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<br />North St. Vrain & Sl Vrain Creeks
<br />Floodplain Update
<br />
<br />Town of Lyons
<br />
<br />North St. Vrain & St. Vrain Creeks
<br />Floodplain Update
<br />
<br />Town of Lyons
<br />
<br />SECTION 5 - INTERPRETATION AND USE OF REPORT DATA
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<br />S,S
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<br />Flooded Areas
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<br />S.l
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<br />Flood Frequency and Dischar~e
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<br />As stated above, the 100-year frequency flood has been selected by the State of Colorado as the
<br />flood event to be used for floodplain delineation and regulation.
<br />
<br />The 10-, SO-, 100-, and SOO-year flood events were used as the flood frequencies for this
<br />floodplain analysis, Thus, the data developed in this report will be compatible not only for
<br />regulation purposes and H.B. 1041 designation. but also for Federal Insurance Administration
<br />flood insurance rate studies,
<br />
<br />The area delineated on the flooded area plates at the 100-year floodplain meets the
<br />requirements of H.B, 1041 as an area of state interest. Also, upon official approval of this report
<br />by the Colorado Water Conservation Board, the water surface elevations and the area
<br />delineated on the flooded area maps as the 100-year flood boundary will be designated as
<br />Floodplain Area and may be regulated accordingly by local governmental entities.
<br />
<br />These various flood events have an average occurrence of once in the number of years
<br />indicated, For example, the 100-year period, and has a one percent change of being equaled or
<br />exceeded in any given year.
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<br />S.6 Flood Elevations
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<br />S,2 10- and SO- Year Flood Events
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<br />Flood crest elevations for the 10-, SO-, 100-, and SOO-year floods may be found in four separate
<br />locations in this reoort, The Flood Freauencv-Elevation and DischarP'P Data tahlp, Tah1p 6. lists
<br />these elevations at 'each cross section within the study reach, The flo~oded area maps (plates 13
<br />through 19) give the plan view of the flooded area on a contour base map and the high water
<br />elevations for the 100-year and SOO-year floods can be interpolated from this, The flood profiles
<br />(Figures 1 through 6) show the streambed elevation and the high water elevations for all four
<br />floods, The cross sections in the Technical Appendix show a graphical representation of the
<br />high water elevations at typical canyon and valley cross sections throughout the study reach,
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<br />The flood profiles may be used in areas where controversy arises over the 100-year flood
<br />boundary on the flooded area plates. Since the flood profile plates give the elevations and
<br />stationing, or distance, from a known point, the high water elevations can be surveyed on the
<br />ground to alleviate any discrepancies on the base map,
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<br />The particular uses for the various flood events in addition to those stated above are as follows:
<br />
<br />Information regarding these more frequent floods is especially useful for future engineering
<br />studies and land use planning purposes related to minor road systems, minor channel
<br />improvements. the location of parks and recreational facilities. agricultural l~nds, a~d
<br />appurtenant structures, For structures and uses of this type on the smaller tnbutanes and In
<br />areas where the high risk of structural failure is economically feasible and the hazard to life and
<br />property nonexistent. the sue of the more frequent floods as design criteria may be considered.
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<br />S.3 100-Year Flood Event
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<br />The 100-year flood event may also be used for engineering design purposes where a lower risk
<br />of failure than the 10- or SO-year flood is desired. However, the most important use of the 100-
<br />year flood event lies in floodplain designation and land use regulation as set forth in the state
<br />statutes. The State of Colorado considers the 100-year frequency flood as the flood event to be
<br />used in designing and protecting structures and dwellings for human occupation. Therefore, all
<br />floodplain regulations are based upon the 100-year flood, Also, the ~rea which would be
<br />inundated by the 100-year flood may be delineated as an area of state Interest as set forth In
<br />H,B. 1041, Colorado's land use bill.
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<br />S.7 Horizontal and Vertical Control Monument
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<br />S.4 SOO-Year Flood Event
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<br />In order to locate points on the ground relating to information given in this report, 2
<br />benchmarks set by federal agencies have been identified in the study area, These benchmarks
<br />are tied to United States Coast and Geodetic Survey lines 112 and 113. In addition, 20 control
<br />markers have been set in the field at strategic locations by the mapping contractor at the request
<br />of Boulder County. The additional Boulder County control markers are brass caps set in
<br />concrete, The locations of all benchmarks and control markers are shown on the topographic
<br />maps prepared for this study. The designation, elevations, and general location of the
<br />benchmarks and control markers are listed in Table 7, Additional survey notes and monument
<br />descriptions are included in the 1987 Engineering Professionals, Inc. Technical Addendum
<br />available for review at the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the Public Works
<br />Department, Boulder County,
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<br />The SOO-year flood event is useful in making the public aware that floods larger than the 100-
<br />year event can and do occur as evident in 1997 in the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, Just
<br />because a person is living above the 100-year flood boundary does not mean that hiS IS
<br />completely safe from flooding, The SOO-year flood event can also be used for regulating high-
<br />risk developments within the floodplain such as the storage and manufacture of tOXIC or
<br />explosive materials.
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<br />To resolve elevation differences in previous floodplain studies and provide the basis for future
<br />elevation certifications, BRW investigated the established benchmarks located within and near
<br />the Town of Lyons corporate limits, Six existing benchmarks were located that were set by
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<br />Floodplain Information Report 28
<br />K:\356001004\FLOODPLAIN INFORMATION REPORT,doc
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<br />June 1998
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<br />Floodplain Information Report 29
<br />K:\356001004\FLOODPLAIN INFORMATION REPORTdoc
<br />
<br />June 1998
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