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SECTION 3 3.1.2 Historic Preservation PAST FLOOD HAZARD MITIGATION ACTIVITIES There isn't much open space in Georgetown, however, it's National Historic Quality must be preserved according to policies and guidelines set forth by the National and State Historic Preservation Office. Building design and regulations are strictly enforced. In those regulations, there are floodplain building requirements. Although there is not much business construction in Georgetown, there has been some recent residential construction, none of which is in the floodplain. Flood hazard mitigation activities can be undertaken before, during or after a flood event. This plan focuses on planning procedures that will reduce future flood damages. Georgetown's past activities focused on response, sandbagging and dealing with recovery by patching where significant damage was obvious. During 1995, floodwaters were actually diverted down a residential street as a mitigation measure. Residents along South Clear Creek have ownership of the creek cribbing along their property. They are responsible for maintaining their section. Due to financial difficulties some do not have the available funds to keep up with the failing structure. During this planning process there has been discussion of the Town jointly working with the property owners to upgrade and preserve the historic manner of the cribbing. The townspeople and governmental structure have demonstrated a pro-active attitude and commitment to reduce future flood hazard as funding permits. The following activities have been undertaken in previous years. Non-Structural (Section 3.1) Flood Insurance Historic Preservation Sandbagging Channel Dredging Cribbing Reinforcement Water Tubing Purchase Community Training Structural (Section 3.2) Raising Residential Structure Concrete Drainage Gutter Flood-proofing Homes Bridge Abutment Repair Bridge Replacement South Clear Creek meanders through town and meets Clear Creek at a direct 90-degree angle, then flows east to form beautiful Georgetown Lake. The confluence area of the two creeks can not currently be reconstructed for more parallel flow, because the banks are privately owned. These waterways together provide and support many recreational amenities to tourists and organizations worldwide, as well as to the children and families within Clear Creek County. Plans to enhance these qualities also come to the table in search for project funds that comply with the recreational criteria. Past Flood Hazard Activities It is a policy to preserve the historic quality of this community through positive decision-making and implementation of a flood plan, which will encourage further community support pertinent to flood management issues. 3.1 NON-STRUCTURAL MEASURES 3.1.3 Sandbagging 3.1.1 Flood Insurance Georgetown participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP is a federally subsidized program which provides insurance against flood-Orelated losses to structures and their contents. Flood insurance is available to any property owner in a participating community whether or not the structure is located in an identified flood hazard area on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Over half of Georgetown residents in direct risk of the overflow water have invested in flood insurance since the flood in 1995. Other related insurance programs include: During high waters in May 1995, at the point of bank overflow, the Georgetown volunteer fire department was paged to the incident area and began on South Clear Creek to divert the water from South Clear Creek down Griffith Street to 15th Street. It then pooled in front of the train depot to re-enter Clear Creek. Much sand and bags were needed, not to mention the manpower to fill and place them. This has been the course of action for every flood event that has occurred since 1965. Sewer Backup Insurance: This will cover water damage to a structure and contents when sewer lines back up. After 1995, other means of sandbagging were researched. Investment in a bagging machine seemed too costly. A company from California that manufactures water tubing structures came out and put on a demonstration showing how efficient and fast a flood wall can be erected, but again the cost was prohibitive and purchase was denied. Sump Pump Insurance: Several companies will insure for damages caused if a sump fails. 3.1.4 Channel Dredging The Corps of Engineers was contacted in the spring of 1996 for a dredging permit for South Clear Creek. With much adversity, we were permitted to dredge, but limited to rock 2 feet in diameter and larger. This was not sufficient to handle the entire problem so trenches or scouring holes were dug just downstream of several bridges in town so that the debris would be caught 3-1 3-2