FLOOD04763

• County: Statewide
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Statewide River Rehabilitation and Floodplain Needs Inventory, Related Stream Rehabilitation Information
• Date: 1/1/1997
• Prepared For: State of Colorado
• Prepared By: Consultants
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Community File

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An Action Plan for Reducing Flood Risk in lhe..,

Page 1 of8

WESTERN GOVERNORS' ASSOCIATION

An Action Plan/or Retb,cing Flood Risk in the West
December 1997

INTRODUCTION

]n the past IS months significant flooding has afflicted a majority or states in the West and northern plains. Floods in California, Colorado,
North and South Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington have caused a number of fatalities, destroyed businesses,
homes and public facilities, and severely harmed farming and ranching operations, It is estimated that over $S billion in federal, stale and
local funds will be spent helping Western communities and agricultural interests recover from the 1996/1997 t100d season.

As the number and cost of disasters continues to rise, improving the management of floodplain areas becomes even more critical, Over the
last 30 years, average annual riverine flood damages have exceeded S2 billion, During the decade ending in 1994, those costs escalated,
averaging $3 billion a year,

All too often, after flood waters have subsided, the emphasis has been placed on rebuilding structures and trying to restore Rood victims'
lives back to normal as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, in the rush, these flood victims have often rebuilt their structures to their
previous "at risk" conditions. There is a growing societal impatience with continually "bailing out" those who choose to Hve at risk,
Professionals at all levels of government are now seeking to integrate numerous programs to address our nation's flood problems and
reduce future Rood risks and costs,

Recent changes in federal policy are increasing the focus on non-structural alternatives, such as encouraging participation in the National
F100d Insurance Program (NFIP). Flood insurance is now required for every federally secured mortgage for private and commercial
property located in the l00-year floodplain. And flood insurance will only be made available if communities belong to the NFIP. Strict
requirements for levee construction and maintenance are also mandated for privale subdivisions that want to be eligible for federal
reimbursement for Rood losses. These changes are intended to reduce the growing costs offlood disasters to the federal government. Just
.. as important, they can reduce costs to state and local governments. Between 1992 and 1996, emergency response lnd recovery costs for
states inCreased 79 percent; and the trend will continue, unless stale and local governments take cooperative, proactive steps to improve
implementation and delivery of flood programs.

It is clear that the federal government's focus on disaster recovery has dramatically changed. In 1994 alone, state governors declared 467
disasters and spent more than $1.6 billion on emergency management disaster related costs, Of the 467, only 27 were declared disasters by
the President and, thus, eligible for federal aid. The federal government has taken steps to reduce eligibility for certain types of disaster
recovery measures and programs involving federal cost sharing, At the same time, the federal government is working to reduce potential
,. disaster damages through more proactive efforts to lower flood risk.

.. hup:l/www.westgov.orglwga/publicatlfldrpt.htm

1/9/98