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<br />ASFPM Austin 2000 Conference <br />Abstracts & Biographies <br /> <br />Adopting an Erosion Hazard Boundary - A Floodplain Management <br />Success <br /> <br />By: Jay Sandberg, P.E. <br /> <br />St, George, located in the southwest corner of the of Utah, has increased in population from <br />13,000 in 1980 to well over 50,000 today, As developable land becomes scarce and land values <br />increase, the need to accommodate population growth has created pressure for development of <br />land near the major flood plains, The Virgin River, Ft. Pierce Wash, and Santa Clara River with <br />a combined drainage area of approx. 3200 sq, miles converge near the center of the city. These <br />rivers have high erosion potential. <br /> <br />The city set out to develop a comprehensive floodplain management plan. The city's wanted to <br />accomplish two overall objectives, First, to promote the flood plains as assets rather than <br />liabilities to the community, Second, to adopt a more objective approach to manage the erosion <br />hazard and "stability" of flood plains. <br /> <br />The "River Stability Study" completed in December of 1996 made several general <br />recommendations which included adoption of an "erosion corridor," and requirements for <br />detailed engineering studies addressing erosion potential and long term maintenance and <br />liability, <br /> <br />The report and recommendations were generally supported by elected officials, however, <br />because of the increased amount of regulation that was being proposed officials directed city <br />staff to conduct a public awareness campaign to educate citizens of the community prior any <br />public hearings for the proposed ordinance revisions, The effort to gain community support <br />centered- on three -groups, -First,-property owners. who--would-be-effeeted by-the-proposed- - <br />regulation. Second, the Southern Utah Home Builders Association - a very organized and <br />influential community group, And third, the general population of the community, <br />Upon completion of the public information phase ofthe project, and with minimal opposition, <br />the "erosion hazard boundary" was adopted, <br /> <br />Biograpby <br /> <br />Jay Sandberg <br />For the past 14 years Jay Sandberg has worked for the City ofSt. George in its Engineering <br />Division, Jay graduated from Utah State University and has also worked for the Utah Dept. of <br />Transportation. <br /> <br />Page 2 <br />