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Summary With increasing environmental concerns and changing values, shrinking budgets and advancing technology, flood management is in transition. Floodplain management is superseding flood "control" but faces considerable obstacles, Many floodplains already are developed and returning urbanized areas to a natural state is controversial, expensive and nearly impossible. Virtually all of the traditional floodplains along the Los Angeles River are urbanized. Much of the city of Sacramento lies in the historic floodplain. In areas where some development has occurred, governments must buy back the property before turning the area into a floodplain, This was done along the lower Colorado River, from Hoover Dam to the Mexican border, Following the 1993 Mississippi River floods, approximately 8,000 homes were bought out or relocated, Buyouts and relocations are very costly, especially where numerous homes have been built in the floodplain, Because offhe high costs of floods, there is growing concern over providing disaster relief to property repeatedly damaged by floods, Under a 1993 federal law, FEMA can set aside 15 percent of the cost of a disaster for hazard mitigation, which includes buying private property and returning it to its natural condition, relocating or elevating homes and invest- .... a r ml I' ."\0.. I-;!/' "'.,'.,.::,'.;.." ing in flood control projects, In 1997, California received approximately $25 million to elevafe homes, acquire property and fund flood control projects, Federal law was amended after the 1993 Mississippi flood fa deny aid to repeat flood victims who were told to get insurance but failed fa do so, However, FEMA did not turn away uninsured repeat flood victims in 1997 because of political pressure. There is growing recognition of the upstream and downstream impacts of flood control projects and the advantages of non structural flood management. A federal Nonstructural Task Force and a Flood Management Group, made up of state and federal agencies with responsibilities in floodplains, was formed in 1997 to provide a sustained effort fa improve flood management polices and practices. They are shifting focus from consfructing barriers to cope with Mother Nature to expanding restricfed floodplains to give rivers more breathing room. Natural floodplains contain valuable wetlands which slow down flood flows, filter out pollutants and recharge groundwater. Mother Nature has proven over and over that she cannot be dominated. As one water expert pointed out, "We have to learn to work with the historic forces of the river, not against them." be! l" .. llTT- f i I " . ~ -I '1