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Flood Risk Reduction |
| Documents WGA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with FEMA, USDA, Interior, the Corps of Engineers, and Commerce (NOAA) February 24, 1998 Related Web Sites Contact |
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no longer being updated. It is made available for historical
reference. (12/10/99)
Flooding has significantly affected a majority of states in the West and northern plains, causing a number of fatalities, destroying businesses, homes and public facilities, and severely harming farming and ranching operations. It is estimated that over $5 billion in federal, state and local funds will be spent helping western communities and agricultural interest. Recent changes in federal policy are increasing the focus on non-structural alternatives (such as encouraging participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)), in order to reduce the cost of flood disasters to the federal, state and local governments. Recent federal policy changes and new initiatives indicate the federal government has accurately recognized that all disasters are local and hence, disaster mitigation projects to resolve property losses should be 'local' as well. Over the past several decades, we have learned how to more effectively manage floodplains in the West through management techniques which provide for the appropriate balance between risk reduction and maintaining the important natural functions for fish and wildlife. Yet, the greatest challenge remains communicating and implementing these management techniques. |