We appreciate your interest in this important study. This Web site contains a wealth of information about the study, technical data, the project team and the opportunities for public involvement. Use the following links to help you navigate through this site:

• Introduction
• Current Study Results
• Status and Next Steps  
• Interactive Flood Maps
• Archives
• Meetings 
• News and Updates
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Public Involvement
• Contact Us

Recent Events:

April 2009 -

On March 25, 2009, FEMA notified the city of Boulder that it intends to offcially adopt (effective January 2010) the revised floodplain mapping that resulted from the South Boulder Creek flood mapping study. The new floodplain mapping will be used as the basis for the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that establishes minimum regulatory floodplain boundaries under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and federal mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements.

The adoption process for the study results will coincide with the adoption of the related FIRM for Boulder County and will include:

• July 2009 - FEMA will issue revised preliminary digital FIRMs (DFIRMs) for Boulder County, beginning a 30-day community comment period.
• October 2009 - Notices of intent to adopt the revised flood maps will be published in local newspapers and in the Federal Register, beginning a 90-day appeal period.
• January 2010 - End of 90-day appeal period and official adoption of new flood maps is anticipated.

Changes to the Flood Map - April 2009

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) Process - April 2009

Flood Insurance - April 2009

Grandfather Provisions for current Flood Insurance Policy Holders - April 2009

December 2008 -

The mapping study will be used to regulate both existing and newly designated floodplain areas and to revise the local Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Staff began regulating to the designated floodplain areas on Jan. 1, 2008 based on the previous study results. There are few properties that have been added to the 100-year floodplain based on the information submitted to FEMA on Dec. 30, 2008 and staff plans to begin regulating these properties on April 1, 2009. Staff will notify these property owners with a  Notification Letter.

As set forth under National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations, buildings located in the 100-year floodplain as defined on the FIRM are subject to the mandatory purchase of flood insurance if the property is financed under a federally-backed mortgage. Most home mortgages fall under this category since most lenders are federally regulated. The requirement to purchase flood insurance won't be mandatory until the proposed revision of the FIRM is adopted by FEMA. Adoption of the revised FIRM is expected to occur within the next 12 months and will follow a 90-day appeal period for public review. This provides time for property owners to learn more about the mandatory requirement and to take advantage of coverage and premium options available before the purchase of flood insurance is required.

Owners of properties with buildings previously designated to be in the 100-year floodplain will be sent a  Reminder Letter.

Both letters will inform property owners about these flood insurance requirements, the FIRM and the "grandfather provisions" that provide a mechanism whereby structures previously considered outside the South Boulder Creek floodplain and constructed without flood protection measures may be eligible fore reduced insurance rates.

The study results include:

•  Climatology and Hydrology Report - 2007-05 FEMA Submittal
•  Hydraulic Modeling Report - 2008 FEMA Re-submittal
•  The Risk Assessment Report, dated Jan. 2, 2008, has been completed in order to support subsequent flood mitigation planning. The risk assessment will be updated with the latest flood study results in the near future.

It is anticipated that FEMA will complete their review of the revised study results in early 2009. After FEMA completes its review of the mapping study, it will solicit public comment as part of its review process, issuing a notice through the Federal Register.

During the remaining FEMA review period, city staff will continue to regulate to the study results for all annexation and development proposals. 

In addition and pursuant to the city's participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, the city will not remove any property or strucutres from the floodplain until FEMA completes its review. In essence, during the FEMA review period, the city will regulate to the more restrictive flood condition between the existing regulatory map and the proposed study results/maps.

A Risk Assessment was completed in January 2008 in order to support subsequent flood mitigation planning. The risk assessment will be updated with the latest flood study results and flood flood mitigation planning will begin as soon as practical after the flood study results have been accepted by FEMA, Boulder County, the city of Boulder and other agencies. It is anticipated that the focus of these efforts would be primarily to mitigate the impacts of flooding in the west valley, where flood impacts were previously not identified and substantial urban development has occurred.

Currently, funding has been included in the city's CIP in 2008-2010 to complete the risk assessment and the flood mitigation planning effort, and $3 million has been proposed in the city's 2011 budget to help fund flood mitigation improvements. (Specific improvements are yet to be determined by the flood mitigation planning mentioned above.) Also, an agreement with the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District has been secured and provides a total of $100,000 of supplemental funding for flood mitigation planning. 

Background

The South Boulder Creek (SBC) Flood Mapping Study was initiated to more accurately identify the floodplain and assess the flood hazard in east Boulder. It will determine the intensity and volume of rainfall and flooding that could be anticipated during several different storm events and define the extent and depth of the resulting flooding for each. It will reconcile the information from previous studies and use a more technologically advanced approach than used in the earlier studies.

The SBC mapping study results are intended to replace the current regulatory mapping that is based on a 1986 United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) study. The study was completed with the support and cooperation of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) and Boulder County.

On April 17, 2007, City Council authorized the submittal of the SBC Flood Mapping Study results to the FEMA, and the mapping study was submitted on Aug. 23, 2007. City staff received comments on the initial submittal and addressed these comments in a re-submittal package dated Dec. 30, 2008 -  FEMA Re-submittal Letter