[BoulderCouncilHotline] Questions on South Boulder Creek flood mitigation

[Morzel, Lisa]

After Tuesday night's public hearing and staff presentation, I have the following questions:

1.  Tim Johnson executive director of Frasier Meadows stated that prior to 2004, the Frasier Meadows complex was not in the floodplain. He relayed that they were not in the designated flood plain until the construction of the Foothills Parkway. Could we please get a brief history of the change in flood plain designation over the past 50 or so years? Certainly a lot of development has occurred since Frasier Meadows first opened?

2.  Are there other type dam alternatives that have been considered or used elsewhere that do not impede groundwater flow and do not need a mechanical system but rather can be engineered, operated, and sustained on their own?  I understand the planning board has seen some of these other type of dams that do not extend continuously down to bedrock. Could we please have an example of those? 

3.   When council reconvenes on this subject on August 21, I hope that staff will come prepared with some constructive options for some early warning system options for residents down stream in case of a flood event. We discussed this Tuesday night and I think there are a lot of council members who recognize that any option we take will take several years to implement.  At the minimum we should have an adequate early warning system in place now. 

4.  The tables which had worse better best are completely confusing and unhelpful lacking basic required information as I stated in my comments Tuesday night.  I look forward to a much more detailed table with the requested information. In the interim I have a question about costs and the type of detailed information I am requesting:
Instead of providing just "most expensive", "least expensive", I would like to have more details regarding what exactly the components of those costs entail: for example, does that include consultant cost, engineering costs, design cost, construction cost? 
Does that include the cost of hooking up CU to city services? Who 
will actually pay for that infrastructure? I assume on CU land that CU will pay the infrastructure costs but who pays the cost of the infrastructure that connects the city to CU's border?
Under costs, is long-term maintenance included? Who or what agency would be responsible for the maintenance of the system?

5. What is the condition of South Boulder Creek with regard to current or existing debris or overgrowth and is there a plan to open up the channel to allow better flow of flood waters? I recall from the 2 mile Creek discussion that many of our drainages are not adequately maintained with respect to debris and overgrowth. 

I look forward to the details that were not presented in the matrix of variables with better better best worse. Please be clear and complete with the details. 

Thank you. 

Lisa

Lisa Morzel
Boulder City Council Member

303-815-6723 c
303-938-8520 h


Lisa

Lisa Morzel
Boulder City Council Member

303-815-6723 c
303-938-8520 h