Session 18

Floodplain Management

Session 18

Course Title: Floodplain Management

Module Four: Risks to Human Settlements (river corridors as hazards)

Session 18: A History of Floodplain Management

Authors: Larry A. Larson P.E., CFM Rod E. Emmer Ph.D. Time: 75 minutes

Objectives (PowerPoint 18-1):

Session 18 presents to the students an overview of the evolution of thought and

approaches for reducing flood damages in the United States. The student will understand from an historic perspective the guiding concepts for managing floodwaters and

floodplains and how these approaches can conflict or complement each other in federal, state, or local flood damage reduction programs. Finally, Session 18 introduces newer concepts, such as managing floodplains within the context of the watersheds and not adversely impacting properties or communities near or far.

The objectives of Session 18 are:

18.1 Describe the evolution of flood damage reduction programs and activities in

the United States.

18.2. The future of floodplain management.

18.3 Discuss the evolution of flood damage reduction programs and activities as

practiced by communities within the selected watersheds.

Scope

Session 18 builds on Sessions 15-17. The overall objective of Session 18 is to explore the evolution of federal, state, and programs and activities that have been tried to reduce flood damages. Unfortunately despite the expenditure of billions of dollars, flood damages have continued too increase over the past 100-years. This trend creates the basis for advancing the science of floodplain management beyond the minimum national standards of the National Flood Insurance Program and into the watershed and greater integration of seemingly unrelated programs in the fight against flood damages.

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Floodplain Management

Session 18

Student exercises suggest opportunities for engaging the class and are implemented at the instructor's discretion.

Readings

Required Student Readings

Association of State Floodplain Managers Foundation. 2004. A Collection of Papers Prepared for the September, 2004 National Policy Forum: Reducing Flood Losses: Is the 1% Chance (100-year) Flood Standard Sufficient? www.floods.org

Association of State Floodplain Managers. 2004. Floodplain Management 2003: State and Local Programs. http://www.floods.org/PDF/FPM_2003_Final.pdf.

Federal Emergency Management Agency. Most recent. Student Manual, \Floodplain Development Through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Course\available from the Emergency Management Institute.

Federal Emergency Management Agency. 2003. 35 Years of NFIP Highlights.

Watermark. Number 2, pp. 30 - 32. Washington, D.C. www.fema.gov/nfip/wm.shtm.

Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force. 1992. Volume I. Summary Report. Floodplain Management in the United States: An Assessment.

Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force. 1994. A Unified National Program for Floodplain Management. FEMA 248/June 1994. 43 pp.

Gilmer, M. 1995. Living on Flood Plains and Wetlands. Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Company. 175 p.

Larson, L. and D. Plasencia. 2004. No Adverse Impact Floodplain Management. Published in Natural Hazards Review, November 2001. IAAN 1527-6988 or available on www.floods.org.

National Weather Service. Current Website provides flood damage summaries since 1900. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hic/flood_stats/Flood_loss_time_series.htm.

Wright, J.M. 2000. The Nation's Responses To Flood Disasters: A Historical Account. Madison, WI: Association of State Floodplain Managers. 102 p. Available: www.floods.org

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Floodplain Management

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Instructor Readings

Division of Economic and Community Development. 1983. FLOODPLAIN

MANAGEMENT: TVA/ONRED/ECD-84-12. THE TVA EXPERIENCE. Knoxville, TN: Tennessee Valley Authority. December. 80 PP.

Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force. 1992. Chapter 4: History of Floodplain Management. IN: L.R. Johnston Associates. Volume II. Full Report: Floodplain Management in the United States: An Assessment Report. pp. 4-1 - 4-13.

Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force. 1992. Chapter 5: Chronology of Significant Activities and Events Influencing Development of the Nation's Program for Floodplain Management. IN: L.R. Johnston Associates. Volume II. Full Report: Floodplain Management in the United States: An Assessment Report. pp. 5-1 - 5-13.

Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force. 1992. Appendix A: A Unified National Program for Floodplain Management. IN: L.R. Johnston Associates. Volume II. Full Report: Floodplain Management in the United States: An Assessment Report. pp. A-1 - A-14.

Rosen, H. and M. Reuss (Eds). 1988. THE FLOOD CONTROL CHALLENGE: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. Proceedings of a National Symposium, New Orleans, Louisiana, September 26, 1986. Chicago: Public Works Historical Society. 166 pp.

General Requirements:

Students should know how to research and assemble data and information from federal, state, and local floodplain management programs and activities by using the internet, libraries, and direct contact with agency staffs. Once collected, students should be able to organize materials for reducing flood losses.

Instructor should place selected publications such as Wright (2000), Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force (1992), the No Adverse Impact materials available from the Association of State Floodplain Managers at www.floods.org, and FEMA publications which may be obtained by ordering from: fema.gov in the Reserve Book Section (Room) of the university library. When available, instructor should obtain copies of publications for each student.

The instructor should explain that in Session 18 students will discuss the evolution of floodplain management in the United States and the new directions for reducing flood damages.

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Floodplain Management

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Remarks

National Weather Service. Current Website provides flood damage summaries since 1900. http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hic/flood_stats/Flood_loss_time_series.htm.

This website is one of the few places where flood damages are summarized for the nation. While researchers feel flood loss data have some accuracy problems, this is nevertheless the most accurate data available. Trends during the past century indicate over a 2.5 fold increase, despite all the efforts undertaken, including structural and nonstructural

approaches. Students should discuss the impact of increased damages in light of large expenditures in flood loss reduction programs and disaster relief.

The instructor may elect to review selected terms discussed in previous sessions. By refreshing the students' memory at the beginning of Session 18, the instructor draws their attention to again thinking about floods and floodplain management.

Interactive Class Activity

A. At the beginning of class, the instructor should ask students which flood

loss reduction activities they have observed in their study watershed. Students should note the similarities and differences among these

approaches and how they each contribute to flood damage reduction. The instructor should ask students in what ways the various approaches may have exacerbated flooding on other properties and communities in the watershed.

B. Based on the previous discussion the instructor should ask how

approaches have moved the responsibility for flood loss reduction from citizens to the community to the federal government. This discussion will identify the implications of the federal government having primary responsibility for flood loss reduction vs. the responsibility resting with citizens, local communities, or states. Private property owners have the right to their property, enjoy the benefits of it, but are not responsible for commensurate levels of risk. The risk has been shifted to the public sector to address.

C. Before class is dismissed the students should discuss managing only the

floodplain to reduce flood losses vs. managing the entire watershed to prevent future flood damage increases.

D. The class could discuss the newer approaches to managing flood losses

used by states and communities and how these approaches differ from the more traditional flood damage reduction approaches. Integrating a variety of programs, such as stormwater management, endangered resources, and

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