I. INTRODUCTION

This flood warning plan for the Ralston Creek drainage basin is viewed as an annex or appendix to Arvada`s Unusual Occurrence Manual and Jefferson County's Emergency Operations Plan. As such, it provides a set of operational procedures to be carried out during a flood on Ralston Creek and its tributaries (i.e., Leyden Creek and Van Bibber Creek). The Ralston Creek drainage basin is located in both Arvada and Jefferson County. Therefore, planning and emergency response must be a multi-jurisdictional effort.

The Ralston Creek Flood Warning Plan is designed primarily to reduce the potential for loss of life resulting from flash floods on Ralston Creek, Leyden Creek and Van Bibber Creek. This plan has been prepared by the Urban Drainage and Flood Control District, the City of Arvada and Jefferson County in cooperation with the National Weather Service and Henz Meteorological Services. The District acknowledges the valuable contributions of many individuals that assisted in preparing this plan.

The user should be aware of the areawide meteorological support provided through the District's Flash Flood Prediction Program, the weather information available via the District's Electronic Bulletin Board (EBB) and FAX communications, and the real-time rainfall and stream stage data from the ALERT Flood Detection Network installed for the Ralston Creek basin.

The user should read the entire plan carefully; and should be aware of all elements of this plan, its strengths and weakness, and individual responsibilities; not only in the elements of this plan, but specifically as set forth in the following paragraphs excerpted from Agreement No. 87-05.01 (AGREEMENT REGARDING THE DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A FLOOD DETECTION NETWORK FOR RALSTON, LEYDEN & VAN BIBBER CREEKS) dated November 23, 1987:

14. THIS AGREEMENT NOT A GUARANTEE

The Parties believe that the early flood detection system contemplated by this Agreement will be useful as a first step in developing a flood warning system. They recognize, however, that the possibility of inadvertent error in design or failure of equipment to function may prevent the system from operating perfectly at all times. Therefore, nothing contained herein may be construed as a guarantee of the system or its operation, or create any liability on the part of any party or its directors, officers, employees or agents for any damage that may be alleged to result from the operation, or failure to operate, of the system or any of its component parts.
By entering into this Agreement, none of the entities are assuming responsibility for flood detection or warning and expressly disclaim any legal duty to provide or participate in any plan or system of flood detection or warning. This Agreement shall constitute notice to any and all persons or parties that the DISTRICT, JEFFERSON and ARVADA or any officer, agent or employee thereof, shall not be liable for any injuries or damages of what ever kind that may result from reliance on the terms and conditions of this Agreement and any system established pursuant thereto.