The Comprehensive Creek Planning Initiative (CCP) was a project developed by Boulder County to address the vulnerabilities in the county’s watersheds after the 2013 Flood. The project was designed to mitigate immediate flood hazards and lay the foundation for long-term watershed recovery by developing multi-disciplinary watershed-level master plans for flood-impacted watersheds. The CCP initiative was a collaborative, inclusive process that has created a common vision for watershed recovery, flood risk reduction, and more resilient watersheds throughout the county.
The CCP initiative has been instrumental in guiding Boulder County’s response to, and recovery from, the September 2013 Flood. The flood significantly changed the county’s numerous watersheds, making them physically and ecologically less stable and increasing their vulnerability to future flooding. Recognizing that any action taken in the creek has impacts both upstream and downstream, Boulder County believed that a comprehensive approach across watersheds was needed to allow county residents and other stakeholders to implement watershed restoration projects in a consistent manner. The CCP initiative included multi-stakeholder coalitions and public engagement to ensure the master plans reflected the vision of the community within each watershed.
At the end of 2014 watershed master plans had been completed for:
All five plans were adopted by the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners in February 2015.
After laying the groundwork for more resilient watersheds, the CCP initiative has now transitioned to the Creek Recovery & Restoration Program to continue the long-term recovery effort by seeking funding for restoration projects, overseeing project implementation, and continuing to partner and coordinate with stakeholders and residents in the community.
News & Presentations
- Feb. 2015 – Presentation to the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners
- Feb. 2015 – Public Hearing on the CCP to the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners
- Jan. 2015 – Presentation to the Boulder County Planning Commission
- Jan. 2015 – Presentation to the Boulder County Parks and Open Space Advisory Committee
- Jan. 2015 – Presentation to the Boulder County Board of County Commissioners
- Dec. 2014 – Post-Flood master plans for three Boulder County creeks ready for review
- Dec. 2014 – Watershed Master Plans Complete
- Oct. 2014 – Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Presentation
- Sept. 2014 – Update Presentation to the Planning Commission
- Aug. 2014 – Boulder County Awarded Watershed Restoration Grants
- July 2014 – Colorado Watershed Symposium Presentation
- June 2014 – Boulder County Watershed Coalitions Presentation
- Post-Flood Planning in Boulder County
- May 2014 – Update Presentation to Planning Commission
- Feb. 2014 – Comprehensive Creek Planning Initiative Moves Forward
- Jan. 2014 – Update Presentation to Planning Commission
- Dec. 2013 – Community Outreach Meeting Presentation
- Nov. 2013 – Commissioners’ Study Session on the Stream Planning Initiative
Video
The CCP video highlights the purpose of the watershed master planning process.