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<br />. <br /> <br />FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />Local Ordinance Requirements <br />Corrununities that manage their floodplains in Colorado do so most often through the local <br />regulatory process. This requires a corrununity to adopt an ordinance or regulation, which sets forth <br />the performance standards by which development will occur in identified flood hazard areas. <br />Nationwide and in Colorado, regulations are enforced within the area ofthe lOO-year floodplain. <br /> <br />The basic requirement of these regulations is that new development and significant improvement of <br />existing development cannot occur in the I DO-year floodplain without a floodplain development <br />permit being obtained. Obtaining such a permit requires compliance with engineering standards. In <br />communities like Jefferson County that have both detailed and approximate floodplain information, <br />the engineering and floodplain management standards vary from specific to more general. For <br />approximate floodplain areas, structures must be built with materials and techniques that "minimize <br />flood damages". Development within or near areas having detailed floodplain information, more <br />specific regulations would apply. The use of engineering techniques presented in this report can <br />help the County to better regulate its approximate floodplain areas. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Flood Insurance <br />Flood insurance is made available to owners and occupants of floodprone property through the <br />federal government's National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The federally backed flood <br />insurance is available to anyone in any corrununity that participates in the NFIP. At the time of this <br />publication, Jefferson County is currently participating in the NFIP, and officially joined the regular <br />program of the NFIP on August 5, 1986. Cornmunities become participants by adopting floodplain <br />regulations, adopting an NFIP map (if one exists) and agreeing to cooperate with the federal <br />government in the local implementation of the NFIP. Property owners and occupants can then <br />contact an insurance agent familiar with the NFIP (perhaps their own agent) and purchase insurance <br />through that agent, much like they would purchase homeowner's insurance. Brochures and other <br />information regarding the National Flood Insurance Program can be obtained by calling the <br />Regional Office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Denver at (303) 235- <br />4830. <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Floodplain Manal!ement Alternatives <br />Besides floodplain regulations and flood insurance, there are many actions that can reduce the risk <br />of flood damage in a corrununity. Generally these actions fall into two classes, structural actions <br />and non-structural actions. Structural actions involve the construction of facilities to separate <br />floodwaters from property that is at risk. They include construction of improved channels, <br />enlargement of crossing structures (bridges and culverts), levees and floodwalls, reservoirs and <br />ponds to detain floodwaters and diversion channels and pipes to direct waters elsewhere. Non- <br />structural actions usually involve removing people and/or structures from the risk area without <br />physically altering the floodplain. Actions include regulation of new development, the adoption <br />and enforcement of specific building code requirements, floodproofing of existing buildings, <br />relocation of structures to safer sites, acquisition of floodplain (including buildings) for open space <br /> <br />6 <br />