Official Colorado Declaration of Disaster for the Spring 2015 Storms

Executive Order D 2015-005

Declaring a Disaster Emergency and Authorizing National Guard Assets in Response to Severe Weather, Associated Flooding, and a Landslide on State Highway 13

On July 2, 2015 the official Executive Order D 2015-005 was signed declaring a state disaster.  Read the full Executive Order.

Gov. Hickenlooper Announces $2.29 Million in Grants for Stream Recovery Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Office of Gov. John Hickenlooper

Kathy Green, 303-550-9276 c. kathy.green@state.co.us

Kevin Houck, 303-866-3441 c.  kevin.houck@state.co.us

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Gov. Hickenlooper announces $2.29 million in grants for stream recovery projects

DENVER – Friday, Aug. 08 2014 – Moving quickly to keep Colorado’s long-term recovery on pace, Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced grants totaling $2.29 million for 19 new stream recovery projects in Boulder, Larimer, Weld, and Jefferson counties, less than three months after the program was created.

"Quickly and strategically rehabilitating streams damaged by the flood is critical for many reasons; most notably so that we are prepared to endure any future surprises Mother Nature might throw our way," said Hickenlooper. "We are grateful to the Colorado Water Conservation Board; to Senators Jeanne Nicholson and Scott Renfroe and Representatives Mike Foote and Jerry Sonnenberg, for working with us to expeditiously get these resources where they are so needed."  

Repairing the state’s streams and watersheds is a high priority because it reduces future flood risk, and helps restore stream banks, wildlife habitats, agricultural areas and recreational opportunities.

The flooding - which impacted 24 counties - triggered nine small dam failures, damaged or destroyed nearly 225 water-diversion structures, damaged an estimated 32,000 acres of croplands and swept away $540,000 in state-owned stream-gauge equipment. During the floods, many northern Colorado waterways experienced 100-year or 500-year floods.  

The grant program, created with Senate Bill 14-179, will reimburse up to 50 percent of eligible expenses used for cleaning up debris or restoring watersheds. The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) approved the grants on July 16.

The legislation authorizes payments to private entities and individuals whose property was affected by the floods as well as local governments, watershed coalitions, and other private non-profit entities who are performing restoration activities.

Applicant	Project Title	Approved Funding
Wildland Restoration Volunteers	North Fork of the Big Thompson River Restoration	$196,500
City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks Department	Boulder Creek Confluence Restoration	$200,000
Rocky Mountain Flycasters	Multi-basin Riparian Restoration and Plant Propagation Program	$200,000
Boulder County Parks and Open Space	Left Hand Creek Restoration	$200,000
Town of Estes Park	Fish Creek Restoration Project: Brook Drive to Country Club Reach	$200,000
Boulder County Land Use Department	Fourmile Creek Restoration Project	$80,000
City of Longmont	Peschel-St.Vrain Creek Restoration	$110,000
Boulder County Parks and Open Space	South St. Vrain Creek Restoration at Hall Ranch	$110,000
City of Greeley/Larimer County	Lions Open Space Eastern Bank Restoration Project	$150,000
The Environmental Group	Coal Creek Canyon Restoration Project: Twin Spruce Junction	$94,400
Colorado Parks and Wildlife	Big Thompson River Restoration	$300,000
Sylvan Dale Ranch	Fish Habitat Design and Debris Removal, sylvan Dale Reach, Big Thompson River	$59,850
Big Thompson Conservation district	Little Thompson River Urgent Needs	$170,625
Mark Boslough	Riparian Habitation Restoration, Stream Bank Revegetation and Beaver Reintroduction on Highland Placer, South St. Vrain Watershed, Boulder County	$14,00
Stephen Strand	8398 Lefthand Creek Streambed and Bank Stabilization, Riparian Corridor Restoration	$20,000
Logan Mill Ranch Tree Farm and Properties	Sunbeam Gulch Stream Restoration Project	$20,000
Town of Lyons	Lower McConnell Hazard Mitigation Project	$56,250
Left Hand Water District	Debris Removal from Left Hand Creek Water Intake	$9,030

Gov. Hickenlooper Announces Additional $12 Million for Wastewater and Drinking Water Systems with Flood Recovery Projects

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Office of Gov. John Hickenlooper

Kathy Green, 303-550-9276 c.  kathy.green@state.co.us

Meghan Trubee,  303-692-6351 c. meghan.trubee@state.co.us

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Gov. Hickenlooper announces additional $12 million for wastewater and drinking water systems with flood recovery projects

DENVER — Friday, Aug. 1, 2014 — Representing his continued commitment to restoring Colorado’s world-class water systems, Gov. John Hickenlooper today announced a second round of grant funding aimed at rebuilding, improving and protecting Colorado’s water quality and treatment infrastructure.

Sixteen community drinking water and wastewater systems impacted by the September 2013 flooding will receive $12 million to fund planning, design, construction, improvement, renovation or reconstruction of systems that were damaged or destroyed as a result of the floods. Part of the funding will go to four counties (Boulder, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld) to help them repair or replace private, non-community septic systems. 

“When the flooding receded, we said we would rebuild a better, more resilient Colorado. This funding will help address not just short-term needs but also help communities design and rebuild with the long-term in mind,” said Gov. Hickenlooper. “It’s another boost to spur repairs and improvements in areas that need it most.”

In Jamestown, this funding will provide critical support in rebuilding service lines to individual residences, allowing displaced families to return to their homes. In the City of Evans, the funding allows for the planning and design of a new facility that will have expanded capacity for residents while decreasing vulnerability from future flood events.

This funding is in addition to the $14.7 million awarded last year to help the state address nutrients in Colorado’s rivers, streams and lakes. High levels of nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, can use up valuable oxygen and choke aquatic life.

These grants are part of the governor's plan to ensure Coloradans have a reliable infrastructure that ensures safe, clean water for future generations.

See maps of communities/systems included in the nutrient and flood recovery grants.

GRANTS:

Water System	$ Amount
Town of Berthoud	$310,000
Larimer County (on behalf of Big Elk Meadows Water Assoc.)	$780,000
City of Boulder	$1,595,000
Colorado Springs Utilities	$188,000
Estes Valley Recreation and Park District	$360,500
City of Evans	$1,000,000
Evergreen Metro District	$114,487
Town of Jamestown	$1,000,000
Jefferson County School District /Mt. Evans Lab	$835,000
City of Loveland	$264,750
Town of Lyons	$518,216
Town of Milliken	$324,715
Town of Morrison	$165,922
Pine Brook Water District	$320,375
Pinewood Springs Water District	$125,500
Red Rock Valley Water District	$871,614
SUBTOTAL	$8,774,079

Each of these counties will be responsible for establishing its own program to administer funds to residents with private, non-community septic systems that were damaged or destroyed by flooding.

Water System	$ Amount
Boulder County	$1,311,806
Jefferson County	$250,000
Larimer County	$1,322,300
Weld County	$405,000
SUBTOTAL	$3,289,106
TOTAL	$12,063,185

Funding for the grants was provided by HB14-1002. Grants were issued to entities in counties where the governor declared a disaster emergency. 

Gov. Hickenlooper Delivers Disaster Reimbursement Funds to Estes Park

Gov. John Hickenlooper today presented a $131,442 check to the Town of Estes Park. 

The check is a 50 percent advance on the $262,885.12 in reimbursements the Town of Estes Park has requested under the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Public Assistance program.

Under a new expedited program, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) will reimburse 50 percent of all requests for reimbursements greater than $10,000, after a cursory review, with a $1 million cap for any single reimbursement. The amount cannot exceed more than 50 percent of what FEMA has allocated for the project.

Additionally, the governor authorized $20 million in cash advances out of the state disaster emergency fund, for communities that need help with cash flow for projects. During July, the state distributed $7.3 million in advances.

Gov. Hickenlooper presents disaster relief check to Boulder County

Gov. John Hickenlooper today presented a $1.154 million check to the Boulder County Commissioners, the first under a new program to expedite disaster relief payments for infrastructure repairs to counties and communities impacted during the 2013 floods.

“Turnaround times have dramatically improved under this new program – during the month of July we tripled the amount of previous reimbursements,” Hickenlooper said. “We sought a new approach, because we needed to keep pace with the communities as they repair or replace damaged roads, bridges, buildings and other infrastructure.”

The $1.154 million check is an advance on the $3.4 million in reimbursements Boulder has requested under the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Public Assistance program.

Of the $35.4 million local governments submitted for FEMA reimbursement requests, the state has approved $9.5 million in reimbursements, approximately $4.5 million in just the last 30 days. Another $2.3 million is approved for payment in the next five days.

Under the expedited program, the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) will reimburse 50 percent of all requests for reimbursements greater than $10,000, after a cursory review, with a $1 million cap for any single reimbursement. The amount cannot exceed more than 50 percent of what FEMA has allocated for the project.

The department also added four additional staff to assist with processing recovery payments, according to Kevin Klein, DHSEM director.

Additionally, the governor authorized $20 million in cash advances out of the state disaster emergency fund, for communities that need help with cash flow for projects. During July, the state distributed $7.3 million in advances.

Gov. Hickenlooper Declares Disaster Emergency for Mesa County Mudslide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Office of Gov. John Hickenlooper

Eric Brown, 303-547-5308 c, eric.brown@state.co.us

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Gov. Hickenlooper declares disaster emergency for Mesa County mudslide, allocates $500,000 for response

DENVER — Friday, May 30, 2014 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today signed an Executive Order that declares a state of disaster emergency due to the West Salt Creek Landslide in Mesa County. The order allocates $500,000 from the state’s Disaster Emergency Fund to pay for the response and technical assessments.

“The landslide area continues to be unstable, making recovery operations too dangerous to attempt,” the governor’s order says. “The situation continues to evolve and presents significant risks to the community because responders, citizens, private homes, agricultural facilities, county roads and oil/gas infrastructure in the immediate vicinity are still vulnerable to further landslides and potential flooding.”

The Executive Order also memorializes the governor’s verbal order from earlier this week to activate the Colorado National Guard to provide aviation support including flying federal, state, local and private sector personnel providing technical assistance and incident response.

The order says technical assessments are in progress by the U.S. Geological Service, the Colorado Geological Survey and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide technical assistance with the flood risk, and CH2M Hill will also provide technical assistance on a voluntary basis.  

The U.S. Forest Service, Colorado State Patrol and the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management are assisting Mesa County and are participating in the Unified Command Post for the incident.

The full Executive Order.