FLOOD06858 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

City of Colorado Springs Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan Introduction 1- '" Pike. Peak Area . From Pine Creek Purpose of Study Colorado Springs, a city of41O,OOO people, has suffered many floods in its history. June 17, 1993, the city faced a storm that left three inches of rain in 3.5 hours and up to six inches of hail in some parts of the city. The purpose of this Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan is to identifY critical flood hazard issues faced by the community. The plan seeks to accomplish an indepth look at this incident and to identify actions that could be taken in the future to mitigate against some of the problems which were incurred during this flood. The Colorado Springs Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan has been prepared by the Office of Emergency Management with support from local city, county, and state personnel. Scope of Study The Flood Hazard Mitigation Plan is focused primarily on the city of Colorado Springs, emphasizing the hard hit areas oflow eleva- tion within city limits. The hazard analysis is .... ......, ,L not only limited to the flood on June 17, but also takes a look at future potential floods. Colorado Springs Vulnerability Nestled in the foothills of Pikes Peak, Colo- rado Springs is a city extremely vulnerable to flash flooding. Severe weather, caused by summer heat, generates thunderstorms that can occur with little warning. Like many pio- neer settlements, the city is located along waterways which can flood during storms that produce one or more inches of rain per hour. Many historic floods have occurred in the Pikes Peak area. Weather conditions, topog- raphy, hydrology, and geography have com- bined to create both hazardous and costly situations for the city. It is crucial for the city of Colorado Springs to take steps to minimize risks to the citizens and damage to property during future flooding. This can best be ac- complished through community awareness, flood preparedness, and mitigation planning. 1