FLOOD09807 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

FOREWORD Within the federalism that is a distinguishing characteristic of the governmental structure of the United States, the responsibility for managing the water and related land reSOurces of the Nation's river basins is shared among Federal, State, and local governments, and private enterprise. In response to the practical problems that confront them, Federal agencies are continually developing technical methods to improve the performance of their assigned responsibilities. Where agencies have different but related assignments, methodological differences in mak- ing the same types of technical determinations tend to develop. The determination of flood flow frequency is one of the technical methods that has experienced separate agency evolution over the years, and consequent differences in technique. With the growing need for improved flood plain management, desirability of a basic, uniform method of establishing flood frequen- cies for general use throughout the Nation is manifest. A consistent approach to estimation of the average annual value of flood losses __ a major analytical component in determination of the best measure, or best combination of measures, in flood plain management--is de- pendent upon equable analysis of flood frequencies whether determined by Federal, State, local government or private engineers. I) With this need in mind, the uniform technique for determining flood flow frequencies set forth in this bulletin was adopted by the Council's Hydrology Committee. It is hoped that this base method will commend itself for use by State, local government and private engineers, and that it will be looked upon as a desirable first step in the development through further study, research, and experi'ence of a more precise and complete technique. The Water Resources Council has adopted the uniform technique set forth in the bulletin