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<br />FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />. Local Ordinance Requirements <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Communities that manage their floodplains in Colorado do so most often through the <br />local regulatory process. This requires a community to adopt an ordinance or regulation, <br />which sets forth the performance standards by which development will occur in identified <br />flood hazard areas. Nationwide and in Colorado, regulations are enforced within the area <br />of the 1 DO-year floodplain. <br /> <br />The basic requirement of these regulations is that new development and significant <br />improvement of existing development cannot occur in the 1 DO-year floodplain without a <br />floodplain development permit being obtained. Obtaining such a permit requires <br />compliance with engineering standards. In communities like Town of Walden that have <br />approximate floodplain information, the engineering standards have been more general. <br />Structures must be built with materials and techniques that "minimize flood damages". <br />For communities that have detailed floodplain information, more specific regulations <br />would apply. The use of engineering techniques presented in this report can help the <br />Town to better regulate its approximate floodplain areas. <br /> <br />Flood Insurance <br /> <br />Flood insurance is made available to owners and occupants of floodprone property <br />through the federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The <br />federally backed flood insurance is available to anyone in any community that participates <br />in the NFIP. At the time of this publication, Town of Walden was participating in the NFIP, <br />and officially joined the regular program of the NFIP on August 5, 1986. Communities <br />become participants by adopting floodplain regulations, adopting an NFIP map (if one <br />exists) and agreeing to cooperate with the federal government in the local implementation <br />of the NFIP. Property owners and occupants can then contact an insurance agent familiar <br />with the NFIP (perhaps their own agent) and purchase insurance through that agent, <br />much like they would purchase homeowner's insurance. Brochures and other information <br />regarding the National Flood Insurance Program can be obtained by calling the Regional <br />Office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Denver at (303) 235- <br />4830. <br /> <br />Floodplain Manaqement Alternatives <br /> <br />Besides floodplain regulations and flood insurance, there are many actions that can <br />reduce the risk of flood damage in a community. Generally these actions fall into two <br />classes, structural actions and non-structural actions. Structural actions involve the <br />construction of facilities to separate floodwaters from property that is at risk. They include <br />construction of improved channels, enlargement of crossing structures (bridges and <br />culverts), levees and floodwalls, reservoirs and ponds to detain floodwaters and diversion <br />channels and pipes to direct waters elsewhere. Non-structural actions usually involve <br />removing people and/or structures from the risk area without physically altering the <br />floodplain. Actions include regulation of new development, the adoption and enforcement <br />of specific building code requirements, flood proofing of existing buildings, relocation of <br />structures to safer sites, acquisition of floodplain (including buildings) for open space or <br /> <br />7 <br />