1. Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association
COL Michael Teague
Tulsa District
US Army Corps of Engineers
19 September 2012
Thank you for inviting me to speak at the 22nd Annual Oklahoma Floodplain Managers Association Conference. The Tulsa District Corps of Engineers is dedicated to continue supporting your organization in the efforts to help reduce flood loss in Oklahoma. We appreciate the support from the State, Locals and others to strive to be the best at what we do. Within our Planning Division and Floodplain Management Services Program and with the new Silver Jackets initiative the Corps will remain a strong partner in Flood Risk Reduction measures.

2. Maintaining a System Balance Competing Water Resource Interests
Flood Risk Management
Water Supply Storage
Hydropower
The Army Corps of Engineers roles is to Balance
Often Competing Purposes
Tug of War – interests pulling in different directions – like Stretch Armstrong
Everyone wants what they want when they want it
Navigation wants less water… most of the time.
Hydropower wants more water… at the right time
Environmental issues sometimes require more water, sometimes less – for Least Terns for example
Recreation users want a stable pool elevation with good fish habitat
Water supply users want more water storage
Downstream folks want us to hold water longer
Upstream folks want us to let it out sooner
And with all of that, we really do love our job
Recreation
Navigation
Environmental and Fish & Wildlife
Water Quality

3. Floodplain Partnerships
Native American Nations
Oklahoma Water Resources Board
Oklahoma Emergency Management
City and County Communities
Consultants and Individuals
Nothing Accomplished Alone
These are some of our partners in the realm of floodplain management. Our FPMS group provides information and technical support for partners outside the Corps as well as within the Corps programs. These include CDBG reviews, Flood Insurance Mapping compliance assistance and Flood plain map revisions. We work closely with Native American Tribes regarding flood risks for housing and infrastructure. With the Oklahoma Water Resources Board we partner with the National Flood Insurance Program Manager to assist in Training and technical assistance for implementation of the flood insurance program. As members of the State Hazard Mitigation Team we provide support for implementation of the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Program. Floodplain Management support is provided for the Corps regulatory Program as well as the Small Flood Risk reduction projects. With those projects the Corps will develop future development flood plain mapping and assist in FEMA floodplain map revisions when projects are constructed. We provide floodplain management support in collaboration with projects constructed by locals and other agencies. We also have the regulatory responsibility for wetland permitting and delineation under the Clean Water Act. Our regulatory folks work closely with local, state and private interests to insure wetlands are protected while being cognizant of the importance of community and economic development. This picture is a detention facility at centennial park in Tulsa that acts as a popular recreational area. (constructed by the City). On the right is a picture of evacuation of a house in Louisiana during Hurricane Isaac earlier this year.