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Fort Collins Featured by two National Organizations for Exceptional Flood Management Practices

Posted on: Jun-15-2016

The City of Fort Collins’ Floodplain Management Program recently was highlighted as a case study by the American Water Resources Association (AWRA).

The AWRA white paper provides an analysis of proactive flood mitigation strategies nationwide, as well as specific lessons learned in design and implementation after previous damaging events.

The City’s multi-faceted approach to open space preservation, flood warning systems, stream restoration and flood mitigation funding, serves as an example for other rapidly-growing urban areas that want to avoid recurring flood events. For a copy of the report, visit http://www.awra.org/document_request.cgi?docname=impact&utm_source=May+2016+Connections&utm_campaign=2016+May+Connections&utm_medium=email.

The City also was recognized in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region VIII Loss Avoidance study. The findings emphasize how drainage improvements directly reduce flooding and demonstrate how the Community Rating System (CRS) is an effective flood management program. Fort Collins recently achieved a CRS Class 2 rating, making it one of only five communities in the nation to receive a Class 2 rating or higher.

After the 2013 Colorado floods, FEMA investigated and compared the effectiveness and direct savings of flood mitigation efforts, like higher regulatory standards, open space and public outreach. For a copy of the full report, visit http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1429759760513-f96124536d2c3ccc07b3db4a4f8c35b5/FEMA_CO_RegulatoryLAS.pdf.

Both of these national organizations reiterate how important it is to implement a flood warning system and pre-disaster mitigation strategies to reduce damages and losses, as have been done in Fort Collins. The City also serves as a model for other municipalities to adopt and enforce higher standards than the minimum National Flood Insurance Program requirements.

 

For more information on floodplain management in Fort Collins, visit https://www.fcgov.com/flooding , email mhilmesrobinson@fcgov.com, call 970-224-6036 or V/TDD 711. 



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