The US Army Corps of Engineers says they will use lessons learned from the past to shape future flood plain management.
The Corps's Northwestern Division Commander Brig. Gen. John McMahon issued a statement about how the Corps will look at the Missouri River Basin Flood's influence on future policy making.
He noted “Despite tangible returns on investment of the multipurpose system, we know it cannot capably handle the most extreme of flood events” He emphasized that the process must be a public public process.. and “We should look at this with our eyes wide open considering the hydrological history of the system and not just one year’s worth of data.”
He added “We must work closely with landowners, levee sponsors—who decide-- and local communities, states, Tribes, federal agencies and others—who support--- to ensure wise investment of scarce public funds is made...A broader, more comprehensive approach that involves these other types of actions and measures may be warranted. With this unprecedented flooding event comes a rare opportunity to shape the future of the floodplain in positive, long-lasting ways, much as did our forefathers who envisioned and designed the system we enjoy the benefits of today. This opportunity begins with acknowledgment of the shared responsibility we all bear for our future in the floodplain---if we continue to pit upper basin states against lower basin states or one authorized purpose against the other, and resort to long drawn out litigation, if we fail to learn from the past—then our history is doomed to repeat itself, and this opportunity will be lost until the next calamitous flooding event occurs. The 1994 "Galloway Report" following the 1993 flood event recommended specific policy and programmatic changes to how floodplain management is addressed. Among other points, delineating responsibilities among basin residents, agencies and municipalities, each with a fiscal stake in the basin’s floodplain management effort, and embracing a proactive, shared approach, it envisioned reduced flood damages, minimized upheaval and emotional impact to families and communities, mitigated economic impacts, and a diminished overall toll on communities and taxpayers. When will we learn?'
McMahon completed his epistle saying that “With shared responsibility comes a shared vision of the future. And out of a shared vision comes shared purpose and real progress...We have a singular opportunity to collaborate with one another given wide appreciation for the value of flood risk management. This collaboration, cooperation, coordination and communication has already begun with the establishment of the Missouri River Flood Task Force, a coalition of states, Tribes, local communities, federal agencies and other partners, contributors and observers. The mission of the Task Force is to complete initial repairs to public infrastructure (e.g. levees, roads, bridges) by March 1, 2012 and to conduct long-term recovery activities to address overall flood risk reduction strategies and plans to keep comprehensive flood risk reduction as the focused priority.
McMahon concluded by saying the Corps has “a conscious choice to make about the future and where and how we invest for it as a result of this flood event. While acknowledging the federal obligation to repair levees under Public Law 84-99 authority, the status quo of repairing what was without thinking in broader, longer terms about other options would be a missed opportunity. Let’s learn from the past and shape the future now. We are in a unique place in history where our decisions could have a significant and positive difference in the lives of our fellow citizens in the Missouri River Basin.”
Comments