FLOOD02918

• County: Denver
• Community: Denver
• Stream Name: South Platte River
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Estimation of Flood Depth-Damage Curves for Residential, Commercial and Industrial Properties in the Denver Region
• Date: 10/1/1977
• Prepared For: CWCB
• Prepared By: Wayne J. Grahm ‎(Master of Science Candidate at CSU)‎
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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Review of the Literature

Much of the research that went into the development of this paper re-

volved around contacting various Federal agencies to determine methodologies

currently in use for estimating flood damages to residential, commercial,

and industrial structures. It was found that the quality and age of the

estimating curves varied greatly. Some Corps districts were and are using

depth-damage curves that were developed from damage surveys going back to

the early 1950's. Others are using curves that result in many times

the damage that one would obtain using the depth-damage curves developed by

FIA which are based upon claim experience, One District is using FIA curves

for some of their benefit-cost analyses but had the outdated 1970 curves

when contacted in October, 1977, Others were "more than willing to partici-

pate further in any effort to more accurately determine depth-damage rela-

tionships". At least four district offices and probably more are making

some use of the residential, commercial, and industrial depth-damage curves

that have been distributed by the Galveston District. Many of the district

offices believe that commercial and industrial losses are too variable and

that generalized curves for these properties can not be developed. These

offices obtain damage estimates by on-site surveys. The Office of the Chief

of Engineers, Washington, D. C., does not have any regulations or rules con-

cerning the use of depth-damage curves, The individual contacted has

suggested that Corps offices use the FIA data which is based on claim ex-

perience which he thought was a good source, The Office of the Chief of

Engineers has just let a contract with the Waterways Experiment Station

in Vicksburg, Mississippi to have them overview methodologies being used

by the various Corps Districts and recommend what should be done.

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