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<br />The city of Rifle is eligible for flood Insurance as provided by <br />the NatIonal Flood Insurance Program. The Program requIres the city <br />to adopt and enforce land use and control measures that wll I guide <br />future development of land In flood prone areas In order to avoid or <br />reduce future flood damage. However, these zoning and other regula- <br />tory measures that would permit optImum development and use of flood <br />plain areas commensurate with the flood hazard have not yet been <br />adopted for the study area. <br /> <br />Other Factors and Their Impacts. <br />Flood warning and forecasting. - The National Oceanic and Atmos- <br />pheric AdmInistratIon (NOAA) maintains year-round surveil lance of <br />weather and flood condItIons. Flood forecasts for the Colorado RIver <br />are prepared In the River Forecast Center In Salt Lake CIty, Utah, and <br />are issued, along wIth dally weather forecasts that apply ~eneral Iy to <br />the Rifle vIcInity, by the local office of the National Weather ServIce <br />through the local news medIa. These forecasts provide tImely warning <br />of anticipated floodflows on the Colorado River. It should be noted <br />that althou~h Intense cloudburst activity In a general region can be <br />forecast, such storms and resultant floodln~ In specIfic sma I I draInage <br />areas cannot be predicted accurately and, in any event, forecasts <br />would provide very lIttle advance warnIng. <br /> <br />Flood fighting and emergency evacuation plans. - At the present <br />time, no formal plans for flood fighting or emergency evacuatIon of <br />people and personal property from flood plain areas have been prepared <br />by the city of Rifle. During floods, however, agencies such as the <br />local pol Ice force, Sheriff's office, State Highway Patrol, and road <br />maintenance crews assist In flood fi~htin~ and evacuatIng people from <br />flooded areas. <br /> <br />Storage of floatable materials in flood plain areas. - Floatable <br />materIals resulting from commercial and industrial operations, or from <br />other activities, may be pIcked up and carrIed away by floodwaters; <br />thereby Increasing flood losses. Flood hazards are Intensified by <br /> <br />13 <br />