FLOOD05827

• County: Boulder
• Community: Boulder
• Stream Name: Boulder Creek
• Basin: South Platte
• Title: Boulder Creek Phase B
• Date: 12/1/1979
• Prepared For: Boulder
• Prepared By: UDFCD
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

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are not enforced, damages would be expected to increase to

over two million dollars annually as a result of new construction

in the flood plain.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service (NWS) and a
private meteorological service will use color radar images
from the NWS radar at Limon and Cheyenne to track potential
flash flood producing storms. Ground confirmation of rainfall
amounts will be provided by telemetered rain gages and volunteer

fire department observers. Telemetered steam gages and

volunteer fire department stream gage observers will provide

information on rising water levels.

The City of Boulder has adopted a local runoff control program

for which it levies a service charge on all developed property,

based on the portion of the property ~hat has an impervious

surface. The revenue from the service charge is used to

operate the flood control utility and build flood control
improvements. The service charge rates are structured to

encourage developers to provide additional detention storage

for local runoff exceeding that of the 20% (5-year) flood, which
is a minimum requirement. The higher the level of detention

storage provided, the lower the service charge.

Initial information on flash flood potential will be forwarded
to the Boulder Regional Communications Center (BRCC). As the
potential increases a Situation Information Center (SIC) will
be established. It will be staffed by emergency services and
technical personnel. The SIC will collect and evaluate all
hydrologic and hydraul ic data and will determine when to
recommend evacuation of the flood plain.

Properly designed detention storage is effective in reducing

storm sewer requirements and flooding on local tributaries of

Boulder Creek, However, local detention storage will not

significantly reduce flooding on Boulder Creek in Boulder
since its flood flow is generated in the mountainous, upstream

watershed.

The Urban Drainage and Flood Control District in cooperation
with the City of Boulder, Boulder County and University of
Colorado at Boulder is developing an emergency evacuation
program for Boulder. It is expected that the plan will
provide for development of an early warning system, mass

communication, evacuation, and temporary shelter for the

When a decision to evacuate the flood plain has been made,

the warning will be disseminated by the following methods:

Radio and T.V. stations will be asked to broadcast the warning.

The NWS will put the warning on their Weather Radio. Emergency
vehicles (pol ice and fire vehicles) will circulate through the
flood plain giving warning meassages on their public address
systems. Boulder's warning sirens will be sounded.

evacuees.

A citizen alert system is being promoted by the BRCC. Tone
alert radios can be purchased by any interested individual.
These radios can be turned on by the BRCC and warning messages

can be broadcast.

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