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199B. Colorado Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan (4091 3.3 Existing Mitigation Plans, Programs, and Structures Federal Government . Great Sand Dunes National Monument . Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument . Hovenweep National Monument . Bent's Old Fort Historic Site . Curecanti National Recreation Area On August 6, 1979, the National Park Servioe revised its management policies on construction, shoreline processes, and limitation of visitor use. With respect to floodplains and wetlands, the revisions provide that facilities and structures will not be located, except where no practicable alternative exists, In 100-year floodplains, and that schoois, hospitals, and museums will not be located within 500-year floodplains. Fur- thermore, the impact from construction activities will be avoided in floodplains and wetlands, except where no "reasonable alternative. exists. Whenever new facilities and structures must be located in floodplains and wetlands, ''their design and siting shall be based on scientific, engineering and architectural studies; consideration to protection of human life, natural pro- cesses and cultural resources; and consideration to their planned life span." The same scrutiny will be applied to existing structures and facilities needing rehabiiitation or replacement. Such scrutiny will be I one actor in the case of historic structures. In natural zones, shoreline- processes, such as er0- sion, deposition, dune formation, and inlet formation, will be allowed to take piace naturally, except where control measures are necessary to protect life and property in neighboring areas. In historic zones, the threat to the cultural resources and the imminence of the threat also are taken into account. In development zones, a management policy of phasing out, systemat- ically relocating or providing aiternative development to existing development will be followed; no new devel- opment will be placed unless it is essential to meet the park's purpose and no practical aiternatlve localions are available. Following the Lawn Lake Dam break and resultant flooding on Roaring River and Fall River in the Rocky Mountain National Park on July 15, 1982, the National Park Service has implemented several measures to identify and regulate flood prone areas, minimize flood recurrence and improve hazard warning and evacua- tion procedures. FHNI'-Cbopler-3.pul> ChapleT 3 - 24 3.3.1 3.3.2 3.3.2.1 State Government Flood Mitigation Capability in Colorado Flood Hazard mitigation has been occurring in Col- orado for several decades. In the past, it was often implemented at the local level of govemment generally following flood disasters. In recent times, involvement from both the state and federal government has be- come more common as each entity has provided funding and technical assistance for flood hazard mitigation. In the future the impiementation of flood hazard mitigation strategies will still take place locally but it will be supplemented with new enthusiasm from the state and federal government, as pre-disaster mitigation becomes the cornerstone of FEMA and state programs. In the 1980s and the 1990s, Coiorado state govem- menfs first formal experience with flood hazard mitiga- tion followed the 1982 and 1984 Presidentiai Disaster Declarations, particularly in 1984. The 1982 declara- tion addressed the Lawn Lake Dam failure near Estes Park and was fairly localized in scope. On the other hand 17 counties on Colorado's Western Slope were included under the 1984 declaration. Mitigation mea- sures related to infrastructure and watershed manage- ment were implemented in Delta and Montrose Coun- ties. These measures consisted primarily of replacing structures, such as bridges.. and culverts, that had washed out or been damaged with ones of larger capacity. An acquisition/buyout also occurred in a subdivision in Paonia, Colorado. Bank stabilization efforts at several locations were undertaken. In 1984, 100-year flooding occurred in the Delta County area upstream of the confiuence of the Un- compahgre and Gunnison Rivers. These flood impacts set into a motion a series of actions by local govem- ments, which today has culminated in the develop- ment of a park at the rivers' confiuence. In 1993, the state's mountain snowpack was at an all-time high in several drainages. Pre-disaster mitiga- tion activities such as sandbagging critical locations and placement or diversion structures occurred in Western Slope counties such as Gunnison County. Rock deflection jetties were placed to protect the county fairground facilities in Hotchkiss (Deita County). Bank stabilization was again commonplace. In addition, education efforts through the Colorado Water Conservation Board's Spring Flood Aware- ness Campaign prompted action from local govern- ments. 112819610:51 PM