FLOOD04322

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Stream Name: All
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Benefit-Cost Analysis for Urban Drainage Planning
• Date: 3/1/1974
• Prepared For: UDFCD
• Prepared By: CSU
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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the analysis. In addition, the engineering investigation must

be completed, including the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses

and the formulation of alternative flood control measures.

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Formulation of Flood Control Study criteria

Before the flood control study is undertaken, some cri-

teria must be established. The following are among the ques-

tions that should be considered:

1. Is the desired level of protection fixed or
variable?

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2. If the level of protection is fixed, will the
recommended alternative be the lowest cost,
the one that maximizes the net benefits for a
fixed cost, or the one that maximizes the net
benefits with no constraint on the project cost?

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3.

Will the project financing be fixed or variable?

4.

Will the study consider only direct benefits or
will secondary or indirect benefits be quanti-
fied and included?

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5 .

Which secondary benefits will be quantified?
Should loss of life be quantified?

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6.

Which types of alternatives should be investi-
gated?

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Other criteria should be set where applicable. The answers to

the above will depend on local preferences and in fact may be

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specified in the contract. This paper has assumed that the

desired level of protection is fixed, the financing is variable,

and the recommended alternative will be the one that maximizes

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the net benefits with no constraint on the project cost.

~ Leonard R,ceConsulllngWaler Eng"eers.lnc.