FLOOD04092

• County: Delta
• Community: Delta
• Basin: Gunnison
• Title: Pre-Disaster Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Date: 2/1/2002
• Prepared For: Delta
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Mitigation/Flood Warning/Watershed Restoration

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Flood insurance claims information indicates that 35-40% of all NFIP claims come from
outside the 100-year floodplain. The lOO-year floodplain, as delineated on the community's
FIRM, is the area which the community has agreed to regulate in exchange for flood
insurance availability in the community.

2. Open Space Policies

The Delta City Council has taken proactive measures to purchase industrial ground in the
floodplain and convert it to park and open space use. Major City facilities are either located
out of the floodplain or raised at least one foot above the one hundred year flood level.

3. Acquisition and Relocation

In 1989 Delta acquired and demolished an industrial sugar beet factory which was in the
floodplain. Though a costly proposition at the time, it has been a prudent move and has
improved the quality of the community.

4. Floodplain Regulations

Upon entrance into the NFIP, Delta adopted the minimum standards of the program. Since
detailed mapping, with floodways, had been prepared for the community, a Flood Damage
Prevention Ordinance was adopted in 1984. The regulations set the performance standards
by which development can occur in the community's identified floodplains. All new
residential development must be constructed at or above the level of the 100-year flood.

B. Structural Flood Hazard Mitigation in Delta

1. Levees

In 1984 the City built a new waste water treatment plant. At that time, a flood
occurred and washed a portion of the main feeder line out of the ground. Since then, the
City has built a levee system to protect the plant and the pipeline in the event of flood. The
City is currently attempting to upgrade these protections for the plant during floods.

2. Channel Improvements

The Uncompahgre River and the Gunnison River have had channel improvements in
the past. The rivers were cleared of sand bars in a number of areas. The work on the
Gunnison was done quite a while ago. The work on the Uncompahgre was done recently,
under a 404 permit form the Corps of Engineers.

3. Retrofitting of Flood-prone Areas

Some Delta retailers sit near the Gunnison River. Two retrofit projects have
occurred to provide back water prevention and to remove storm water which ponds in the
area during large storm events.