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PREFACE Flooding in the southeast portion of South Dakota has been both acute and chronic, and its long history has been well documented. Ifsolutions to this ongoing flooding problem were simple or evident, in all probability they would have implemented by flOW. But the solutions are not simple, nor arc they always obvious or affordable. THIS NEW FLOOD MITIGATION PLANNING process attempts to overcome those obstacles, not only for the floods that in- undated this area in 1993, but also in response to the long-standing pattern of recurrent flood- ing throughout the Vermillion River Basin. The multi-objective mitigation plan- ning process, of which this plan is the first product, is a unique and innovative attempt by two federal agencies to work together on flooding in the Vermillion Basin. The Federal Emergency Management Agency' Mitigation Division brings to the planning process flood mitigation techniques, mitigation funding, and a strong, existing state-federal partner- ship. The National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program brings expertise in facilitated planning and con- sensus building, local citizen "bottom-up" planning, and experience in greenway and river corridor design. The two agencies have melded these complementary components to create a process that has become known as "multi-objective hazard mitigation planning:' These words imply identifying and implementing a broad spectrum of activities to reduce the effects of flooding in the Basin, while at the same time seeking out ways to enhance the overall quality of life for its resi- dents. The process is designed to: . Make use of existing programs, studies, and other resources. . Build upon the public and private sources of funding that already exist. . Focus on chronic flooding problems throughout a water-related geo- graphic unit. . Utilize a multi-disciplinary, multi- objective, multi-agency, bottom-up partnership to solving problems. . Build local consensus, local citizen commitment, and cooperation among local units of government to solve a common problem. . The process: . Does not replace existing Interagency Hazard Mitigation T, or their activities; . Creates no new top-down, single. or one-dimensional programs; . Imposes no new top-down federa or state regulations; and . Does not propose single-agency, multi-purpose projects. It is envisioned that the result of thi will be to bring to bear all of the I engineering, and financial resources to solve a common problem, while at time advancing other local goals an tives identified by the citizens. Bob Cox Mitigation Division Federal Emergency Managemem Region VIII