Floodplain Management

Resources

Related Programs

Other Goverment Contacts [exit DNR]

Floodplain zoning, Management and Grant Opportunities - For Local Communities.

The following links will exit DNR.

Model Zoning Ordinances and Associated Documents

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1.32MB 207KB Standard Model Floodplain Ordinance, March 2009. DNR.
1.40MB 135KB Model Floodplain Ordinance with FP Storage Language Added, March 2009. DNR.
123KB 47KB Ordinance Approval Procedures, April 2008. DNR.
358KB   Checklist for Standard Floodplain Ordinance, May, 2009. DNR.
378KB   Checklist for Flood Storage Floodplain Ordinance, May 2009. DNR.

Laws and Regulations

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  Chapter NR 116 [PDF 93KB exit DNR] Wisconsin's Floodplain Management Program. Wis. Adm. Code.

Sample Letters and Documents

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  Example Flooding Easement document

Newsletters

  Publication Information
DNR Series Floodplain and Shoreland Management Notes.
UWEX Series [exit DNR] Water & Law Newsletter.

Handbooks and Other Publications

Link Download PDF file Publication Information
 

How to make a FIRMette.
 

Come Rain, Come Shine - A Case Study of A Floodplain Relocation Project at Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin
 

Floodplain-Shoreland Zoning: A Guidebook for Local Officials 2005
 
 Plan Commission Handbook. Center for Land Use Education. May 2002.
 
 Zoning Board Handbook for Zoning Boards of Adjustment/Appeals. Center for Land Use Education. July 2001.
WT-540-2000
 
 Zoning Case Law Summary in Wisconsin. DNR.
No Pub Number
 
 Waterway and Wetland Handbook
No Pub Number [exit DNR]
 
 The Upper Mississippi River System Flow Frequency Study. US Army Corps of Engineers.
 
 Historical Flooding Events and Costs, 1971-2001 - Wisconsin Emergency Management

Fact Sheets

  Publication Information
Link [exit DNR] Fact sheets about Flood Insurance, Letters of Map Change, NFIP guidelines, etc. FEMA

For more information or if you have a suggestion, contact:
Gary Heinrichs, Floodplain Management Specialist
(608) 266-3093

Municipal Flood Control Grant Program

Recognizing that we have a responsibility to protect life, health, and property from flood damages, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Community Financial Assistance and Bureau of Watershed Management offers an assistance package to all cities, villages, towns and metropolitan sewerage districts concerned with municipal flood control management. Assistance is provided in two ways:

  1. Local Assistance Grants that support municipal flood control administrative activities, and
  2. Acquisition and Development Grants to acquire and remove floodplain structures, elevate floodplain structures, restore riparian areas, acquire land and easements for flood storage, construct flood control structures, and fund flood mapping projects.

Flood Mitigation Assistance Grants

Communities are encouraged to develop flood mitigation plans which assess flood risk and identify actions to reduce that risk. Floodplain mitigation grants are available to communities which have flood mitigation plans in place which are approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as Wisconsin Emergency Management [exit DNR].

For more information, contact:
Roxanne Gray, State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Wisconsin Emergency Management
(608) 242-3211

There are two types of grants available to communities:

  • Planning grants - grants to communities to develop or update flood mitigation plans.
  • Project grants - grants to communities to implement measures to reduce flood losses. This could take the form of such things as elevating, relocating, or dry floodproofing of insured structures.

Hazard Mitigation Grants

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) assists state and local governments in implementing long-term hazard mitigation measures following a major disaster declaration.

Objectives of the HMGP are:

  • To prevent future losses of lives and property due to disasters;
  • To implement state or local mitigation plans;
  • To enable mitigation measures to be implemented during immediate recovery from a disaster;
  • Provide funding for mitigation measures that benefit the disaster area.

Grants provide up to 87.5%‰ of the eligible costs (75‰ funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 12.5‰ by the Wisconsin Division of Emergency Management.) The remaining 12.5‰ is a required local match. Federal funding under the HMGP is based on 15‰ of the federal funds spent on the Public and Individual Assistance programs for each disaster.

Eligible applicants are:

  • State and local governments
  • Certain private, non-profit organizations or institutions
  • Indian tribes or authorized tribal organization

Examples of eligible projects are:

  • Retrofitting, such as floodproofing
  • Acquisition and relocation of structures from hazard prone areas
  • Development of standards to protect structures
  • Structural hazard control such as debris basins or floodwalls

Eligible projects are required to demonstrate:

  • The project is cost/beneficial
  • The project is environmentally sound
  • Other alternatives have been considered
  • The project is the best alternative and will actually solve a problem and is a permanent solution

Eligible applicants apply for the HMGP through Wisconsin Emergency Management [exit DNR].

For more information, contact:
Roxanne Gray, State Hazard Mitigation Officer, Wisconsin Emergency Management
(608) 242-3211

Last Revised: Monday October 19 2009