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<br />CHAPTER .1 <br /> <br />INTRODUCTION <br /> <br />PURPOSE <br /> <br />This after-action report <br />provides an assessment of the <br />1984 Western Slope flood, <br />investigates the severity of <br />the impacts, reviews actions <br />taken by the various <br />jur isdictions and agencies, and <br />identifies the lessons learned <br />for use in administering future <br />disaster recovery programs. <br /> <br />The contents of this report can <br />be used as the basis for future <br />preparedness, response, and <br />recovery actions in similar <br />flood incidents. <br /> <br />SCOPE <br /> <br />This report addresses issues <br />relevant to the fifteen <br />counties impacted by the 1984 <br />spring flooding. From a county- <br />by-county inventory of flood <br />impacts and specific recovery <br />efforts to a report on specific <br />mi tigation measures undertaken, <br />this report will discuss the <br />major achievements of <br />Colorado's 1984 recovery as <br />well as the ongoing mitigation <br />and recovery planning process. <br />The geographic area of the <br />report includes the counties of <br />Colorado's Western Slope: <br />Del ta, Dolores, Eagle, <br />Garf ield, Gunnison, Hinsdale, <br />Mesa, Moffat, Montrose, ouray, <br /> <br />Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, <br />Saguache, and San Miguel. Also <br />included are the forty-nine <br />ci ties, towns, special <br />districts, electric co-op's, <br />and four state agencies which <br />were applicants for federal <br />disaster public assistance (see <br />Fiqure 1. Page 2 Presidentially <br />Declared Counties). <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />DESCRIPTION <br /> <br />One of the most severe and <br />extensive snowmelts in the <br />history of Colorado occurred <br />during the spring of 1984. <br />Widespread flood and landslide <br />damage on the Western Slope <br />impacted populated areas <br />causing damages to roads and <br />bridges, agricultural lands, <br />and public facilities. Damages <br />from the flooding totaled over <br />$29 million dollars. <br /> <br />Although the presidential <br />disaster declaration was made <br />on July 27, 1984, important <br />conditions in the preceding <br />year contributed to the <br />subsequent year's ma jor events. <br />During 1983, heavy winter <br />snowpack and rain caused <br />flooding throughout the Western <br />Slope. <br /> <br />1 <br />