Fluvial Erosion and Deposition

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Description

Streams become hazardous when public infrastructure, houses, businesses, and other investments are placed in locations where fluvial processes naturally occur. In order to address the unrecognized hazards associated with erosion, sediment deposition and other dynamic stream processes, the CWCB has developed a program to identify and map the hazards posed by these natural stream processes and develop tools to help communities and landowners better understand the hazards associated with flood events.

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Fluvial Hazards in Colorado

All streams are dynamic, and when floods occur or after wildfires burn their watersheds, they are prone to dramatically alter their size, shape and location. If not properly planned for, these natural processes of erosion and deposition can cause considerable damage to infrastructure, agriculture, and residential property as well as endanger lives.

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Related Hazards

While fluvial hazards are most frequently triggered by rainfall associated with sustained wet weather and/or severe thunderstorms, they may also be caused or exacerbated by wildfires, debris flows and landslides, ice jams, or rapid melting and runoff following severe winter storms. In the 2013 Colorado floods, a major cause of flood damage was debris that clogged up bridges and culverts. Another major issue in 2013 was waterways carving entirely new channels, meaning risk had not been conveyed on existing maps. Fluvial Hazard Zone maps attempt to identify potential risk associated with fluvial processes such as channel migration, streambank erosion, and sediment and debris deposition.

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Assessing Fluvial Hazards

Community planners should begin assessing fluvial hazards by coordinating with their local floodplain administrator, along with the appropriate staff at the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB), on the identification of the best currently available data and tools for assessing fluvial hazard risk, as well as the status of any updates or possible enhancements to those resources. 

 
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