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FLOODPROOFING AND THE CORPS In the earry 1960s tlu 'Tennessee rlalley Authority and the Us. Army Corps of Engineers jointl;' pro- duced the first comprehensive report on floodfrroofing. In 1972, after Jurtha fn'U:W and evaluntion of different techniques, the Corps released Floodproof- ing Regulations, which has since been incorpo- rated into or recommended by all the rMjar regional building codes and marry of the state and local codes. The Corps routine!;' evalUilus the potential for using floodproojing in all its p'qject jemibitit;, studies. It also provides technical assistance !iJ local commu- nities and is i7WO!Ved in several projects w floodprooJ large numbers of homes in communities with chronic fW,d p"bums. FLOODPROOFING IN ILLINOIS After floods in IlliMis in 1982, 1985, 1986, and 1987, the state provided technical assistance on flood- proofing to victims who visiud the weal Dz'saster Assis/ana Centers. Ova half if the flood victims eventually altered tkir houses arul/or )'ards to protect themselves from futurt jloodin,g. The average homeoumn implantnted three different J70odproofing rneasures. The median costs rangedfrom S42for a standpipe or sewer drain plug to 82,350 for sewer backup valves; most cost between 6200 arui $600. J\fost if the jloodproqfing measures were installed within two months after the flood. Those who were flooded again in the 198i jloods fou.nd thilt their floodproqfing measu.res were general!;' qJective. - 34 One floodproif"ing technif;Ut: is to elevate a structure so thaJ. flood waters can pass beneath Sebastien RC!}' Elementary S<fwol, Verret, Louisiana. ~-1ost states distribute information about flood proofing and provide tech- nical assistance to individuals and groups of property m....ners. Several states have promoted floodproofing by publishing technical manuals, helping locali- ties obtain funding, holding seminars for industry and individual owners, establishing loan programs, and cooperating with disaster assistance centers so that victims can begin to retrofit immediately. Local governments have floodproofed individual structures. A few communities have provided their mvn funding for larger projects, and others have provided technical and financial assistance to local businesses and residences. Modifying Flooding !\1odifying flooding is a floodplain management strategy of using structural means to alter the flood itself. Structural measures-dams, reservoirs, dikes, levees, flood walls, channel alterations, high flow diversions, spilhvays, land treatment measures, shoreline protection works, and stormwater management facilities-permit deliberate changes in the volume of runoff, peak stage of the flood, time of rise and duration of flood waters, location of flooding, extent of area flooded, and velocity and depth of flood waters. The effectiveness of these measures for protecting property and saving lives has been well demonstrated. Flood control projects have saved billions of dollars in property damage and protected hundreds of thousands of people from anxiety, injury, and death. Throughout the second half of this century, the number and size of structural flood control projects have been decreasing. High construction costs coupled with increased cost. sharing requirements for nonfederal sponsors of projects have made some structures unaffordable. Structural measures also have been criticized for destroying riparian habitat, scenic values, and water quality; creating a false sense of security; resulting in eventual loss of flood storage capacity due to sedimentation; and inducing development in flood- plains. These criticisms have been coupled with greater recognition that humans should attempt to adjust to floods and not just try to control them. It appears likely that the rate of construction of new flood control projects may hold steady or decrease slightly and that relatively few large flood control structures will be built in the future. Local and private construction of smaller flood control projects is certain to continue and may even increase. One issue that the nation must face in the coming decades is how to dealtwith the aging inventory of existing flood control structures. rvtany dams and reservoirs are nearing or even past their design lives, and the flood control capacity of many reservoirs has been reduced by sedimentation. The financial