Safeguarding Communities from Floods

Betsy Otto, Vice President, Conservation and Strategic Partnerships ~ botto@americanrivers.org

U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Water SummitDecember 8, 2010

Milwaukee July 22, 2010

O’Hare - 12.5” rainSept. 2008

Riverside High SchoolMilwaukee

Flooding and Damages Increasing

Past century, overall precipitation up 7%, heaviest downpours up 20%

Annual flood damages: increase from $6B to $15B

Increase in total Increase in total precipitation, precipitation, 1958—2007 1958—2007

Developing in Floodplains – Pay Now, or Later

…causes flood damages to grow

Externalizing the cost of floodplain development…

Working with nature inCharlotte-Mecklenburg County, NC

$3 million in floodplain remapping

Relocated 225 homes

Protected 3,000 ac of floodplain, 30 miles of trails in 14 greenway corridors

Result: 125 previously flooded homes spared in 2008 storm

Federal Opportunities

• Army Corps - increase technical assistance to communities

• FEMA - increase mitigation grants• Farm Bill – maintain robust funding

for conservation programs

Thank you!

Betsy Otto, Vice President, Conservation and Strategic Partnerships ~ botto@americanrivers.org

U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Water SummitDecember 8, 2010

Opportunities for Cities…

Flood will continue to happen and damages will increase

Legacy of poor investments will live with us for next hundred years.

Corps can do more to help cities through Technical Assistance

Farm Bill

FEMA mitigation grants

St. Louis, MO