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<br /> <br />CHAPTER 2: COMMUNITY OPTIONS FOR REDUCING FLOOD DAMAGES <br /> <br />Floodplain regulations are the most effective way to reduce future <br />flood losses in high risk areas. They can keep people from locating in <br />the most dangerous areas and require safe building designs for other <br />flood prone areas. But regulations alone cannot deal with all high risk <br />area problems nor can they usually reduce flood damages to existing <br />structures. A variety of measures is often needed. <br /> <br />Regulations. Zoning, subdivision regulations, building codes and other special codes <br /> <br /> <br />can be used to prohibit or to establish special conditions for development in high risk ar- <br /> <br /> <br />eas. Conditions include setbacks, additional freeboard or other elevation requirements for <br /> <br /> <br />building lots, roads, bridges, pipelines and buildings themselves. <br /> <br /> <br />Acquisition, Land can be purchased and structures relocated from high risk areas ei- <br /> <br /> <br />ther before a disaster or after buildings have been damaged in a flood. Acquired lands <br /> <br />can then be used for public recreation and open space. <br /> <br /> <br />Flood warning systems and evacuation plans, Flood warning systems and evacuation <br /> <br /> <br />plans are critical for areas protected by levees or dams and for areas where flood waters <br /> <br /> <br />rise suddenly. A system can range from volunteer observers to highly automated equip, <br /> <br /> <br />ment. Warning systems and evacuation plans can save lives and may reduce losses to con- <br /> <br /> <br />tents of structures. <br /> <br /> <br />Engineering measures. Engineering measures have been applied to high risk areas <br /> <br />with varying degrees of success, Such measures include groins and bulkheads for coastal <br /> <br /> <br />erosion areas, debris basins for alluvial fan and mudflow areas, pumping systems for in- <br /> <br /> <br />ternal drainage behind dikes and levees, the dewatering of mud flood and mudflow ar- <br /> <br /> <br />eas,and grouting and reinforcement for unsafe dams and levees, <br /> <br /> <br />Table I presents appropriate flood risk reduction techniques for each of the high <br /> <br /> <br />risk areas. <br /> <br />STEPS IN REDUCING HIGH RISK FLOOD LOSSES <br /> <br />A comprehensive risk reduction program includes the seven steps described below. <br /> <br /> <br />If your community has no floodplain management program, or a minimal one, start at step <br /> <br />B-1 <br />