WSP09166

• File Number: 5960
• Description: Flood Protection Section - Miscellaneous Publications
• State: CO
• Basin: Statewide
• Date: 9/1/1981
• Author: FEMA
• Title: Multi-Government Management of Floodplains in Small Watersheds - Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

001151

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

PART I: FLOODS AND FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

I. The F100d Problem in the U.S. ............................ 1

A. Floods As a Natural Process ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1. The Hydrologic Cycle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2. What Is a Watershed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
3. What Is a Floodplain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
4. Kinds of Floods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

B. Uses of Floodplains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
C. Costs of Floods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 10

A. Goals of Floodplain Management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14
B. Techniques of Floodplain Management. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . .. 14
C. Floodplain Managers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16

i

II. Multi.Government Management of F1ood.s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14

1. Private Owners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
2. Municipalities................................ 16
3. Special Districts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
4. Counties.................................... 18
5. States...................................... 18
6. Federal..................................... 19
a. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 19
b. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ..............19
c. Soil Conservation Service (SCS) . . . . . . . . . . . .. 19
d. Tennessee Valley Authority (TV A) .......... 19
e. Water Resources Council (WRC) ............ 21
f. Executive Office of President. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 21

I

D. Conflicts among Managers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 21

E. Techniques for Multi-Governmental Coordination in
Floodplains. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22

1. Interstate Compacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
2. Comprehensive River Basin Planning. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
3. Statewide Regulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
4. Counties and Special Districts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 23
5. Informal Communication between Governments . . . .. 24
6. Zoning Testimony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 24
7. Intergovernmental Agreements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 24
8. Extraterritorial Powers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25

Conclusion to Part I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 25