How communities reduce flood risk:

Flash flooding in Austin has historically threatened its downtown district and large employers. After a major flood in 2004, residents demonstrated their support for flood mitigation by passing a local option sales tax to fund projects. City leaders increased community buy-in for the project by being responsive to their concerns. Community members worried that a downtown floodwall would destroy the city’s connection to the river. In response, the engineers and city leaders proposed an innovative floodwall with removable panels to protect the neighborhood’s views of the river.

The Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project is a massive $2.7 billion mitigation project that includes six rivers, spans multiple jurisdictional boundaries, and crosses two FEMA regions. While the project’s benefit-cost ratio demonstrated its cost-effectiveness, it was not considered a competitive project for federal funding. The project team pitched a public-private partnership (P3) to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an experiment that could be replicated in other communities if successful. This creative problem-solving helped secure funding for the project.

Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts are organized by river basins, making regional mitigation projects easier to coordinate. For example, the Upper Prairie – Silver – Moores project was a collaboration facilitated by the Central Platte Natural Resources District that involved the City of Grand Island and two counties. To promote the project, the Natural Resources District hosted a “Flood Control Stroll” event in Grand Island. Participants enjoyed local food, music, and art while learning about the city’s flood risk and the benefits of mitigation.

Lincoln’s Antelope Valley Project incorporated flood mitigation projects into a larger community redevelopment project that addressed long-standing transportation issues, created new development opportunities, and expanded recreational amenities. However, the project impacted neighborhoods that were more racially diverse than other parts of the city, had historically been neglected, and had low trust in government. The project team pre-emptively hired a consultant team to understand community members’ concerns, rebuild trust, and adapt the project to better meet residents’ needs.

Tulsa started an aggressive flood mitigation program following a deadly and devastating flood in 1984. More than 30 years later, the city has continuously reimagined and adapted its stormwater management program to meet changing needs. Now its stormwater management policies are incorporated throughout city planning processes, ensuring flood control is incorporated into major decisions regarding the city’s future.