
Water Supply Protection. Conservation and Drought Planning