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<br />. <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />effective spotter networks of dedicated individuals have provided valuable flood information to <br />assist in the decision-making process. <br /> <br />Lesson learned: Flood detection networks provide invaluable quantitative information on <br />rainfall and stream flow to assist in decision-making but a re expensive to implement and <br />maintain. Additionally they may not provide adequate warning in urban and fast-response <br />basins. <br /> <br />Communications <br /> <br />Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding severely limit and overburden even the best designed <br />communication systems. During the Big Thompson flash flood telephone service was quickly cut, <br />radio stations in Estes Park went off the air and static distorted ham and emergency radio <br />broadcasts. No one knew what was going on. Commercial radio and television stations struggled <br />to get confirmation that a problem existed. Interest in a local pre-season NFL football game <br />provided distractions. In large metro areas the approach of severe weather systems, such as the <br />July 11, 1990 $600 Million Dollar Denver hail storm, can clog local telephone, cellular phone and <br />radio communications. Communications "black holes" can quickly develop. <br /> <br />Lesson learned: develop a redundant communications systems using telephone, cellular <br />phone, radio, fax, cable and local television components. But plan on Murphy being there. <br /> <br />Response. <br /> <br />An invaluable aid in responding to a flash flooding event is a planned course of action involving <br />the emergency response agencies. The development of organized flood warning plans by <br />basin provide a framework for individuals to creatively adapt response to most situations. <br />On the night of the Big Thompson no warning plan existed and agency chaos ruled. Evacuation <br />plans did not exist. Heroic efforts by individuals, some of whom lost their lives, filled the gaps but <br />were inadequate to significantly reduce the loss of life. Experience has shown that even well- <br />exercised plans can fail to be executed correctly but still provide an effective decision framework. <br /> <br />Lesson learned: Planned response to flash floods can save lives. Basin-specific warning <br />plans can be most effective but need to be exercised annually. Even the poor execution of <br />a warning plan is more effective than the paralyzing chaos of no plan. <br /> <br />SO WHA T IF THE BIG THOMPSON FLASH FLOOD OCCURRED AGAIN OR STRUCK <br />ANOTHER POPULAR RECREATION AREA IN THE STATE? <br /> <br />Lessons Lost or Solutions Gained? <br /> <br />Evidence, concrete, subjective and otherwise, continues to mount that current flash flood warning <br />systems are either failing or haven't been fully implemented to the level needed to provide <br />protection. New technology, while seeming to provide a detection panacea, has created a <br />flash flood of information for a dwindling number of operational meteorologists assigned <br />to flash flood prediction to ponder. The burden of decision-making is still focused on <br />Individuals. Flood plain management continues to get bogged down in the reality of <br />politics, people and money leaving a significant population at risk to flash floods. Flash <br />flood detection systems and warning plans, however good, are not fool-proof. Communications <br />and decision-making preceding and during flash flooding events are highly dependent for success <br />on the right people and situations being present. <br /> <br />Is there a solution? <br /> <br />4 <br />