HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 5/19/2020 - Memorandum From Marsha Hilmes-Robinson Re: City Of Fort Collins Floodplain Management Public Information Committee Report Update (5)Utilities
electric stormwater wastewater water
700 Wood St.
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6700
970.221.6619 fax 970.224.6003 TDD
utilities@fcgov.com fcgov.com/utilities
MEMORANDUM
DATE: May 8, 2020
TO: Mayor and City Council Members
THROUGH: Darin Atteberry, City Manager
Theresa Connor, Interim Utilities Executive Director
Matt Fater, Interim Deputy Director, Water Engineering and Field Services
Ken Sampley, Director, Civil Engineering/Stormwater and Floodplain Program Manager
FROM: Marsha Hilmes-Robinson, Floodplain Administrator
RE: City of Fort Collins Floodplain Management Public Information Committee Report
Update
In 2014, the City of Fort Collins brought together internal and external stakeholders to review
and develop flood awareness public information messaging. A report in 2014 outlined target
areas and audiences, messages and projects. The committee has met annually and numerous
projects have been implemented.
At the beginning of 2020, a more comprehensive effort to update the plan took place and
included a series of four meetings with stakeholders. The attached 2020 report documents the
revised target areas and audiences, messages and projects that will help guide Fort Collins
Utilities and the committee’s stakeholders during the coming years.
This effort receives credit under FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a
program that provides an incentive for communities to go beyond the minimum FEMA
requirements for floodplain management. A benefit for participation in the program is discounted
insurance premiums for residents and businesses that purchase flood insurance. Fort Collins
currently holds a Class 2 CRS rating, which results in up to a 40% discount on flood insurance
premiums. However, even more important than the insurance discount is the improved health
and safety of the community.
The report has been included with the City Council packet on the City Docs portion of
www.fcgov.com. More specifically, the report can be found at:
http://citydocs.fcgov.com/?dt=MAIL+PACKET&dn=CITY+CLERK&vid=218&cmd=showdt
DocuSign Envelope ID: 7604E909-BB83-4A15-8D5C-60FB97A9F8F3
Please contact Marsha Hilmes-Robinson at 970-224-6036 or mhilmesrobinson@fcgov.com, if
you have any questions about the report or the CRS program.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 7604E909-BB83-4A15-8D5C-60FB97A9F8F3
Chapter 1: Background
City of Fort Collins Floodplain Management
Public Information Committee:
A Program for Public Information
In Support of FEMA’s Community Ra�ng System. April 2020
Fort Collins Utilities
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Background
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
Chapter 3: Community’s
Public Information Needs
Chapter 4: Community
Messages
Chapter 5: Outreach Projects
Chapter 6: Flood Response
Public Information
Chapter 7: Program Adoption
and Evaluation
Appendix
City of Fort Collins
Floodplain
Management Public
Information
Committee:
A Program for Public Information
Executive Summary
The City of Fort Collins, Colorado is a community of
approximately 174,800 people along the Colorado Front
Range. Fort Collins is subject to both flash flooding and
river flooding. The City has a comprehensive floodplain
management program that includes public information and
preparedness as a main focus. Fort Collins participates in
the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Community
Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a voluntary incentive
program that provides flood insurance discounts to
communities that go above and beyond the minimum
standards for floodplain management. One of the activities
credited under the CRS is public outreach.
In 2014, the City initiated a review of the existing outreach
efforts related to flooding. As part of this review, a
committee, the City of Fort Collins Floodplain Management
Public Information Committee, was formed. This
committee was composed of internal and external
stakeholders with the goal of developing a “Program
for Public Information” that would guide the City of Fort
Collins in the coming years. A Program for Public
Information was developed and updated annually.
Fort Collins Utilities
Executive Summary (continued)
In January 2020, an update to the 2014 plan was initiated. The committee, which included some
original members along with several new members, met four times in January and February.
The Committee’s task was to review public information efforts that currently exist in the
community, assess the community’s needs, develop consistent messages and identify projects to
convey those messages. By gathering this group of internal and external stakeholders,
partnerships were developed to create consistent messaging for the public related to flooding.
As part of the community needs assessment, the committee re-evaluated the current target
areas and audiences. The committee then developed ten Community Message Topics:
• Know Your Flood Hazard
• Insure Your Property for Your Flood Hazard
• Protect People from the Hazard
• Protect Your Property from the Hazard
• Build Responsibly
• Protect Natural Floodplain Functions
• Flood Warning
• Play It Safe in Recreation Areas
• Urban Flooding
• Travel Safe
One or two specific messages were identified for each topic. Previously there had been three to
four messages per topic. However, in order to try to have the message used consistently, the
number of messages was reduced. The committee paid close attention to using already
established messages from stakeholders such as the Red Cross and National Weather Service.
Numerous public information and education projects are already being implemented by the City
of Fort Collins and the stakeholders on the committee. These existing projects will be revised
and updated to reflect the new messaging developed by the committee. Stakeholders have
agreed to help support and sponsor these existing projects in various ways. The additional
coordination will provide increased visibility and credibility to the messages. Several new
projects were also discussed and will begin to be developed in 2020.
The work of the stakeholders since 2014 has been significant and has resulted in close
coordination on projects that promote flood awareness in the community. The efforts of the City
of Fort Collins Floodplain Management Public Information Committee will have a long-term
impact on the resiliency of the Fort Collins community to the impacts of flooding.
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins Utilities
1
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins, Colorado is located along the
Front Range, 65 miles north of the state
capitol of Denver. With an estimated
population of 174,800, in 2020. It is the
fourth most populous city in Colorado after
Denver, Colorado Springs and Aurora.
Fort Collins participation in
NFIP and CRS
Fort Collins has participated in the National
Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since 1979.
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a
voluntary incentive program coordinated by
FEMA that offers discounts on flood insurance
premiums for citizens and businesses in communities that go above and beyond the FEMA
minimum standards for floodplain management. Fort Collins is one of the highest ranked
communities in the country and is currently a CRS Class 2, which provides a 40 percent discount
on flood insurance premiums. This document follows the guidance outlined as part of the CRS for
public outreach activities.
Flood history
Fort Collins is vulnerable to river and stream flooding, flash floods and urban street flooding. In
1864, a massive flood roared down the Poudre River and destroyed the Camp Collins military
post. The settlement was rebuilt on higher ground near present-day Old Town and renamed Fort
Collins. More recently, the devastating flood in 1997 resulted in five deaths and an estimated
$200 million in damage. Recent flooding in September 2013 on the Poudre River resulted in
minimal damage, due in part to the large amount of open space preserved along the Poudre
River corridor.
City and FEMA designated floodplains
FEMA has mapped the flood risk along the Cache la Poudre River, through Fort Collins and along
Spring Creek, Dry Creek, Boxelder Creek and Cooper Slough. The City of Fort Collins has taken
this a step further and mapped the risk in many other drainage basins through town, resulting in
in City-designated floodplains to supplement the FEMA designations.
FIGURE 1 – OLD TOWN IN FORT COLLINS, COLORADO
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins Utilities
2
Fort Collins Utilities
Twelve drainage basins
The City of Fort Collins has 12 drainage basins: the Cache la Poudre, Dry Creek, Cooper
Slough/Boxelder, West Vine, Old Town, Canal Importation, Spring Creek, Foothills, Mail Creek,
Fox Meadows, McClellands and Fossil Creek. All have flooded in the past for various reasons and
have different features that must be taken into account when considering safety. The Drainage
Basin Master Plan, approved by City Council in June 2004, describes the flooding history of each
basin, identifies potential problem areas and recommends improvements.
In addition, the Master Plan:
• Recommends cost-effective projects to remove properties from floodplains, reduce
risk and reduce street flooding
• Offers guidance for new development in the basins
• Provides ways to enhance the riparian habitat along stream corridors and improve
water quality
• Offers guidance to stabilize streams where necessary
The City continues to update the Master Plan. In more recent years, there have been updates to
the plans to incorporate better mapping and modeling and reevaluation of the selected plan for
some basins (Table 1). In 2012, the Master Plan was updated to include a stream rehabilitation
program and identify necessary regional Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Based on current estimates, the remaining improvements identified in the Master Plan are
expected to cost $283 million. Approximately 900 structures and numerous roads would be
protected and the damages would be reduced by $307 million.
Since 1995, The City has spent $100 million on stormwater capital projects. Since 1988, over
2,500 structures are no longer mapped in the floodplain due to capital improvement
projects. However, there are still over 1,000 structures mapped in the 100-year floodplain that
are still at risk from flooding, with over half of those in the Old Town Drainage Basin.
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins Utilities
3
Basin Name Originally Prepared Last Update
Boxelder/Copper Slough 2006 2018 (LOMR)
Upper Copper Slough 2006 2020 (pending Montava)
Canal Importation 2002 2014 (CIPO)
Upper Dry Creek 2002 ---
Lower Dry Creek 2002 2019 (LOMR in progress)
North College (NCDID) 2006 2016
Buckingham/Lincoln ----- 2016
Foothills 2002 2019 (in progress)
Fossil Creek 2002 ------
Stone Creek ----- 2018
Fox Meadows 2003 -----
Mail Creek 2003 Ayres (2010)
McClellands Creek ICON (2006) CSU (2016)
Old Town Anderson (2002) ICON (2017)
Poudre River Ayres (2002) Ayres [PREP] 2014
Spring Creek Anderson (2003) ACE (2007)
West Vine URS (2002) ICON (2020 – in progress)
TABLE 1: DRAINAGE BASIN MASTER PLANS
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins Utilities
4
Fort Collins Utilities
Past public outreach efforts
Fort Collins Utilities takes flood awareness outreach and floodplain education seriously and this
effort has continued to increase over time. New opportunities are identified and new
approaches are implemented to reach out to the community in the most effective way possible
to ensure understanding and safety.
Fort Collins Utilities and other stakeholders have worked on numerous annual public outreach
efforts related to flood awareness and safety in the past, including:
• Floodplain owner/renter brochure (for those in the 100-and 500-year floodplain)
• Videos on local cable channels including the City, CSU and Poudre School District
• Displays for Flood Awareness Week (including information on awareness, safety,
natural and beneficial floodplain functions, flood history, flood warning, flood
insurance, etc.)
• Signs along biking/walking trails throughout town and high water markers
illustrating flood history
• An informational mailer specifically for realtors, lenders, insurance agents and
property managers
• Social media and web communications
• Bus benches
• Articles in various newsletters and City News (a monthly
publication delivered with utility bills)
• Participation in local community events with information
booths
• Community Presentations
• A Preparedness Calendar
• Education in schools
These efforts are explained in greater detail later in this document.
In addition, one-time events such as the commemoration of the 20-year
anniversary of the 1997 flood and the corresponding Flood Education
Day have been important community events to raise flood awareness.
FIGURE 2 – ADVERTISEMENT FOR THE
FLOOD EDUCATION DAY IN 2017
Chapter 1: Background
Fort Collins Utilities
5
Purpose and goals of committee and Program for Public Information
The committee will evaluate the needs of the Fort
Collins community and develop innovative and
informative floodplain management programs related
to public information. This will be a relatively new
approach for Fort Collins Utilities as community
resources and external stakeholders will be utilized to
help spread identified messaging and extend the reach
of flood safety awareness messaging in the community.
In 2020, during the first committee meeting Pete Iengo
of Fort Collins Utilities gave a presentation on Human
Centered Design and the E.A.S.T Method.
This framework helped the committee develop the
messages and projects to be most meaningful to the
selected audiences.
Purpose: to develop a
Program for Public
Information (PPI) that
will guide Fort Collins
Utilities Stormwater in
the coming years.
Goal: to bring outside
stakeholders together
with the City to develop
partnerships, provide
additional expertise
and perspectives, and
create consistent
messaging for
h bl
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
Fort Collins Utilities
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Fort Collins Utilities
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
The CRS requires that participants on the committee have associations within the community,
reaching out to a wide range of audiences that are linked to flooding in some capacity.
The committee was comprised of internal and external stakeholders following the rules set out
in the CRS manual. If committee members or their alternates did not attend a meeting, follow-
up occurred to gather their input for inclusion. Committee members and their organizations are
listed in Table 2.
FIGURE 3 – 2020 COMMITTEE MEMBERS, L-R: ERIC KOSSORIS: PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER WITH FORT
COLLINS UTILITIES; BRYAN MENTLIK: RESILIENCE ACTION PARTNERS; BRAD ANDERSON: ANDERSON
CONSULTING ENGINEERS; JORDAN WILLIAMS: POUDRE HERITAGE ALLIANCE; JOHN HOLCOMB: POUDRE SCHOOL
DISTRICT; JESSICA SCHWINDT: RED CROSS, CINDY MINATTA: BOARD OF REALTORS; MARSHA HILMES-
ROBINSON: FLOODPLAIN ADMINISTRATOR; SUSANNE CORDERY: CSU; ZOE SHARK: CITY NATURAL AREAS,
ANNEMARIE FUSSELL: WILDLANDS RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS; JUSTIN ZAKOREN: EARTH FORCE; DIANNE
TJALKENS: CITY SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
Fort Collins Utilities
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PPI Committee Members
Internal Stakeholders
Floodplain Administrator/Manager Marsha Hilmes-Robinson
Public Information Office (PIO) Eric Kossoris
City of Fort Collins Natural Areas
Zoe Shark
Charlotte Norville
City of Fort Collins Social Sustainability Dianne Tjalkens
External Stakeholders
Board of Realtors Cindy Minatta
Red Cross
Jessica Schwindt
Ron Hendrick
Poudre School District John Holcomb
Jerry Garrettsen
Resilience Action Partners
Bryan Mentlik
Vince Hancock
Colorado State University
Susanne Cordery
Fred Haberecht
Earth Force Justin Zakoren
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers Annemarie Fussell
Anderson Consulting Engineers Brad Anderson
Poudre Heritage Alliance Jordan Williams
TABLE 2 - PPI COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
Fort Collins Utilities
8
Fort Collins Utilities
2020 Meeting schedule
• January 7, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
700 Wood St., Poudre Room
• January 23, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
700 Wood St., Poudre Room
• January 30, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
700 Wood St., Poudre Room
• February 12, 9-11 a.m.
700 Wood St., Poudre Room
Advisory Committee process steps and outcomes
In order to organize meetings and keep the committee on track with the requirements outlined
in the CRS manual, the following checklist was utilized:
Step 1: Establish a PPI committee –
identify the community’s need for flood-
related information and coordinate
resources that can deliver information and
create messaging.
Step 2: Assess the community’s
public information needs – assess flood
problems, identify who needs to be
informed and determine what projects are
already underway.
o Review current public
communication targeted areas
o Determine additional target audiences
o Delineate target areas
o Inventory other public
information efforts
Step 3: Formulate messages – create outcomes that are objective, observable
and measurable. There are six priority topics:
1. Know your flood hazard
2. Insure your property for your flood hazard
3. Protect people from the hazard
4. Protect your property from the hazard
5. Build responsibly
6. Protect natural floodplain functions
Step 4: Identify outreach projects to convey the messages – consider
which media disseminated through which specific projects would best convey the
message(s) to the target audience(s). Review Flood Response Preparation projects.
Chapter 2: PPI Committee
Fort Collins Utilities
9
Advisory Committee process steps and outcomes (continued)
Step 5: Examine other public information initiatives – determine activities
a community should pursue to inform people and motivate them to protect life
and property, buy insurance, and protect natural floodplain functions.
o Map information service
o Flood protection assistance
o Flood insurance promotion
o Drainage system maintenance
o Flood warning and response
o Levees
o Dams
Step 6: Prepare the PPI document – create a formal written document to be
recorded and adopted by the community’s governing body, City Council.
Step 7: Implement, monitor and evaluate the program –as needed.
The PPI document needs to describe how the monitoring, evaluation and revision
will be conducted. Evaluation must be conducted by the PPI committee.
Staff can collect data on project implementation and make recommendations, but
for CRS credit, the committee must review progress and agree on any changes.
The committee also needs to review and approve the annual evaluation report that
is submitted to the governing body and included in the community’s annual CRS
re-certification.
Note that the community may use any 12-month period for its
“public information year.”
o Evaluation report: There is no required report format, but the annual
report must include:
Target audiences, messages, and desired outcomes
Projects in the PPI to convey messages
Which projects were implemented
Why some projects were not implemented (if any)
What progress was made toward the desired outcomes
What should be changed (including what messages, outcomes and
projects should be revised or dropped, and what new ones should
be initiated)
The Power Point presentations used in the committee meetings are in Appendix 1.
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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10
Fort Collins Utilities
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
Description of Fort Collins
Fort Collins was founded along the northern part
of the Colorado Front Range as a military fort in
1864 and incorporated as a town in 1873. The
Front Range community is nestled along the
northern part of the Colorado foothills of the
Rocky Mountains and the banks of the Cache la
Poudre River. Fort Collins encompasses
approximately 57 square miles, has a total of
1,922 street miles and lies approximately 5,000
feet above sea level.
The estimated population of Fort Collins in 2020
was 174,870 people with an average annual
population growth rate of 2 percent. The median
age is 29.1 and approximately 54.5 percent of the
population has completed four or more years of
college. The median household income is
$62,132 and the median family income is
$76,341.
Utilizing GIS data from 2014, Table 3 shows
the number and types of buildings in the
city. Many structures in Fort Collins have
basements or crawl spaces and many
basements are used as apartments. The
total number of buildings increased by
3,800 from 2005 to 2014.
Building Class
Number of
Buildings
2005 Data
Number of
Buildings
2014 Data
General 40,934 44,465
Government 528 416
Medical 22 30
Education 345 405
Transportation 1
Commercial 1,628 1,758
Religious 126 139
Recreation 4 126
Cultural 1 2
Hotel 7
Industrial 307 346
TOTAL 43,895 47,695
TABLE 3 - NUMBER AND
TYPES OF BUILDINGS
FIGURE 4 – LOCATION MAP OF
FORT COLLINS, CO
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Description of Fort Collins (continued)
Fort Collins is home to Colorado State
University (CSU). CSU was founded in
1870 and has a current on-campus
enrollment of 28,446 students. There
are approximately 1,882 faculty
members and 4,800 additional
employees at CSU, making it the
largest employer in Fort Collins. The
CSU campuses include the main
campus in the center of Fort Collins,
the Foothills Campus on the west side
of town and the CSU Veterinary
Teaching Hospital just south
of the main campus.
Fort Collins has a mix of manufacturing
and service-related businesses. Many
high-tech businesses have relocated to
Fort Collins because of the resources of
Colorado State University and its research
facilities. In addition, Fort Collins is
home to many small business and
entrepreneurial ventures. The brewery
industry is significant in Fort Collins,
ranging from small craft breweries to
large national breweries, such as
Anheuser Busch.
FIGURE 5 – THE OVAL AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Fort Collins Utilities
Flood hazards
Fort Collins has a long history of flooding and even its
founding is attributable to a flood. Camp Collins was a
small military outpost originally located along the banks
of the Poudre River near Laporte, Colorado, several miles
upstream from present-day Fort Collins. In 1864, Camp
Collins was destroyed by a flood and the military leaders
relocated downstream along a higher bluff in what is now
present-day Old Town Fort Collins.
Fort Collins is subject to flash flooding from all its major
drainageways as a result of thunderstorms between April
and September. The monsoons in late July and early
August can result in intense flash flooding, such as that
experienced during the 1997 flood. The Poudre River also
is subject to snowmelt and rain-on-snow events in late
spring and early summer.
Three levees are located along the Poudre River:
Oxbow Levee – Located between Lincoln and
Linden Street. This levee protects the
Buckingham Neighborhood and businesses along
the north side of Lincoln Avenue.
RPATH Levee – Located upstream of Timberline
Road. This levee keeps water in the main channel
and protects business along Timberline Road near
Prospect Road.
Drake Water Reclamation Facility Levee –
Protects the City’s Drake Water Reclamation
Facility and is located along the north and west
side of the facility.
There also are numerous high hazard dams, including
the four large dams on Horsetooth Reservoir operated
by the Bureau of Reclamation that have the potential
to impact Fort Collins. Table 4 summarizes Fort Collins’
flood history.
A MAJOR FLOOD IN 1904 ALONG THE
CACHE LA POUDRE RIVER DESTROYED
NUMEROUS BRIDGES, INCLUDING
THIS RAILROAD BRIDGE.
THE 1997 SPRING CREEK FLASH FLOOD
RESULTED IN FIVE LIVES LOST AND OVER
$200 MILLION IN PROPERTY DAMAGE.
IT WAS ANALYZED TO BE GREATER THAN
A 500-YEAR FLOOD.
FLOODING ALONG THE CACHE LA POUDRE
RIVER ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2013 NEAR THE
MCMURRY NATURAL AREA.
FIGURE 6 – PAST FLOOD EXAMPLES
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Flood hazards (continued)
Drainage
Basins Dates Descriptions
Cache la
Poudre River
1844, 1864, 1891,
1904, 1923, 1930,
1976, 1983, 1999,
2010, 2011 and 2013
The three largest floods occurred in 1864, 1891 and 1904,
with peaks of approximately 21,000 cubic feet per second
(cfs). For comparison, the discharge of the Poudre River at
“flood stage” is about 4,000 cfs. Flooding on the Poudre is
primarily from snowmelt in late May and June. However,
flash flooding can occur at any time. A severe flood has not
occurred in more than 90 years.
Spring Creek
1902, 1904, 1938,
1949, 1951, 1961,
1977, 1983 and 1997
The 1997 flood resulted in five deaths, destruction of 120
mobile homes and damage to 2,000 homes and businesses.
This flood was considered to be greater than a 500-year event.
Dry Creek
No serious flooding
since about 1950
The absence of even minor flooding is generally attributed to
the network of irrigation canals that have some capacity for
intercepting small to moderate Dry Creek flows.
Fossil Creek
1902, 1938, 1965,
1977, 1979, 1997,
1999 and 2007
Fossil Creek is relatively undeveloped and past floods have
gone unnoticed. In addition to flooding hazards, Fossil Creek
also is susceptible to bank erosion.
Boxelder Creek/
Cooper Slough
1909, 1922, 1930,
1937, 1947, 1963,
1967, 1969 and 2007
Boxelder Creek has a drainage area of 251 square miles and
176 square miles now are controlled by Soil Conservation
Service flood control dams near Wellington.
Old Town Basin
1904, 1933, 1938,
1951, 1977, 1983,
1988, 1992, 1997,
2009, 2018
Street flooding is the primary problem in this basin.
Canal
Importation
Basin
1938, 1951, 1975,
1992, 1997, 1999
and 2009
There are several small drainage areas in this basin.
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Fort Collins Utilities
Floodplain mapping
Fort Collins is divided into 12 drainage
basins (Figure 7).
Floodplains have been mapped in most of
the drainage basins (Figure 8). Four of
these drainage basins have Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
designated floodplains and seven basins
have City-designated floodplains (Table 5).
One of those basins, Fox Meadows, does
not have any mapped floodplains.
There are approximately 3,200 acres in the
mapped 100-year floodplain. However,
over 1,600 of those acres are preserved as
open space in the form of parks or natural
areas.
The effective FEMA Flood Insurance Rate
Map is dated May 22, 2012. FEMA is in the
process of remapping the Cache la Poudre
River as part of RiskMAP. Each of the City-
designated floodplains was developed as
part of the Drainage Basin Master Planning
process. The floodplain maps can be viewed
on the Fort Collins Utilities’ website at
fcgov.com/floodplain-maps. These maps are
continuously updated.
In addition to mapping floodplains, the City
also has mapped Erosion Buffer Zones on
Fossil Creek and Boxelder Creek. These
Buffer Zones designate areas of channel
instability and potential future lateral
migration of the channel.
FEMA-designated
Floodplains
City-designated
Floodplains
Cache la Poudre River
(Poudre River)
Old Town
Spring Creek West Vine Basin
Dry Creek Canal Importation Basin
Boxelder Creek and
Cooper Slough
Fossil Creek
Foothills Channel
Mail Creek
McClellands Creek
TABLE 5 - FEMA AND CITY-DESIGNATED FLOODPLAINS
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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FIGURE 7 - FORT COLLINS STORMWATER DRAINAGE BASINS
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Fort Collins Utilities
FIGURE 8 - FORT COLLINS FLOOD RISK MAP SHOWING BOTH FEMA AND CITY-DESIGNATED FLOODPLAINS
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Risk to people
Because of the nature of flash flooding, there is relatively little warning time, so the risk to
people is high. Outreach efforts need to be focused on public safety and what to do and not do
when a flood occurs. This is especially true in the case of informing the public not to drive
through floodwaters since the majority of fatalities in floods are a result of driving (Figure 9).
In many cases, it is better to not evacuate, but rather to shelter-in-place and move to a higher
floor if possible. This is where preparedness planning is critical. In addition, because of the
high percentage of basement apartments in Fort Collins, life-safety issues while sleeping are of
high concern.
FIGURE 9 - 2013 U.S. FLOOD FATALITY STATISTICS
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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Fort Collins Utilities
Risk to structures
Fort Collins has a total of 1,060 structures located in the
mapped 100-year floodplain. Table 6 shows the
structures in the floodplain by basin. Several Capital
Improvement projects in recent years including the
Boxelder project and the West Vine Outfall project have
reduced the number of structures mapped in the
floodplain. More than half of the total at-risk structures
are located in the Old Town Floodplain, which is subject
to street flooding since there are no remaining natural
drainageways to convey the water. During the past 20
years, Old Town has been the location of several large
capital improvement projects to install large storm
sewers that capture storm runoff and convey it to the
Poudre River. However, there are many structures, both
residential and non-residential, still at risk. Future capital
projects are being planned to help reduce the risk in Old
town. Other basins with high numbers of structures at
risk include the Poudre River, Spring Creek and West
Vine.
The Community Rating System
Self-Assessment Tool was used in 2014 to
analyze the structures at risk.
Of the structures in the 100-year floodplain:
• 83 percent are one-to-four family
residential structures
• 2 percent are multi-family
• 15 percent are non-residential
structures
There also are several critical facilities at risk
in the 100-year and 500-year floodplain.
Floodplain Name
Physical
structures
greater than
500 sq. ft.
(2019 data)
FEMA Floodplains
Boxelder / Cooper
Slough
7
Dry Creek 29
Poudre River 57
Spring Creek 87
FEMA Basin TOTAL 180
City Floodplains
Canal Importation 188
Foothills 6
Fossil Creek 25
Mail Creek 0
McClelland’s Creek 0
Old Town 579
West Vine 82
City Basin TOTAL 880
TOTAL (all basins) 1,060
TABLE 6 - STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAINS
Chapter 3: Community’s Public Information Needs
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19
Flood insurance and repetitive loss information
Fort Collins currently has a total
of 354 flood insurance policies
(December 2019 data) with an
average premium of $585.00.
The majority are Preferred Risk
Policies in areas mapped outside
of the FEMA 100-year
floodplain.
Note: many of these may be in
City-designated floodplains, such
as Old Town, which still qualify
for the Preferred Risk Policy.
Only 55 flood policies are in the
FEMA 100-year floodplain,
which is approximately 30
percent of the structures mapped
in the FEMA floodplain. There is
one structure that is designated by
FEMA as a Repetitive Loss Property
because it has had two or more
flood insurance claims of more
than $1,000 during a rolling 10-year
period. This structure is in the
Spring Creek floodplain.
Examination of the claim dates
and discussion with the owners
indicates that the flood damage
was due to local drainage issues
rather than flooding from
Spring Creek.
FIGURE 10 - FLOODING SEPTEMBER 2013 ALONG
VINE DRIVE JUST EAST OF COLLEGE AVENUE
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Overview of past public information efforts
Staff from Fort Collins Utilities Floodplain Administration shared their past public outreach
efforts related to flooding. Past programs and tactics were reviewed with the committee to give
context and reference for moving forward so that new ideas and approaches could be
developed. Committee members were also encouraged to share and describe their past
outreach efforts to help identify overlap, opportunities to partner and other new ideas.
Staples of Fort Collins Utilities flood awareness outreach efforts include:
• Brochure to residents
o Targeted to owners/renters in the FEMA mapped 100- and 500-year floodplain
o Will cover all topics - including Information on flood hazards, flood insurance,
responsible building, floodplain regulation flood history, natural floodplain
functions and flood warning, among other topics
o Will include endorsements and logos from other stakeholders
o Other Stakeholders also distribute the brochure
FIGURE 11 - FLOOD BROCHURE TO RESIDENTS
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Overview of past public information efforts (continued)
• Flood Awareness Week Displays
o Displays with flood outreach information in
numerous strategic locations
o Multiple stakeholder brochures used
• Flood Videos
o Annual videos on the local City cable channel
o Videos also shown on CSU and Poudre
School District channels
o Information and footage from past
floods and general safety messaging
• Letter to realtors, lenders, property
managers and insurance agents
o Targeted to those professional groups who
work closely with individuals that may be
purchasing homes or considering purchasing
homes in the floodplain
o Annual letter with information and resources
on regulations, flood hazards and insurance
options
o Coordination with the Board of Realtors
• City News (monthly publication distributed to all customers in utility bills or
electronically)
o Opportunity to reach the entire city in the months of May and July
o Generally, includes messaging about flood hazards, insurance facts,
regulations and responsible building, and flood warning
o Stream dumping regulations and keeping drainage systems clean is
promoted
o Advertises property protection site visits for drainage issues
• Dump No Waste Inlet Markers
o Markers and stencils on stormwater inlets to promote water quality
protection
• Flood Protection Assistance and Site Visits
o Provide information on property protection to citizens and businesses
o After site visits, a short write-up with observations and mitigation
suggestions is provided
FIGURE 12 - FLOOD
AWARENESS DISPLAY BOARD
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Overview of past public information efforts (continued)
• Social media
o General flood awareness, special messages about Flood Awareness Week and
information during emergencies, natural and beneficial functions of the
floodplain, and more
o Other Stakeholders share these messages
• Utilities website (fcgov.com/utilities)
o Comprehensive source for floodplain related information in Fort Collins
o User-friendly and interactive flood warning system
o Real-time stream flow and rain gauge data
o Preparedness and safety information
o Flood insurance information
o Floodplain regulations
o Flood history
o Protection of natural and beneficial floodplain functions and water quality
• Bus Benches
o A proven, successful platform to reach local
drivers
o Often placed at intersections that could be
potential flood hazards or on streets that are
near potential flood hazards
• Numerous community events and festivals
o Successful and impactful way to connect with
community members
o Nearly all outreach and educational materials
are distributed at these events to a broad
audience
o Other stakeholders also participate in these
activities
• Disaster Preparedness Calendar
o Produced by Poudre Fire Authority
o Distributed throughout Fort Collins
FIGURE 13 – BUS BENCH SIGNS
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Overview of past public information efforts (continued)
• CSU Housing Fair
o An impactful annual event targeting CSU
students who are looking for housing off-
campus
o More than 2,000 students usually attend
o Discuss flood risk, flood insurance, flood
safety, etc.
o Participation in this event is a result of
the 2014 flood education committee
meetings
• Community Presentations
o These presentations include talks to
community groups and organizations
and guided walks by the Natural Areas
Program
• Earth Force RISE Program
o This program started in 2018 and is
funded by FEMA
o Experience based learning program in
the schools to promote flood mitigation
and awareness
• Children’s Water Festival
o Targeted to Poudre School District third
graders
o Hands on-learning about flood risk, flood
safety, preparedness
o Multiple stakeholders involved
• Messaging to Homeless Population about
Safety
o Coordination with Homeless Service
Providers to provide information on
flood safety and flood warning
FIGURE 14 – CSU HOUSING FAIR
FIGURE 15 – CHILDREN’S WATER FESTIVAL
AND THE FLOOD SAFETY RELAY RACE
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Overview of past public information efforts (continued)
• Trail signs and high water markers
o Extensive trail system, trail signs and
high water markers illustrating and
detailing local flood history and natural
and beneficial floodplain functions
o High water mark signs are also located
on the CSU campus
There were a couple of projects previously identified
that have not been able to be implemented on a regular
basis, including:
• Realtor Training
• CSU Newsletter
These projects will be looked at again for 2020.
FIGURE 16 – TRAIL SIGN AND HIGH WATER MARKER
FIGURE 17 - HIGH WATER MARK AT CSU
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25
Target areas and audiences
The committee reviewed the previous list of target areas and audiences. A brainstorming session
reviewed other potential target areas and audiences in the community that have not received
much attention in the past or could be communicated with in a new way. The committee also
discussed target audiences of other stakeholders and how those audiences could be integrated
into existing audiences. The committee came up with several new, potential audiences to reach
out to and new ways to approach them. Several target audiences were eliminated from the
previous list in order to provide more focused messaging.
Committee members divided into smaller groups and were given large copies of floodplain maps
for the entire city area. Each group circled potential areas of concern on the maps and then
discussed possible target audiences.
Primary target areas and audiences selected by the committee for 2020:
Mapped 100-year and 500-year floodplain
This is a critical audience due to its potential level of risk and location. This group has
been heavily focused on in the past and will continue to be a primary target audience.
Repetitive loss area
This is required to be targeted by the CRS because it has had more than two flood
insurance claims greater than $1,000 during a 10-year period. The message to this
audience is specialized because of its unique needs with a special emphasis on how
owners may reconfigure parts of their property to eliminate repetitive flood situations.
Currently, Fort Collins only has one repetitive loss property.
FIGURE 18 - PPI COMMITTEE WORK SESSION
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CSU Community
A large audience and area in the community situated in a drainage basin with
high flood potential. The CSU campus has experienced flooding numerous times
in the past. This target area includes the three CSU campuses, including:
• Main Campus in the center
of Fort Collins
• CSU Veterinarian Teaching Hospital
• Foothills Campus on the west side
of Fort Collins
The target audience would include faculty, staff
and students, including students that live off-
campus. This audience exists both in the area
surrounding campus and in the community at
large, so flood risk outreach is very important. A
strong partnership with the university will be
important for reaching this audience.
CSU students living off-campus
An important sub-group of the CSU campus target area. These are specifically
students who live off-campus. Most of this audience rent apartments in the Old
Town and the Canal Importation basins. Since many of these apartments are in
basements, they are subject to greater flood risks. Many of these students are
not from Fort Collins and may be unfamiliar with flood issues in the area.
Additional emphasis needs to be focused on this target audience to promote
awareness of the flood risks as it has not been targeted in the past.
Poudre School District Community
This is a critical target audience that includes students, parents and staff. Students have
the potential to take the information home to share with their parents. Educating
students about flooding and the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains is an
important goal. Information provided to this target audience needs to be age
appropriate and presented using different techniques. Reaching out to staff, such as bus
drivers, to know how to respond in an emergency is critical.
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Target areas and audiences (continued)
Primary target audiences for 2014 (continued)
Drivers
This is a primary target audience due to Fort Collins’
history of flash flooding and urban street flooding. Most
flood-related deaths in the U.S. occur in cars. This
audience needs specific messaging advising them not to
drive through floodwaters.
Realtors, lenders, insurance agents and property
management agencies
Because these professionals are on the front lines of
their fields, they can reach out to clients and share
information on flood risks, flood insurance and how to
build responsibly. It is important for them to know
where to get accurate flood risk and mitigation
information. By sharing this information with their
clients, the community will be more informed and able
to make safer, long-term decisions.
Trail and Poudre River Recreation users
Fort Collins has a wonderful network of bike and pedestrian trails with thousands of
daily users. Many of these trails run parallel to the City’s floodplains and are in Parks
and Natural Areas. This offers a great opportunity to reach a captive audience and
provide flood related information. Tubing and kayaking on the Poudre River have become
popular activities during higher water on the Poudre River. Poudre Fire Authority, the City’s
Natural Areas and Parks Programs, and Poudre Heritage Alliance along with other organizations
have teamed up to promote safety for recreation users. Tying trail and other recreation users
together into one audience seemed appropriate.
FIGURE 19 - CARS DRIVING THROUGH FLOODWATER
AT MULBERRY ST. AND COLLEGE AVE., MAY 2018
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Target areas and audiences (continued)
Primary target audiences for 2020 (continued)
Non-English speaking populations
This is a new target audience. The committee felt it was
important to provide more resources to non-English
speaking populations, especially Spanish speakers.
Currently, the City’s flood awareness poster and a few
FEMA brochures are the only materials available in Spanish.
It is estimated that six percent of the Fort Collins
population are Spanish speakers. Translation services will
be utilized to offer more outreach materials in Spanish.
Vulnerable population facilities
This is also a new target audience. The committee felt it
was important to reach out to service providers in the
community that assist the elderly, disabled, homeless,
children, and others that may require more assistance
during a flood. By providing these groups more
information they will be able to provide protections for
the most vulnerable in our community.
Urban Area
Previously, this target area focused only on Old Town. However, the committee felt this needed
to be broader and therefore, renamed it to be the Urban Area, but a special emphasis will
continue to be on Old Town. Over 50 percent of the structures that exist in the 100-year
floodplain are in the Old Town basin. Many citizens do not consider themselves to be at risk
because there are no obvious stream channels. However, the streets convey floodwaters,
resulting in urban street flooding. Many of the homes and businesses in this area have
basements and many of those basements serve as rental properties. Redevelopment is actively
taking place in these areas.
FIGURE 20 – SPANISH AND ENGLISH FLOOD
AWARENESS DISPLAY AT THE AZATLAN
RECREATION CENTER
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Chapter 4: Community Messages
Several committee meetings were dedicated to developing the topics and messages to be used
in the outreach projects. The committee broke up into smaller groups for discussion and
brainstorming. The previous topics and messages were reviewed and discussed
At the first committee meeting, the committee learned about the Human Centered
Design and the E.A.S.T Method.
• Easy
• Attractive
• Social
• Timely
This framework helped the committee develop the messages. Another important factor
used to develop the messages was to make sure the messages were action oriented.
The Committee decided to change two of the additional topics and modify another. The
new topics are Play It Safe in Recreation Areas and Urban Flooding. The new Play it Safe
topic ties with outreach other stakeholders are doing. The Travel Safe topic is a
modification of the Drive Safe topic that was previously used, but now encompasses more
modes of travel including walking, biking and driving.
The committee also reduced the number of messages that had been previously identified for
each topic. The maximum number of messages for any topic is now two. The committee felt it
was important to utilize consistent messaging from other stakeholders and therefore, messages
from the Red Cross, National Weather Service and other organizations were included in this list.
Table 7 identifies the selected topics and messages. The list has been provided to the
committee stakeholders to use in their various outreach efforts.
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Six CRS Priority Topics Proposed Messages
1. Know your flood hazard
• Everyone has flood risks: know yours.
• Fort Collins has a flood history: it’s not if, but when.
2. Insure your property for
your flood hazard
• Only flood insurance covers floods. Purchase Flood
Insurance.
• Home and Renter’s Insurance ≠ Flood Insurance.
Purchase Flood Insurance.
3. Protect people from the
hazard
• Get a kit, make a plan, be informed.
(Red Cross message)
4. Protect your property
from the hazard
• Learn how to protect your property from flood damage.
5. Build Responsibly • Build responsibly: Know the floodplain regulations.
6. Protect natural floodplain
functions
• Only rain down the storm drain.
• Protect wetlands, waterways, and river/stream
banks…they protect you.
Additional Topics Proposed Messages
7. Flood Warning
• We can’t warn you, if we can’t reach you. Sign up for
LETA 911.
• Knowledge is power! Stay informed during a flood.
8. Play It Safe in Recreation
Areas
• Play it safe on the Poudre – Know before you go.
• Respect the power of water – play it safe.
9. Urban Flooding
• Urban flooding – know the risk. Basements, streets,
sidewalks and trails may become unsafe.
10. Travel Safe
• Don’t enter, drive, walk or bike through floodwaters.
• Turn around, don’t drown.
TABLE 7 - CRS PRIORITY TOPICS AND MESSAGES
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Outcomes
Outcomes are extremely difficult to quantify for public outreach messaging related to flood
awareness. Some of the original outcomes that were identified included:
• Increase in hits to on-line floodplain map
• Increase in flood insurance policies
• More families have a disaster supply kit
• Fewer rescues
• Fewer floodplain enforcement actions
• Less trash and pollutants down the storm drain
• Increase in hits on flood warning website
Since the plan was first developed in 2014, we have attempted to track such metrics as:
• Number of hits on the website
• Number of flood insurance policies
• Number of site visit requests
• Number of floodplain enforcement actions
There are many variables that influence these metrics with the most important being the
weather and changes in floodplain mapping. If we have higher spring snowmelt on the Poudre
River, we see an increase in website hits. If we have a rainy year, we see a higher number of site
visit requests to look at wet basements and drainage issues. The number of flood policies is very
much tied to changes in floodplain mapping. The City has recently completed several large flood
control projects that reduced the floodplain. This has resulted in a decrease in flood policies.
Furthermore, some outcomes are difficult to quantify such as fewer rescues or fewer
enforcement actions when we only have a maximum of one or two per year.
Therefore, the committee did not spend any significant time discussing outcome goals other
than to continue to reach as many people as possible with consistent and timely messages. The
desired outcomes continue to be the same regardless of if we can quantify the metric or if the
metric has other influencing variables.
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Slogan and mascot
The committee voted to keep the overall slogan that was developed in the 2014 plan that has
been being used by Fort Collins Utilities and other stakeholders:
Fort Collins: Be Flood Ready
Because Fort Collins is used in the slogan, it makes the message locally relevant. This message
also embodies Utilities’ desire for action. This slogan will be used along with other messaging to
convey actions for the various specific topics.
“Freddy the Frog,” will also continue as our mascot (Figure 21).
The letters in FROG represent the idea:
Flood
Ready is
Our
Goal
The mascot will be incorporated into projects
to offer tips on flood preparedness and will
be specifically used in school flood
education projects.
FIGURE 21 - FREDDY THE FROG
Chapter 5: Outreach Projects
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33
Chapter 5: Outreach Projects
Numerous outreach and education projects are already being implemented by the City of Fort
Collins and the stakeholders on the committee (Table 8). However, some of the outreach
projects need to be revised and updated to reflect the messaging developed by the committee.
In addition, several stakeholders agreed to help support and sponsor these existing projects in
various ways. This additional coordination will provide increased visibility and credibility to the
messages. The recommended changes to the existing projects are listed in Table 8.
The committee generated numerous ideas for future projects. Both existing and proposed
projects were evaluated by the committee using an “Impact-Effort” matrix (Figure 22). This
helped the committee determine which projects to pursue for 2020 (Table 8). In the photo
below, the green sticky notes are the existing projects and he pink sticky notes are the proposed
projects.
One of the key changes to existing projects for 2020 will be to try to better reach non-English
speaking residents. This was a clear desire of the committee. Therefore, the flood brochure will
be translated and distributed through community organizations. The City will also plan to have
one of the bus benches in Spanish and have it located near a largely Spanish-speaking area of the
city. Social media will also be used to reach this key audience.
FIGURE 22 – IMPACT-EFFORT
MATRIX USED TO EVALUATE
THE PROPOSED PROJECTS
Chapter 5: Outreach Projects
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Through the partnerships developed to implement these projects, Utilities will be able to reach
target audiences more effectively. Table 8 lists the target areas and audiences for the respective
projects. Some target areas and audiences have multiple projects. Some projects also will target
multiple areas or audiences.
Clearly, the Fort Collins Flood Education Committee stakeholders have made strong
commitments to flood education in Fort Collins.
Additional CRS activities integrated into projects
The Community Rating System is a program that provides credit to communities for
implementing a variety of stormwater and floodplain management activities and many of these
activities have a public outreach component. These additional outreach requirements have been
integrated into some of the proposed projects.
These include:
• Map information services (Activity 320) – Ex. Map in Floodplain Brochure, Realtor
mailer, social media
• Website (Activity 350) – cover all topics
• Property protection site visits (Activity 360)– Ex. May City News article
• Natural function open space (Activity 420) – Ex. signage in Natural Areas and
educational programs offered by Master Naturalists
• Stream dumping regulations (Activity 540) – Ex. May City News article and
Floodplain Brochure
• Repetitive loss properties (Activity 510) – Mailer to Repetitive Loss property
• Flood warning (Activity 610) – Ex. July City News article, Floodplain Brochure, and
social media
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New projects for 2020
See Table 8 for a complete list of proposed projects that are new for 2020.
CSU QR Codes
CSU plans to place QR codes around campus to share flood awareness information. This could
include flood history, flood safety and explaining the importance of flood mitigation on the CSU
campus. This project will be specifically targeted to the CSU Community.
Flood Walk App
Flood Resilience Action Partners and FEMA are teaming up
with the City of Fort Collins to create the second location of
this interactive mobile app. Areas around town will be
highlighted to explain flood risk, safety, and the City’s
stormwater and floodplain management programs. AR
visualization, videos and gamification will be used to capture
the audience’s attention. The committee’s messages will also
be integrated into the app. Work is beginning in 2020 and
expected to be completed in 2021.
Poudre School District Bus Driver Training
Poudre School District plans to incorporate flood safety messaging into their training for bus
drivers. This will promote the concept of Turn Around, Don’t Drown.
Advertising Before Events
The City will explore the idea of placing flood awareness messaging at events. This might include
showing messaging and videos on the screen before the start of a concert or while waiting for a
movie. Locations that were discussed by the committee include: Concerts at the Gardens on
Spring Creek, Downtown Concerts, Museum of Discovery dome shows, movie theatres, etc.
Climate-Wise Flood Friendly Businesses
The idea was to promote flood awareness among the business community and then share that
knowledge with the public. This might include signage about how a business has elevated or
floodproofed their structure to protect from flooding or the importance of flood insurance. This
could be tied into the already established Climate-Wise Program.
Neighbor to Neighbor Home Buying Course
One committee member mentioned they had recently taken this home buying course and there
had been no discussion of checking to see if a property was in the floodplain or any information
about flood insurance. City staff will reach out to Neighbor to Neighbor and offer to share some
information for future classes.
Chapter 6: Flood Response Public Information
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Fort Collins Utilities
Chapter 6: Flood Response Public Information
Fort Collins Utilities has an extensive preparation plan for flooding events. Stormwater staff has
identified threshold levels for varying incidents and there are different communication actions
for each level. Public outreach is an integral part of all levels of a flooding or potential flooding
situation, including before and after the event. Communications staff at Utilities has prepared
tools and materials to initiate communication quickly depending on the need identified by the
nature of the event.
Communication efforts include pre-warning outreach to the community with reminders of
safety, general flood awareness and education. Specific messaging has been identified for each
threshold of a flooding situation. The Fort Collins Utilities Public Information team has broken
down those steps further to identify necessary actions, communication efforts, tasks and roles
depending on the emergency level.
Incident threshold levels
Fort Collins Utilities Stormwater staff has created three levels for on-call response
to an identified flooding incident. The Public Information Team has taken this once
step further and integrated “pre-incident” communications as part of the on-call
process. This allows for continuous communication on general flood awareness,
education, preparedness and appropriate behavior with the hope that the public
will be more aware and “prepped” when an incident occurs.
Pre-Incident Communication
• On-call stormwater staff member assesses weather and potential risk for the week
• Communicates directly with PIO staff to update on anticipated concerns for the week on
Monday morning
• Discuss general messaging to focus on during pre-communication efforts (are there
certain areas of town to focus on, potential events anticipated, certain behaviors that
need to be encourage/discouraged more than others, general safety/awareness
reminders)
Chapter 6: Flood Response Public Information
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Incident threshold levels (continued)
Low Threshold
Stormwater on-call staff is monitoring weather development and potential for flooding.
Topics
Focus on safety and awareness. Define watch vs warning.
• Turn around, don’t drown
• Know the difference between a Watch and a Warning
• Get real-time rainfall and streamflow data
• Don’t risk driving through floodwaters
• It’s better to be late then wet
• Move valuables to higher areas of home or business if time allows
• Businesses – secure floatable materials
• Areas of town impacted
Medium Threshold
Stormwater on-call staff is monitoring and preparing for a flooding situation, possibly activating
the incident command structure.
Topics
Focus on LETA 911 sign-up, not driving in floodwaters, where to monitor conditions and where
to go for updates.
• Do not call 911 for non-emergency questions
• Flood updates available at (specific website for event)
• Engage on Facebook and Twitter for updates and current information
• Do not drive through floodwaters – even if it is your only route home
• Do not play or recreate in floodwaters
• Six inches of floodwater can move a vehicle
• Stay away from detention ponds, irrigation ditches and drainage pipes
• Real-time streamflow and rainfall data
• Areas of town impacted
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Incident threshold levels (continued)
High Threshold
Incident command structure has been implemented. May utilize LETA911 and communicate with
critical facilities, residents and businesses.
Topics
• Flooding is occurring here: ___
• Evacuation centers
• Community resources
• United Way 211
• Flood specific website
• Social media updates
• Road and bridge closure information
• Evacuation options for pets
• Do not drive through floodwaters
• Do not play or recreate in floodwaters
• Six inches of floodwater can move a vehicle
• Stay away from detention ponds, irrigation ditches and drainage pipes
• Real-time streamflow and rainfall data
• Non-emergency contact information for Fort Collins Police Services
and Poudre Fire Authority
Chapter 6: Flood Response Public Information
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Flood Response Projects
During and after a flood, Utilities will implement specific flood response projects as indicated in
Table 9.
TABLE 1 - FLOOD RESPONSE PROJECTS
Flood Response Projects
Projects Message Topics Audience Stakeholder
Support Action
Website
• Know Your Flood
Hazard
• Protect People
from Hazard
• Protect Property
from Hazard
• Insure Your Property
• Build Responsibly
• Floodplain Regulations
• Flood warning
• Basement Flooding
• Drive Safe
• General
• Residents and
owners in 100-year
floodplain
• Flooded homes and
businesses
• Building design
professionals
• Utilities
• FEMA
• Red Cross
• During and after
a flood: Post
information on
City website and
provide links to
additional FEMA
and Red Cross
resources.
Brochure
Displays
• Know Your Flood
Hazard
• Protect People
from Hazard
• Protect Property
from Hazard
• Insure Your Property
• Build Responsibly
• Floodplain Regulations
• General
• Flooded homes
and businesses
• Building design
professionals
• Utilities
• Red Cross
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Flood Response Projects
Web pages
Utilities has created webpage templates that can be activated in the event of a flooding
emergency. These pages include resources, links and materials that will be of assistance to the
public during and after a flooding event.
Brochures
The following brochures and documents are available for distribution after a flood:
• City of Fort Collins Substantial Damage Policy
• After a Flood: The First Steps
• Cleaning up your Flood Damaged Home
• Increased Cost of Compliance: How you can Benefit
• Returning Home After a Hurricane or Flood
• Repairing your Flooded Home
Social Media
Social media will need to provide information during and after a flood. Posts on Twitter and
Facebook will direct readers to the City’s website for more detailed information.
FIGURE 23 - UTILITIES' FLOOD SAFETY AND RECOVERY WEB PAGES
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Chapter 7: Program Adoption and Evaluation
Approval of Report
The Community Rating System requires approval of this document so that it has formal, official
status within the community. In Fort Collins, this approval will be by the Utilities Executive
Director and does not require City Council approval based on how the Stormwater Utility is
organized and funded. Fort Collins Utilities is composed of the enterprise funds for our four
utilities: Stormwater, Water, Wastewater and Light and Power. Each of the individual utilities has
a dedicated funding source and does not rely on the City of Fort Collins General Fund.
The Fort Collins Stormwater Utility has been in place since 1980 and all funds come from
Stormwater fees. The Utilities Executive Director is responsible for overall management of Fort
Collins Utilities. The Director has the administrative power to authorize projects, such as those
outlined in the Program for Public Information (PPI) report, that are not of a Citywide policy
nature or do not require additional funding.
Funding for public education related to flooding is an ongoing program and already is included in
the Stormwater Utility budget, so no additional funds will be requested from City Council. The
PPI report is an enhancement of our existing education efforts and would not be considered a
policy change requiring City Council approval. The Utilities Executive Director has full authority
to approve the PPI report. A copy of the PPI report will be sent to City Council as an
informational consent item.
Formal approval of the report can be found in Appendix 2.
Documentation of Projects
Each of the Stakeholders will send documentation of their annual activities to Fort Collins
Utilities for submission to the CRS for the City’s annual recertification. This documentation will
include copies of advertisements, flyers, newsletters, mailers, event photos, etc. This
information also will be included as part of the annual review by the Committee.
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Annual Review and Evaluation
The Committee will meet in the first quarter of each year to review and evaluate the projects
and messaging from the past year and to plan projects for the upcoming flood season. The
committee will discuss if the desired outcomes were achieved. If any significant flooding
occurred during the year, the Flood Event Public Information plan discussed in Chapter 6: Flood
Response Public Information, also will be reviewed. An annual report based on the Committee’s
review and recommendations will be prepared and forwarded to the Utilities Executive Director
and City Council. This annual report will then be sent to CRS as part of the annual recertification
process.
The annual report will include:
• The target audiences, messages and desired outcomes
• The projects used to convey the messages
• Which projects were implemented
• Why some projects were not implemented (if any)
• What progress was made toward the desired outcomes
• What should be changed (including what messages, outcomes and projects
should be revised or dropped, and what new ones should be initiated)
Appendix
Appendix
APPENDIX 1 – MEETING PRESENTATIONS
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
Appendix
APPENDIX 2 - FORMAL APPROVAL OF CRS REPORT
• FEMA
• After a flood:
Set up displays at
locations around
town with
brochures for
the public,
including FEMA
and Red Cross
brochures.
Social Media
• Know Your Flood
Hazard
• Protect People
from Hazard
• Protect Property
from Hazard
• Insure Your Property
• Build Responsibly
• Floodplain Regulations
• Flood warning
• Basement Flooding
• Drive Safe
• General
• Residents and
owners in 100-year
floodplain
• Flooded homes
and businesses
• Building design
professionals
• Utilities
• During and after
a flood: Send
social media
messages via
Facebook/Twitter
.
Development prior to drainage criteria encroached on the
channels, reduced the flow capacity and caused flooding. The
irrigation canals also overflow their banks and cause flooding
West Vine Basin
1980, 1997 and 1999
(Past floods
were not well
documented)
Localized flooding occurs due to encroachment on drainages
and from irrigation ditch spills.
TABLE 4 – FLOODING HISTORY IN FORT COLLINS