Floodplain Management

by Mike Grimm, Floodplain Engineer; Federal Emergency Management Agency, Mitigation Div., Hazard Identification Branch, Washington, DC,


Serial Information: Civil Engineering—ASCE, 1998, Vol. 68, Issue 3, Pg. 62-64


Document Type: Feature article

Abstract:

On July 28th, 1997, the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, experienced devastating floods on Spring Creek that resulted in property damage and loss of life. As part of the local floodplain management program, the City has collected and evaluated a large amount of hazard information and implemented a broad range of mitigation activities. The effectiveness of the local floodplain management and mitigation efforts in reducing flood damages and loss of life can be demonstrated by comparing the cumulative loss of buildings and lives in the July 28th flood with buildings (and lives) that were positively affected by pre-disaster mitigation projects. The latter represent potential losses if mitigation had not been implemented. This paper summarizes the mitigation efforts implemented and funded by the City and attempts to quantify the relative reduction of loss of life and property, to the extent possible, that pre-disaster mitigation accomplished.

Subject Headings: Mitigation and remediation | Floods | Urban areas | Building management | Urban and regional development | Rivers and streams | Natural disasters

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