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<br />NATIONAL FLOOD PROGRAMS IN REVIEW-2000 <br /> <br />. SUMMARY . <br /> <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br /> <br />Society at last has couched floodplain management among much wider perspectives of land and <br />resource use and hlUllan resiliency than in the past. People are coming to accept both the finite nature <br />and vital importance of water-related ecosystems to the sustainability of human communities, and they <br />are slowly altering their behavior to coincide with that realization. Much progress has been made in <br />the past decade to ensure that the management of floodplains in the United States also reflects this <br />broader outlook. A more balanced approach now is supported by federal and state agencies alike. <br />There is a recognition that the many aspects of flooding and its management are interconnected and <br />that we cannot address them as though they exist in a vaculUll, Links thus are beginning to be forged <br />among the concerns of water quality, habitat protection, land use, insurance, cultural and historical <br />preservation, economic development, disaster preparedness, stormwater management, and many <br />others, Likewise, the nation is beginning to adopt a multi-hazard approach where appropriate, so that <br />planning and prevention measures for floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, tomadoes, and other hazards <br />do not take place in isolation from each other. <br /> <br />But to be effective at maintaining this holistic approach in the future, floodplain management must <br />become an integral component of society's approach to living with and cooperating with its <br />environment-rather than trying to control it. The ASFPM envision a sustainable future--one in <br />which floodplains throughout the nation are used only in ways that protect their integrity as enduring <br />ecological systems, This would keep flood losses to a minimlUll; make economic sense for many <br />generations to come, not just in the short run; would avoid fostering social inequities; and be both <br />a source and a product of local pride, ownership, and responsibility, <br /> <br />The mechanics of reaching and maintaining this vision will include a robust program of mitigation at <br />all levels of government and the private sector. It will require acceptance of more personal <br />responsibility by the public; incorporation of floodplain management in all aspects of land use <br />planning and development; and the availability of qualified (certified) floodplain managers in every <br />National Flood Insurance Program community, Hazard awareness will need to be incorporated into <br />all elementary and secondary school curricula; support will be needed for college students who want <br />a career in floodplain management. Digital elevation models and other accurate and dynamic <br />floodplain mapping tools will need to be developed, Doubtless, the need for many, many other <br />potential activities, strategies, and shifts in thinking will become evident as progress is made. <br /> <br />A CALL TO ACTION <br /> <br />In considering how best to reach a reality that includes sustainable floodplains, the ASFPM generated <br />a list of changes we believe are fundamental to moving forward. Making such changes will involve <br />many challenges, obstacles, and opportunities, The ASFPM sees five principal needs: (1) increased <br />individual, local, and state responsibility and capability; (2) adjustments to programs and policy; (3) <br />improved quality and quantity of flood-related data and access to it; (4) education, training, and <br />public awareness of floods and floodplains; and (5) evaluation of programs to date. These important <br />needs and some actions to implement them are explained below. <br /> <br />Association of State Floodplain Managers <br /> <br />-i- <br /> <br />National Flood Programs in Review 2000 <br />