Colorado Fluvial Hazard Zone Program
The Fluvial Hazard Zone (FHZ) is the area a stream has occupied in recent history, may occupy, or may physically influence as it stores and transports water, sediment, and debris.
In the aftermath of the devastating floods of 2013, The Colorado Water Conservation Board developed the Colorado Fluvial Hazard Zone (FHZ) Program to help communities better identify, map, and plan for the flood hazards associated with erosion, sediment deposition, and other dynamic river processes. The effort began by reviewing existing riverine erosion mapping programs for their technical and governance applicability in the State of Colorado.
Between 2015 and 2019 technical and scientific studies, community resource development, mapping protocol development, and pilot mapping on approximately 450 miles of stream was completed. These products were peer-reviewed by experts from across the United States.
The Colorado FHZ Program represents a new strategy in adaptively managing stream corridors, preparing for and mitigating flood impacts, and making informed land use decisions based on an awareness of fluvial processes.
The Public Review Draft of the Fluvial Hazard Zone Mapping Protocol was released in January of 2020 for public comment and the Colorado Fluvial Hazard Zone Mapping Protocol Version 1.0—along with a Model Zoning Ordinance, Stream Corridor Easement guidance, and Quickstart Guide for Planners—was released in August of 2020.
The Colorado Fluvial Hazard Zone program was selected as the winner of the 2021 Excellence in Floodplain Management Award for a state program by the American Society of Floodplain Managers
PROGRAM GOALS
DEVELOP TECHNICAL MAPPING PROTOCOL
Create tools that support the FHZ delineation and map making process
COMMUNITY SUPPORT
Develop resources including a guide for planners, floodplain managers, and local officials that describes the numerous ways that an FHZ map can be used or applied
EDUCATION AND OUTREACH
Workshops, in-person trainings, webinars and presentations
“Our communities are interested in understanding risk with the changing landscapes in our watersheds, whether it be development, fire, or aridification. The FHZ program has provided a tool and resource for our members to use when making informed decisions around the management of our watersheds.”
— Morgan Lynch, Chair, Colorado Association of Stormwater and Floodplain Managers
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