FLOOD10222

• County: El Paso
• Community: Colorado Springs
• Basin: Arkansas
• Title: The City of Colorado/Springs/El Paso County Drainage Criteria Manual
• Date: 11/1/1986
• Prepared By: Colorado Springs
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

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Drainage facil ities such as channels and storm sewers serve both a conveyance
and storage function. When a channel is planned as a conveyance feature, it
requires an outlet to a suitable outfall. When considered as a space demand,
the provision of adequate drainage becomes a competing use for space along with
other land uses. If adequate provision is not made in a land-use plan for the
drainage demand, storm water runoff will conflict with other land uses that
could result in flood damages, and impair or even disrupt the functioning of
other urban systems. Designated flood plain areas along drainageways are being
incorporated in the City/County Comprehensive Land Use Plans.

The City Code, Chapter 15, Article 6 - Flood Plain Management and the County
Land Development Code zoning regulations, Section 32 - Flood Plain District
outline development restrictions within flood plain areas

PROPER PLANNING OF DRAINAGE WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER URBAN NEEDS RESULTS
IN MORE ORDERLY DEVELOPMENT AND LOWER COSTS FOR DRAINAGE.

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Planning Process

Good urban drainage planning is a complex process. Fundamentals include:

a. Initial Drainage Planning. All local and regional planning must
take into consideration the initial drainage system to transport
the runoff from the storms which can be expected to occur on a
frequent basis. The initial system provided must assure a
minimum of future drainage complaints. The initial drainage
system is intended to provide a cost-effective means of
conveying storm runoff for the lO-year event. Initial drainage
planning should be integrated with the major drainage system to
provide overflow capability for major storms.

b. Major Drainage Planning. All local and regional planning must
take into consideration the major drainage system necessary to
transport t,!M.lI.V,,.ftlnoff. The major drainage systenr
planned will prevent loss of life and major damage and will
function when the initial drainage system is exceeded.

The process of planning of initial and major drainage systems is started
with a Drainage Basin Planning Study. A Drainage Basin Planning Study
shou 1 d be directed by broad, general framework goals. The City/County
goa 1 s are:

Economic efficiency
Regional development
Environmental preservation and enhancement
Social and recreational needs fulfillment
Responsible funding and implementation policy

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