FLOOD04645

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Floods of 1984
• Date: 5/1/1984
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: CWCB
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

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Arguments Against: The facts are:

MEMORANDUM

*

A local match of 25% of the project cost will
be required. The project cost to rebuild the
damaged facility in most cases will be higher
than the damage assessment. The local
government cost share to rebuild according to
federal standards may be beyond their means.

*

Relief for the $12 million in agricultural
damages can be provided through the Dept. of
Agriculture without a federal declaration.
In fact, FmHA has already declared 8 Colorado
counties eligible and are considering 7
others. This leaves $20 million in the
balance.

*

A study of flood disasters in Colorado from
the 1860's to the present shows average
annual flood damages to be at least $14
million. Is $32 million that much above
normal losses to "cry wolf" about?

*

The hydrologic magnitude of this years spring
floods were generally not excessive. A study
of peak discharge measurements at key stream
gage stations revealed this year's spring
snowmelt runoff to be generally less than
once in a 20 year event. Only a few streams
experienced over a 100-year event.

*

Many of the federal programs are currently
not funded. Specifically, we understand the
Department of Transportation, Title 23
program is out of money.

*

Many of the federal programs have so many
exclusions that they are impossible to
apply. See for yourself in the attached
program descriptions.

*The state will be requested to provide
personal to the Disaster Field Office to
conduct detailed Damage Survey Reports (if
any applications for federal aid are received
from local governments) and to form a
federal-state planning team which would be
responsible for identifying ways the money
should be spent to best mitigate future
damages (mitigation team). The loss of man
hours to state agencies will be very high.

-2-

July 19, 1984