SUBJECT: STAFF REPORT
Title
Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD)
Body
DEPARTMENT: Public Works
PRESENTER: Gary Behlen, Public Works Director
Wendi Palmer, Civil Engineer
FISCAL INFORMATION:
Cost as Recommended: NA
Balance Available: NA
Fund NA
Budget Line Item Number: NA
New Appropriation Required: No
STAFF RECOMMENDATION: NA
Recommendation
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
The Urban Drainage and Flood Control District (UDFCD) was established by the Colorado legislature in 1969, for the purpose of assisting local governments in the Denver metropolitan area with multi-jurisdictional drainage and flood control problems. The Boulder County portion of Erie is within UDFCD boundaries. The Weld County portion currently is not included.
UDFCD funding comes from a property tax mill levy which funds four programs:
• Master Planning
• Design, Construction and Maintenance
• Floodplain Management
• Information Services and Flood Warning
Since 1981 an annual maintenance work program has been developed within each county based on the funds available and a prioritized list of maintenance requests from each local government. Maintenance work is divided into two types of activities, routine and restoration.
Routine maintenance consists of limited mowing of native vegetation, trash and debris cleanup, trash rack cleaning, control of weeds and noxious vegetation, tree thinning, sediment removal, revegetation, and other minor drainage way maintenance activities. Routine maintenance in Erie will begin in May and end in September. The attached map and maintenance schedule identifies the drainage facility locations and frequency for maintenance.
Restoration work involves site specific activities intended to rebuild structures, major sediment removal or significant vegetation removal to reestablish existing drainage facilities which have been neglected or damaged such that the capacity of the facility has be reduced. Restoration work is generally performed in early spring, late summer or fall.
The following priorities were considered by UDFCD in determining the 2016 Maintenance Plan:
• First - UDFCD owned facilities.
• Second - Facilities owned by other public entities, but partly financed with District funds.
• Third - Facilities owned by other public entities and constructed by others without District assistance.
• Fourth - Unimproved urban drainageways.
• Fifth - Unimproved rural drainageways
Annually the Town of Erie submits a maintenance request to UDFCD. The estimated cost for the 2016 routine service in Erie is $19,550. The estimated cost for the 2016 restoration services in Erie is $138,000.
Routine services will be performed three times a year. The first will be either the week of May 16, or May 23. The second will be either the week of July 11 or July 18. The third will be the week of September 12. Attached is a schedule identifying the location, map identification and the week for each maintenance with identification of what type of maintenance will be performed. Debris removal will be performed each time, with mowing being performed as noted on the schedule. The attached map has the map identification numbers and is color coded to denote the week’s maintenance will be performed.
Restoration services has already begun by removing sediment, trees and vegetation in the detention ponds. The detention pond north of Creekside will have significant sediment removal in the water quality pond. Vegetation and Russian Olive tree removal also has begun in the drainage way north of Erie Parkway. They had to skip an area due to nesting owls, the skipped area should be completed in the fall after the owls have left their nest.
In addition to providing construction and maintenance assistance, UDFCD also provides flood hazard information to property owners. The attached Flood Hazard Information Brochure has been mailed to Erie residence within the UDFCD boundaries that are in or near the Special Flood Hazard Area in an effort to educate property owners about potential flood risks.
ATTACHMENTS:
a. Vicinity Map
b. 2016 UDFCD Maintenance Schedule
c. Flood Hazard Information Brochure