1. Safeguarding Communities from Floods Betsy Otto, Vice President, Conservation and Strategic Partnerships ~ botto@americanrivers.org U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Water Summit December 8, 2010

2. Milwaukee July 22, 2010 O’Hare - 12.5” rain Sept. 2008 Riverside High School Milwaukee

3. 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 precipitation, 1958—2007

5. Developing in Floodplains – Pay Now, or Later

9. Working with nature in Charlotte-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

10. Federal Opportunities Army Corps - increase technical assistance to communities FEMA - increase mitigation grants Farm Bill – maintain robust funding for conservation programs

11. Thank you! Betsy Otto, Vice President, Conservation and Strategic Partnerships ~ botto@americanrivers.org U.S. Conference of Mayors’ Water Summit December 8, 2010

13. 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

14. Flood Risk Management Issues  Cities experiencing more flooding, flood damages increasing.  Levees are old, flood maps are expanding coverage, efforts mounting to stop mapping.  Affordability issues, no mandatory insurance, people in harm’s way.  Cities bear the consequences

15. The Future… Green Infrastruture Implementing Green Infrastructure and Working with Nature (Charlotte – Mecklenberg County, NC) Setting Levees Back (Pierce County, Washington) and Retiring Agricultural Lands (National Refuge, Louisa 8 & 11 Levee Districts, Iowa). Buyouts and relocations to restore beneficial functions of floodplains, establish greenways, parks, recreational space.