Floodplain Management Handbook

A flooding river is very hard to stop. Many residents of the United States have discovered this the hard way. Right now, over five million Americans hold flood insurance policies from the National Flood Insurance Program, which estimates that flooding causes at least six billion dollars in damages every year. Like rivers after a rainstorm, the financial costs are rising along with the toll on residents. And the worst is probably yet to come. Most scientists believe that global climate change will result in increases in flooding. The authors of this book present a straightforward argument: the time to stop a flooding rivers is before is before it floods. Floodplain Management outlines a new paradigm for flood management, one that emphasizes cost-effective, long-term success by integrating physical, chemical, and biological systems with our societal capabilities. It describes our present flood management practices, which are often based on dam or levee projects that do not incorporate the latest understandings about river processes. And it suggests that a better solution is to work with the natural tendencies of the river: retreat from the floodplain by preventing future development (and sometimes even removing existing structures); accommodate the effects of floodwaters with building practices; and protect assets with nonstructural measures if possible, and with large structural projects only if absolutely necessary.

If you live on a flood plain or wetland, you know the potential dangers--to you, your family, and your home. A major flood could strike at any time, and you need to be prepared. But of even more immediate concern is the tiresome battle to keep your property free of minor floods and water seepage, which can be just as destructive--and costly--as a major flood. This all-purpose book guides you through the range of options you have to protect your property. And if a problem already exists, it shows you how to tackle the trouble and put your house back in order. The updated edition includes new information about flood plain laws and insurance as well as changes in government agency titles or roles in flood management.