Purpose
Silver Jackets teams are collaborative, state-led, interagency teams that are continuously working together to reduce flood risk at the state level. Through the Silver Jackets program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and additional federal, state, and sometimes local and tribal agencies provide a unified approach to addressing a state’s flood risk priorities. Often, no single agency has the complete solution, but each may have one or more pieces to contribute.
Location
Silver Jackets team activities and projects occur throughout Minnesota.
Description
The Silver Jackets program has multiple primary goals:
- Facilitate strategic lifecycle flood risk reduction;
- Create or supplement a continuous mechanism to collaboratively solve state-prioritized issues and implement or recommend those solutions;
- Improve processes, identifying and resolving gaps and counteractive programs;
- Leverage and optimize resources;
- Improve and increase flood risk communication, and present an unified interagency message; and
- Establish close relationships to facilitate integrated post-disaster recovery solutions.
The Minnesota Silver Jackets team, active since 2009, has been instrumental in supporting flood event response and recovery efforts. The team conducts monthly meetings and participates in regional and national flood risk management planning events.
Status
The Minnesota Silver Jackets team currently has two interagency projects.
- Mississippi River at St. Paul: high water mark signs, floodplain interpretive public displays, and a brochure on floodplain information, expected completion in spring 2025
- Murry County Flow Frequency Study: deliverables include new flood inundation maps for National Weather Service flood forecast areas in the Upper Des Moines River basin
Two proposals were submitted in fiscal year 2025: proposals for the Minnesota River Flow Frequency Study and the Minnesota Flood Center Study.
Other activities include updates of the Minnesota all-hazard mitigation plan, participation in the Minnesota Recovers Task Force, participation in the Minnesota Resilient Communities Goal Team, and support of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning flood hazard meetings.
Authority
The Silver Jackets team is a national coordination program activity funded by various authorities: Section 206 of the Flood Control Act of 1960, Section 22 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1974, and the Flood Control Act of 1955 (Public Law 84-99).
Funding
Total federal project funds allocated to date:
Fiscal years 2012-2024 $803,000