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<br />Colorado Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan - 1 !l99 ==:=- <br /> <br />benefit;~::~inable ';;001 the -:e of flo:~PlatnS ~~~- the 1 <br />potential losses to individuals and society arising from <br />such use. Various floodplain managemEmt strategies <br />are or~I,:mized in Appendix D. <br /> <br />and/or political oppositions, Perceptio.,s of benefit vs, <br />threat diminish greatly as an event fades from thought. <br />However, mitigation successes can be accomplished <br />by: (1) preparing accurate assessment information <br />regarding hazards; and (2) when mitigation is <br />supported by strong leadership and a commitment for <br />posrtive change, <br /> <br />Government officials at aU levels must understand that <br />without proactive mitigation by all applicable <br />government agencies, the costs as~sociated with a <br />natural disaster will increase. If no mrtigation is under.. <br />taken, the accumulated costs of future disasters will fa,. <br />exceed the cost of mrtigation efforts applied now, <br /> <br />1.5 Methodology Used in Data Collection <br />Generally speaking, the methodology in the develop, <br />ment of this pian and data collection progressed from <br />the general, non-specific to the detail ed and the par. <br />ticular. Many avenues for data collection were used. I <br />Personal interviews, along with technic:al research into <br />pertinent publications are just a few of the examples, <br />The plan looks at general ideas and issues relating to <br />recent flood events, The Interagency Hazard Mitigation <br />Team (IHMT) and the State Hazard IIIIrtigation Team <br />(SHMT) efforts in defining specific recommendations <br />for mitigation of the flood hazard were invaluable, The <br />specific recommendations located in Chapter 5 are a <br />result of a team effort of many individuals from federal, <br />state, local, and private organizations, <br /> <br />1.6 Definitions <br />The following definitions are offered as a guide toward <br />better understanding the similarities and subtle <br />differences between the major concepts discussed in <br />this plan, all developed to reduce fiood damages <br />(additional definrtions and acronyms are listed in <br />Appendix A), <br /> <br />Hazard Mitigation - A plan to alleviate by softening <br />and making less severe the effects of a major disaster <br />or emergency and of future disasters in the affected <br />areas, including reduction or avoi::tance. Hazard <br />mrtigation can reduce the severity or the effects of <br />flood emergency on people and property by reducing <br />the cause or occurrence of the hazard; reducing I <br />exposure to the hazard; or reducing the effects through <br />preparedness, response, and recovelY measures. <br />Hazard mitigation is a management strategy in which <br />current actions and expenditures .to reduce the <br />occurrence or severity of potential flood disasters are <br />balanced wrth potential losses from future floods, <br /> <br />Floodplain Management A comprehensive <br />approach to reduce the damaging effects of floods, <br />preserve and enhance natural values, and provide for <br />optimal use of land and water resources within the <br />fioodplain, Its goal is to strike a balance between the <br /> <br />Chapter 1 - 3 <br /> <br />Dam Safety - A program to inventory, classify and <br />inspect dams to ident~y hazardous conditions and <br />ensure proper maintenance through corrective orders <br />for the purpose of protecting human life ,and property. <br />A dam (Including the waters impounded by such dam) <br />constitutes a threat to human life or propE~rty if it might <br />be endangered by overtopping, seepage, settlement, <br />erosion, sediment, cracking, earth movement, <br />earthquakes, failure of bulkheads, flashboards, gates <br />on conduits, or other conditions. <br /> <br />EmergE~nc:y Preparedness - A program to reduce <br />vulnerability of people C1nd communities of tl1is state to <br />damage, injury, and loss of I~e and property resulting <br />from natural or man-made catastrophes (see <br />A,ppencfix DJ. <br /> <br />Geolonic Hazard Management ' A program to <br />fE~cognize hazardous geologic processes and <br />conditions and their potential adverse E~ffects on <br />existin~l or proposed works of man. Upon identification <br />of such geologic hazard constraints, a second phase <br />of management requires effective statutory and <br />! administrative procedures and actions to minimize loss <br />of tife and property through prudent controls and <br />mitigation. <br /> <br />, <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />___~~__~~~_~~..._____J <br /> <br />12/231008:07 PM <br />