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lots Ihar were candidaIes for the Flood Buyout Program. The vacant lots were Ihose scattered among primary resi- dences. and Ihe communi lies believed iI was necessary to buy these also. to prevenI future building.29 The pro- gram was always voluntary, and in most communities, most people voted to participaIe in Ihe Flood Buyout Program. some individuals did nor. Also. some communi lies, such as McBaine, decided not 10 participate in Ihe program. 3D However. mosI people saw Ihe advanIages 10 Ihemselves and to their communities. and chose to go along wiIh the offer of Ihe program. The program proved so suc- cessful in 1993, that Missouri decided to conIinue the program in 1994, using their CommuniIy Development Block Grant (CDBG) monies. The state made nearly $7 million available to 13 communities to buy an addiIional 435 at risk homes on the floodplains.3] Then in May, 1995. anoIher flood provided dramatic proof Ihat the Flood Buyout Program could dramati- cally reduce Ihe strain on Iaxpayers. Although 1995 crests were generally two to four feet lower than they had been in 1993, much of the same land that flooded in 1993 was covered again in 1995. It was possible after the flood of 1995 to compare the cost of emer- gency relief with that of 1993, and see a dramatic cost reduction. Page 12 since ultimately. it is Ihey who musI pay for disasIer tlood relief. AIIhough 1995 cresIs were generally two 10 four feel lower than they had been in 1993, much of Ihe same land thaI flooded in 1993 was covered again in 1995. It was possible after the flood of 1995 to compare the COSI of emergency relief with thaI of 1993. and see a dramatic cost reduction. For insIance, in Sr. Charles CounIy Ihe price lag for disaster assisIance in 1993 for disaster housing. grants 10 dispossessed fami- lies. and loans 10 small businesses 10 rebuild was $26.076,311. In 1995, Ihe cost for Ihe same services was $67,000. What had changed was that 1.374 houses in Sr. Charles COUnIY. damaged by Ilood warers in 1993, were gone. The Flood Buyout Program had paid Ihe owners for Iheir homes, Ihe owners had relocaIed 10 higher ground, and when Ihe water rose in 1995, there were fewer people to evacuate and care for at public expense.32 This same impressive result was repealed in town after Iown throughout the state. In each of Ihe Missouri communities Ihat had laken advanIage of Ihe Flood BuyOUI Program in 1993. Ihe cosI of disaster relief and emergency assistance had been drastically reduced. The successes in these com- munities persuaded oIher communities to examine Ihe Flood Buyout Program. Several other communiIies decided to join after the flood in 1995. Their decision was a wise one since in all probabiliIy, Missouri rivers will leave Iheir banks again at some time in Ihe fuIure. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (COE) reported in August. 1998, Ihat Ihe Mississippi River has been flowing at a higher level since 1993. On Ihe upper portions ofIhe river a light rain causes the river level downsIream to move close to flood sIage "almosI overnighl...Another un- usually rainy spring and summer-and the whole nightmare could happen again."'" Governor Carnahan's deter- minaIion to sIress Ihis novel progranl proved 10 be a positive example of how Ihe Federal and State government working through communities and individuals could achieve dramaric resulIs. Their stories deserve 10 be told and lessons learned from them. Open Space in Arnold, Missouri