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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policies grew from approximately 39,545 in June, 1970 to 302,270 in June,

1973 the FIA was able to revise the depth-damage curves in early 1974

to reflect actual claim experience. The depth-damage curves selected

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by the FIA in1974 were based on actual claim experience weighted to fit

the normal curve. The 1974 curves generally yield less damage for a par-

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ticular flood depth than the original 1970 curves. Analyzing over 19,000

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structure damage claims and over 12,000 content damage claims from October,

1975 through June, 1977 lends support that the 1974 curves should be modi-

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fied slightly to reflect recent flood experience which generally shows that

the 1974 curves produce damages in excess of those that actually occur at

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any given elevation. With pressure mounting from the Office of Management

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and Budget for Federal Agencies to use FIA curves in evaluating the feasi-

bility and benefit-cost ratio of various alternative projects, it would

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behoove the FIA to keep their curves as accurate as possible and as the

goal of the agency is management of flood plain development, rather than

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the building of structures to reduce flood risk, it should revise the curves

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to reflect the more recent experience, The FIA plans on updating the curves

every six months so analysts

should keep abreast of their activities.

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Some notes of caution concerning the use of FIA curves is in order.

First, it is important that the user understand that certain property is

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not covered by the Standard Flood Insurance Policy and thus the FIA depth-

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damage curves do not take such losses into account. Some of these are: damage

to lawns, trees, shrubs,.or plants, underground structures or underground equip-

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men~ and those portions of the sidewalks, driveways, and other paved surfaces

outside the foundation walls of the structure,

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