FLOOD03024

• County: Statewide
• Community: State
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Addressing Your Community's Flood Problems - A Guide for Elected Officials
• Date: 1/1/1996
• Prepared For: Assn. Of State Floodplain Managers
• Prepared By: Floodplain Management Group
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

among the departments. This review should be repeated at least every few years
because of staff turn-over and changes in responsibilities.

LOCATE ASSISTANCE SOURCES OUTSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY Your staff has

probably received some technical assistance on floodplain management from a
regional, state, or federal agency in the past, such as grants or loans for mitigation,
reconstruction, or other flood-related activities. If there are flood control structures

"The potential for flooding should be revisited by all local govern-
ments annually, especially their police, emergency, public works,
and medical personnel. The problem is that after an event has taken
place and time passes, people tend to forget or the real impact seems
less vivid." - Beverly Anderson, Mayor, Darlington, Wisconsin

within your jurisdiction, your com-

munity may have entered into cost-

sharing or maintenance agreements

for them \'\Iith a federal or state

agency or with another jurisdiction.

Find out when and in what ways

regional, state, and federal agencies and private groups have helped your community
\'\Iith floodplain~related activities in the past. Review any past agreements with other
entities to be sure your community is carrying out what was intended. This will also
help you find places to get advice and assistance in the future.

COORDINATE WITH OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS Floods and flood-

plains are interrelated to many of the rest of your community's concerns. Just as a
serious flood \vould affect everyone

"[As a nation we need to] recognize the importance of continuing
to . . . reduce the loss of life and property caused by floods and to pre-
serve natural resources and functions of floodplains in an economically
and environmentallIj sound manner. . . . [Tlhe natural resources and
fimctions of our riverine and coastal floodplains help to maintain
the viability of natural systems and provide multiple benefits for
the people." - The President's letter transmitting A Unified National
Program for Floodplain Management to the U.S. Congress, March 1994.

to some extent, so does the flood-

plain benefit everyone. There can be
a lot of beneficial overlap between
floodplain management and urban

renewal, economic development,
parks and recreation, stormwater

management, and maintaining or

improving water quality and fish
and wildlife habitat.

Even if your community is already actively managing its floodplains, finding
ways to combine those activities \vith other community functions can still save time
and money, improve the quality of life for your constituents, and build a broader and
longer-lasting base of support.

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