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<br />GUIDELINES FOR FLOOD PLAIN MANAGEMENT <br /> <br />Floods caused very little damage until the works of man <br /> <br /> <br />invaded the flood plains. Through bitter experience, man has learned <br /> <br /> <br />that floods quite often cover portions of the flood plains, damaging <br /> <br /> <br />or sweeping away roads, buildings, homes and often pose a severe <br /> <br /> <br />threat to human life. The continuing growth of cities results in <br /> <br /> <br />ever-increasing encroachment of the flood plains. <br /> <br /> <br />OVer the years, reservoirs, channel improvements, levees, <br /> <br /> <br />and other flood-protection works have been constructed to protect <br /> <br /> <br />the works of man against the force of nature's floods. But encroach- <br /> <br /> <br />ment of the flood plains has taken place faster than flood-protection <br /> <br /> <br />works have been constructed with the result that flood damages have <br /> <br />been steadily increasing across the nation. <br /> <br /> <br />Despite the expenditure of tax funds running into <br /> <br /> <br />billions of dollars for flood control works, the increase in flood <br /> <br /> <br />damages has led to a new approach for reducing these damages. Called <br /> <br /> <br />"flood plain rnanagement,lI this new approach consists of applying con- <br /> <br /> <br />trols over the use of land lying adjacent to the streams. Land-use <br /> <br /> <br />control, most often known as "Flood Plain Regulations," does not <br /> <br />attempt to reduce or eliminate flooding but is designed to mold the <br /> <br /> <br />flood plain development in such a manner as to lessen the damaging <br /> <br /> <br />effects of floods. Planned development and management of flood <br /> <br /> <br />hazard areas can be accomplished by a variety of means, some are <br /> <br /> <br />described in the following text; however, no recommendation is made <br /> <br /> <br />for the use of a specific technique. Flood plain regulations are <br /> <br /> <br />the responsibility of State and local governing agencies. <br /> <br /> <br />Cities and counties within the State of Colorado are <br /> <br />authorized to enact and enforce land-use controls. Advisory assist- <br /> <br /> <br />ance relating to their detailed development for flood plain manage- <br /> <br /> <br />ment needs is available from the Colorado Water Conservation Board. <br /> <br />App, 4 <br />24 <br />