Lower Mississippi

1. Upper Mississippi Missouri Ohio Arkansas- Red-White Lower Mississippi Raising the Standard for Improved Flood Risk Management in the Midwest Interagency Levee Task Force Meeting September 11, 2008

2. Strategic Overview • The ILTF continues to be a shared responsibility for flood risk management • The concept provides consistency to address short and long-term protection • It provides a uniform approach across regional and state boundaries • It considers non-structural alternatives and other agency initiatives to reduce the risk of damages from future floods

3. Where were are • Regional partners identified for a collaborative process • A facilitated comprehensive regional approach to flood risk management and recovery implemented • Interagency partnerships (federal / state) • Opportunities non-structural solutions and other flood risk management opportunities

4. Collaborative Process Interagency Levee Task Force JFO / ILWG * JFO / ILWG * JFO / ILWG * JFO / ILWG * JFO / ILWG * Wisconsin Illinois Missouri Indiana Iowa * Joint Field Office / Interagency Levee Work Group

5. Comprehensive Regional Approach • Flood Risk Management • Current short-term and long-term recovery activities ( Task forces developed for Levees, Housing, Flood Plain Management, etc.) • Opportunity to share current agency activities relative to flood risk management initiatives • What are some of the flood risk initiatives and concerns that cross state boundaries that could impact a regional approach to flood risk management?

6. Interagency Partnerships • Partnerships • Coordination between State and Federal partners in identification of needs, resources and critical issues for short-term recovery • Participants encouraged to identify other agencies, departments or organizations that can assist in levee restoration while looking at long-term recovery and flood risk management • Opportunities to collaborate on new funding initiatives and/or legislative proposals for the region to enhance flood risk management while reducing future flood damages

7. Interagency Partnerships • Interagency Levee Work Groups at JFO • Augment existing agency State and Federal programs • Brainstorm new mitigation initiatives for flood plain management • Apply lessons learned, best practices, innovations • Identify potential re-tooling of policies, regulations and funding mechanisms to enhance long-term flood risk management

8. Communication Effective Outreach • Actions to date • We are learning organizations understanding each others missions and relationships • Reinforcing a collaborative approach to restoring flood risk management systems while linking into other long-term recovery initiatives by FEMA and the impacted states • Leveraging public affairs staff and processes to ensure that flood recovery is still a priority in the Midwest by building public confidence and support • Tools • Web site developed and being utilized • Agency and public forums • Monthly newsletter and reports

9. Measuring Success SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION OF FLOOD MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ALONG WITH IDENTIFICATION OF ALL OR PORTIONS OF AN APPROPRIATE LONG-TERM STRATEGY FOR FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND REDUCED RISK FROM FLOODS