Providing Flood Control to Urban Streams
Water resource projects don’t take place in a vacuum. Rather, they are interconnected with the people and environment around them. The Mile High Flood District (MHFD) recognizes this and is working towards increasing the overall value of its stream projects to the community by incorporating multiple benefits beyond flood risk mitigation. This approach is necessary due to limited shared public space and available funding sources. Even smaller-scale projects can achieve multiple benefits by rethinking the design process.
MHFD has developed an Urban Stream Implementation Strategy and Assessment Tool to facilitate this new approach. Unlike traditional design approaches, this strategy is collaborative
and inclusive, beginning with understanding the existing conditions and context of the project before setting goals and objectives. This approach allows diverse teams to view the stream project as part of a larger system by identifying additional opportunities and challenges. Through integrating existing community plans and neighborhood data, engaging with the community and involving business, development and other utilities, a comprehensive understanding of all the needs and desires for the space can be achieved. Then, ways can be explored to leverage the initial stream improvement project to incorporate these other elements and provide greater value back to the community.
At the heart of MHFD’s strategy is the Urban Stream Assessment Procedure, a tool that plays a pivotal role in identifying and measuring the urban stream functions that a project
can influence. These functions include hydrology, hydraulics, geomorphology, vegetation and community values. By considering all five functional elements, projects can be planned and executed to ensure they align with the needs and values of the community.
The assessment tool brings in the community values piece at the project’s onset, so it is not a secondary consideration. The tool works in tandem with the strategy. The assessment procedure is a systematic way to understand the context of the project, gauge opportunities for enhancements and define overall success to establish priorities. Aligning priorities with goals
and objectives is essential since competing interests often occur within the stream functions.
Laura Kroeger is the executive director at the Mile High Flood District.
