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<br />I <br />~ <br />( <br />\ <br />\ <br />! <br />, <br />( <br />, <br />I <br />\ <br />\ <br />\ <br />( <br />i <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />r <br />, <br />; <br /> <br />CHAPTER 12 <br />PUBLIC ACQUISITION OF FLOOD PLAIN LAND <br /> <br />( <br />( <br />,. <br />, <br />l <br />( <br />, <br />, <br />\ <br />'. <br />, <br />, <br />, <br />I' <br />( <br />, <br />, <br />I <br />r <br />,. <br />( <br />I <br />( <br />f <br />, <br />I <br />.: <br />~ <br />i <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />( <br />i <br />i <br />; <br />I <br />i <br />( <br />( <br />I <br /> <br />Description <br />Public acquisition of flood plain land is commonly of two types, (1) acquisition of full fee title, <br />and (2) acquisition of land use easement. Fee acquisition transfers ownership from private to <br />public hands and thereby permits use for public purposes which presumably will be compatible <br />with the flood hazard (Figure 12-1). Preservation of open space and development of parks are <br />two common public uses for flood plain land acquired in fee. Acquisition in fee is most <br />appropriate for undeveloped land or land with few structures or other facilities. For highly <br />developed land the presence of existing structures can make acquisition much more costly and <br />at the same time may not control development. Measures for this situation are discussed in <br />Chapter 7 which deals with removal of existing structures and/or contents from a flood hazard <br />area. <br /> <br />".cquisition of a land use easement is intended to reduce flood damage by restricting land use <br />which is incompatible with the flood hazard. This generally means restrictions on building and <br />filling in the flood plain. Ownership, use, access, and sometimes occupancy are maintained by <br />the owner, but use is restricted to the conditions of the easement. Some easements specify <br />continuation of present uses; still others specify open type uses and list permissible types. Figure <br />12-2 illustrates this measure <br /> <br />Acquisition in fee or easement need not be immediate, but may be gradual over time. <br />Community contributions to loss restoration can be made contingent upon public title or <br />easement, or acquisition can be made a continuing part of a community development program. <br /> <br />Physical Feasibility <br />land acquisition is physically feasible for any flood plain land which can legally be purchased, <br />or for which an easement can be obtained. Whether or not acquisition is used as a means to <br />reduce future flood losses is usually dependent upon identifying other needs for the land. <br />Public bodies have needs for land for a variety of purposes and wise planning can lead to <br />acquisition for purposes which are compatible with the flood plain. For example, land for <br />recreation, open space, or wild life preservation. Planning community land use in this way <br />achieves two objectives - a need is met and future flood damage is reduced. <br /> <br />Another need which can be met by acquisition is preservation of natural flood plain storage. <br />loss of channel cross-section storage by encroachment of development can cause increases in <br />flood stage at the site and higher peak flow downstream. While the Flood Insurance Program <br />restricts this in communities under the Program there can be flood plain lands upstream, <br />perhaps outside a community, which serve as valuable storage areas. Acquisition can be used to <br />preserve this storage and at the same time control future development. <br /> <br />Acquisition has been used in those situations where flood hazard land is available (generally <br />undeveloped) and there is a need for that type of land for another community purpose, and <br />where it it necessary to preserve natural valley storage to prevent future increases in stage or <br />flow. References 1, 2 and 3 discuss the problems and trade-offs of acquisition in three river <br />basins in the eastern United States. <br /> <br />i <br />( <br />( <br />i <br />I' <br />i <br />i <br />i <br />! <br />,. <br />( <br />i <br />i <br />,. <br />I <br /> <br />88 <br /> <br />- <br />