Colorado Department of Natural Resources Home | Contact Staff | Colorado.gov | Search:
troutlakeweb.gif Colorado Water Conservation Board Colorado Water Conservation Board

Wise Owl Did You Know?
Floods can happen even in years of drought or low snowpack!
Flood Preparation
The Watershed Protection & Flood Mitigation Program is dedicated to minimizing damages from floods. By mapping floodplains, providing timely climate and weather information, technical assistance and funding for flood mitigation, we are attempting to raise awareness of flooding potential and prevent future losses.
 
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program
The Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program (PDM) was authorized by §203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief Act (Stafford Act), 42 USC. Funding for the program is provided to implement cost-effective hazard mitigation activities that complement a comprehensive mitigation program. The FEMA website has additional information. The CWCB coordinates on Flood related PDM applications.
 
Floodplain Maps & Studies
Most of the state's historic floodplain information is available online through the Water Resource Information Center (WRIC). WRIC was an effort by the CWCB to scan all of our paper reports and make them available over the internet. WRIC is a good resource for finding what previous studies have been completed in an area. However, if you are just looking for the current 100-year regulatory flood insurance rate map for a location visit the FEMA Map Service Center. Visit our Flood Insurance Rate Maps page for help on finding the online floodplain information.
 
Flood Insurance Information
There is a 30 day waiting period for new flood insurance policies to take effect once they are purchased. Floodplain residents should consider buying flood insurance before the start of the flood season (around the beginning of April).
 
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federally subsidized program that is available to any property owner whether or not their building is in a floodplain as long as their community participates in the program. Insurance is sold through a private insurance agent who wants to sell it in a participating community. The NFIP is based on an agreement between local communities and the federal government which states that if a community will implement measures to reduce future flood risks to new construction or substantial re-construction, the federal government will make flood insurance available within the community as financial protection against flood losses which do occur.

Wise OwlDid You Know? 

 

About one third of all flood insurance claims come from outside of the mapped regulatory floodplain areas (100-year floodplains). Homeowners may check with their local insurance agent to find out more about flood insurance coverage and costs.

 It is very important to know that most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover losses from flooding. The only way to get federally-backed flood coverage is through the NFIP. 

You can also get more information about flood insurance from floodsmart.gov.