Floodplain management

Flooding is a frequent, expensive, and life-threatening hazard across the United States. Some towns have limited flooding damage by limiting the amount of new development in floodplains (areas known to be at risk of repeat flooding). This project explores why some towns have been able to limit development while others have aggressively built in the floodplains. We interview local stakeholders and residents in eight towns (four that have limited floodplain development and four that have not). We will ask about regulations that limit development and control flood risk in their towns. We will ask about why these regulations were or were not adopted, the process of adoption, how they are enforced, and any challenges faced. We will ask about their experiences with the regulations and their perceptions of flood risks. Our goal is to identify lessons learned that can help other towns improve their floodplain management.