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<br />FLOODPLAIN MANAGENIlE:NT <br /> <br />L(~cal Ordinance Requirements <br />Communities that manage their floodplains in Colorado do so most often through the local <br />regulatory process. This requires a community to adopt an ordinance or regulation, which sets <br />forth the performance standards by which development will occur in identified flood hazard <br />areas. Nationwide and in Colorado, regulations are enforced within the area of the lOCI-year <br />floodplain. <br /> <br />The basic requirement of these regulations is that new development and significant improvement <br />of existing development cannot occur in the lOO.year floodplain without a floodplain <br />development permit being obtained. Obtaining such a pennit requires compliance with <br />engineering standards. In communities that have only approximate floodplain infoffilation, the <br />engineering standards have been more generaL Structures must be built with materials and <br />tec:hnique~: that "minimize flood damages". For c:omnluniti(:s that have detailed floodplain <br />informaticn, more spe:cific regulations would apply. <br /> <br />Flqod Insurance <br />Flood insurance is made available to owners and occupants of floodprone property through the <br />federal government's National Flood Insurance: Program (NHP). The federally backed flood <br />insurance is available to anyone in any community that participates in the NFIP, At the time of <br />this publication, La Plata County is currently participating in the NFUP, and officially joined thc <br />regular pr~gram of the NFIP on December 15, 1981. Communiti(~s become participants by <br />adopting floodplain n:gulations, adopting an NFlI' map {if one exists) and agreeing to cooperate <br />with the federal government in the local implem~ntation of the NFIP. Property owners and <br />occupants can then contact an insurance agent familiar with the NFIP (perhaps their own agent) <br />and purchase insurance through that agent, much likc they would purchase homeowner's <br />insurance, Brochures and other infonnation regarding the National Flood Insurance Program can <br />be obtained by calling the Regional Office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency <br />(FEMA) in Denver at (303) 235-4830. <br /> <br />Flc1odplail~ Manal!ement Alternatives <br />In addition to floodplain regulations and flood insurance, there are many actions that can reduce <br />the risk of flood damage in a community. Generally th~se actions fall into two classes, structural <br />actions and non-structural actions. Structural actions in volve the construction of facilities to <br />separate floodwaters from property that is at risk. They include construction of improved <br />channels, enlargement of crossing structures (bridges md culverts), levees and floodwalls, <br />reservoirs and ponds to detain floodwaters and diversion channels and pipes to direct waters <br />elsewhere. Non-structural actions usually involve removing people andlor structures from the <br />risk area without physically altering the floodplain. :;uch actions might include regulation of <br />new development, the adoption and enforcement of ~;pecifjc building code requirements, <br />floodproofing of existing buildings, relocation of ~;trlUctures to safer sites, acquisition of <br />floodplain areas (including buildings) for open space 0: other appropriate land uses, public <br />education, flood waming systems and emergency response programs. <br /> <br />11 <br />