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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Sources of Depth-Damage Curves

Flood-depth-damage curves are available in various forms and un-

doubtedly are of various degrees of accuracy, Federal Agencies, as well

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as local water resource development organizations, have developed such

curves. Some of the curves are based upon empirical data while others

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are based upon synthetic data. Of the curves based upon empirical data,

some have been developed from interviews of flooding victims taken

especially for the purpose of developing damage estimates. Others have

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been developed from flood insurance damage claim data.

It was interesting to learn that although some depth-damage curves

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were receivng more widespread use than others (FIA curves and Galveston

Corps curves), many agencies thought that the curves had serious deficien-

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cies. In these situations, the complaining agency would either amend the

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curves, use another set of curves, or use the "deficient" curves under

protest.

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Corps of Engineers

The Corps of Engineers has had a great need in the past for developing

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reliable damage estimates which most often are developed from flood depth-

damage curves. In the Denver area, the construction of Mt. Carbon Reservoir,

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Chatfield Reservoir, and Cherry Creek Reservoir has gone ahead due to favor-

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able Benefit-Cost ratios. The selection of the depth-damage curves used

was most important in determining the flood control benefits used in the

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benefit-cost analysis,

Earlier in the rcport, it was mentioned that the Office of the Chicf of

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Engineers, U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, does not have any regulations re-

garding depth-damage curves to be used by individual Corps District Offices.

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