FLOOD01659

• County: Statewide
• Title: Floodplain Management Handbook
• Date: 9/1/1981
• Prepared By: Flood Loss Reduction Associates
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Floodplain Report/Masterplan

establishes a federal policy of paying
at least 80 percent of the cost for
"nonstructural,r projects.

Disaster Relief Act

Section 406 of the Disaster
Relief Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-288)
may require communities, as a pre-
requisite for federal disaster
assistance, to take certain actions to
mitigate future flood losses.

Executive Order 11988

An Executive Order entitled
Floodplain Management, was issued in
1977. It requires each federal agency
to evaluate the effects of its actions
which may support or encourage flood-
plain development and to avoid
construction in areas of high flood
hazard. The order also directs them to
avoid financing or issuing permits for
construction in such areas unless no
practicable al ternati ves are available.
If developments on the floodplain are
unavoidable, they must be carried out
in a way reducing the risk of flood
losses, minimizing safety problems, and
restoring and preserving natural flood-
plain values.

Executive Order 11990

An Executi ve Order entitled
Protection of Wetlands, was also issued
in 1977. It directs federal agencies to
ffilnlffilze the destruction, loss or
degradation of wetlands, most of which
are located ",ithin floodplains. It
requires each agency to avoid under-
taking or providing assistance for new
construction located in wetlands unless
no practicable alternatives exist and
measures are taken to minimize harm to
the wetlands.

Principles, Standards and Procedures

for Water and Related Land

Resources Planning

This policy document, issued in
1980, provides guidance for federal
agencies in planning water-related

projects which are to be submitted to
Congress for authorization or implemen-
ted by agency administrators. It
requires developing and displaying a
predominately nonstructural alterna-
tive, thus giving prominence to such
solutions in decisionmaking.

Nonfederal Actions

Numerous states also encourage,
support or require floodplain manage-
ment. As of 1980, 27 states had
specific programs dealing with the
regulation of floodplains. In addition,
many governors have issued their own
executive orders directing state
agencies to apply floodplain management
principles in decisionmaking. Some
state legislatures have supplemented
these actions with environmental protec-
tion acts.

Many local governments have
already shifted to the new approach of
floodplain management and the remainder
are expected to do so as they receive
floodplain data and assistance in
developing and implementing local
programs. Many of the state programs
for floodplain management are carried
out through local governments. As of
May, 1981, over 17,000 local govern-
ments were enrolled in the National
Flood Insurance Program.

Division of
Responsibilities

The responsibilities and authori-
ties for floodplain management are
di vided in three ways. First, they are
divided vertically between each level
of government and the owner of flood-
plain land. Second, they are divided
functionally among private property
owners and the agencies at each level
of government. Third, they are divided
geographically among the governmental
uni ts and property owners that share a
given floodplain, either where a stream
or other body of water forms a boundary
between them or where a stream flows
from one jurisdiction to another.

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