Flood Damage Prevention

Why Is This Important?

Flooding is a natural function of lake and river systems, but flood extremes can harm people and damage property. While some causes of flooding are beyond our control, we can reduce flood damage by protecting healthy watersheds, removing people and structures from harm's way, promoting wise land use, and preparing for floods when they do occur.

What Is DNR Doing?

Oslo, Minnesota, largely protected during the devastating Red River flood of 1997. A $2 million flood project in 1984 reduced the damage to Oslo from the 1997 flood and through 2015 has prevented $79 million in flood damages since its original construction. This project is undergoing a $14.3 million improvement, due for completion in late 2016.   Image 1 of 1 (use left/right arrows to navigate previous/next)

Click for more images

The DNR maintains over 80 multiple-use stream gauges around the state to provide data for flood forecasting and promotes sound land-use in floodplain areas. DNR works with communities throughout the state to assist them in enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program and to adopt and update local floodplain management regulations. The DNR also provides communities with technical assistance and guidance in administering the local ordinances. Since 2004, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) efforts and funding for updating the Flood Insurance Rate Maps have accelerated. The DNR plays a critical role in providing data, coordinating with communities, and reviewing these updated maps. By removing homes and businesses from floodplains, the DNR and communities are spared the future expense and danger of protecting them when floods do occur. DNR also helps local governments fund community-wide flood risk reduction measures. Since 1987, DNR has provided state cost-share funds to communities to design and construct flood-control infrastructure, identify flood hazard areas, and acquire and remove flood-prone buildings. Austin, for example, invested $13 million of federal, state and local funds to acquire flood-prone homes and businesses, construct earthen levees and floodwalls, and provide additional pumping stations. When major flooding occurred there in 2004, 2008 and 2010, cost savings due to removal of flood-prone buildings and other public flood risk reduction measures far exceeded the cost of implementing their flood mitigation projects.  Research suggests that nationally, on average, every dollar spent on flood hazard mitigation provides seven dollars in future benefits (Multihazard Mitigation Council, 2017).

Target: Maintain or increase efforts to remove buildings from floodplains with available funding and through other cooperative efforts.

The DNR supports local floodplain management zoning and local and regional flood control efforts. It will continue its commitment to provide technical guidance and assistance to local units of government to ensure compliance with state and federal floodplain regulations. Working with communities to improve floodplain mapping and to communicate flood risk, future flood damage to buildings and infrastructure will be reduced. DNR will continue to encourage and promote the purchase of flood insurance for those properties identified in high risk flood areas. Through future state financial support of the Flood Hazard Mitigation Grant Assistance Program, DNR will continue to place a high priority on the acquisition and removal of flood damaged and flood prone structures.

Current As Of: 09/26/2019