This program educates individuals who live and work in floodplains on flood hazards and the actions they can take to reduce property damage and prevent the loss of life. The program’s objective is to foster public understanding of the options for dealing with flood hazards and to promote prudent use and management of the nation’s floodplains.

Location

Projects in the Floodplain Management Services program occur throughout Wisconsin.

Description

This program provides the full range of technical services and planning guidance that is needed to support effective floodplain management. The most common types of studies are floodplain delineation studies, flood hazard evaluations, dam break analyses, hurricane evacuation studies, flood warning and preparedness studies, regulatory floodway analyses, comprehensive floodplain management studies, flood risk reduction studies, urbanization impact studies, storm water management studies, floodproofing studies, and flood-prone structure inventories. The program also aids with conducting workshops and seminars on nonstructural floodplain management measures such as floodproofing.

Status

A groundwater analysis informing high risk areas for flood risk management was completed for Juneau County, Wisconsin, in 2024. A similar evaluation is underway for Wood County, Wisconsin, to be completed in spring 2026. The flood inundation mapping projects along the Baraboo River near Baraboo and the Trempealeau River near Arcadia were completed in 2024. Development of a full two-dimensional (2D) hydraulic model of the Baraboo River was completed to evaluate the potential for floodplain water storage and to update hydrology information for the Upper St. Croix River in Solon Springs and Gordon. Potential studies yet to be funded have been requested for Adams County, Shelby Township, Viola, and Reedsburg, Wisconsin.