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| Flood Insurance Rate Maps |
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| Flood Preparation & Response |
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| Tips to Minimize Flood Damage |
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| Weather Forecasts & Climate Links |
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| Meeting Agendas, Summaries & Presentations |
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| Chatfield Downstream Channel Improvement Project |
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| Chatfield Reservoir Reallocation Project |
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| Weather Modification Grants |
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| Floodplain & Storm Criteria Manual |
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| Frequently Asked Questions |
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When you apply for a mortgage loan, flood insurance rate maps are used to determine if the loan property is in a flood zone. If it is, you are required to carry flood insurance for the life of the loan.
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Colorado's Map Modernization
In 2002, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) began discussions about creating a program to modernize the nation’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), many of which were extremely outdated. The State of Colorado put together the Map Modernization Implementation Plan (MMIP) in late 2002 in support of this effort. In 2003, Congress funded the first year of the Map Modernization Program (Map Mod Program).
The Map Mod Program is a very different effort to update FIRMs than has been undertaken in the past. For many years, FEMA Headquarters in Washington DC has managed the mapping program, using two or three large mapping and engineering firms to actually do the mapping. With Map Mod, the mapping projects were turned over to those States interested in managing their own mapping. Colorado elected to accept this responsibility and has participated in Map Mod since its inception.
Map Mod in Colorado is a partnership between Federal, State, and local levels and involving many other related entities. It all starts with Congress, who allocates funding through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to FEMA HQ in Washington DC. FEMA HQ sends the funding to their Region VIII Office in Lakewood, Colorado, where the Region’s funding is distributed amongst the Region VIII States: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Due to the difference in population, Colorado has received a generous portion of this funding in past years.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District are both authorized to manage mapping projects in the State. They each apply for funding and sign agreements with FEMA, and contract the mapping efforts to local mapping and engineering firms. CWCB has selected PBS&J and Anderson Consulting Engineers to perform these mapping efforts for several years. Another key player is Michael Baker Jr. Corporation, who supports FEMA and the States by providing technical guidance and assisting with national program management.
These groups have formed a partnership for creating high quality, FEMA-standard, Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for all counties in the State. As there are continual refinements to the Map Mod Program, this Map Mod Project Team meets to plan, review, and decide on schedules for projects; they resolve project challenges, interpret FEMA regulations, and support each other throughout the project life. These individuals are integral members of this Project Team and work on a daily basis to create quality maps for use by Colorado counties.
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FEMA Region VIII Office: Nancy Steinberger |
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CWCB: Dawn Gladwell |
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Urban Drainage: Bill DeGroot |
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PBS&J: Jeff Sickles, Josh Price |
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ACE: Greg Koch, Mark Kempton |
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Michael Baker Jr. Corp: Dave Jula |
Together, this team is working toward the goal of providing Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for all counties in the State. DFIRMs are GIS-based and will be freely distributed, so communities will be able to improve on existing GIS systems or begin initiatives the beginning of GIS-based planning.
FY07 Counties: Summit, Delta, Park, El Paso
FY06 Counties: Teller, Weld, LaPlata, Archuleta
FY05 Counties: Mesa, Pueblo, Montezuma, Garfield, Clear Creek, Fremont
FY04/03 Counties: Denver, Douglas, Boulder, Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer
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