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Preface:
Lessons Learned
As Tulsa's stormwater and floodplain management program evolved over
many years, we learned from others, from our mistakes, and from our
successes. The following are a few of the many lessons we have
learned:
Strong partnerships are essential; but local communities must accept
responsibility and not expect the state or federal governments to
solve all their flooding problems.
Watersheds and drainage systems are interconnected units. Effective
management demands drainage basins to be planned as integral units.
The National Flood Insurance Program was instrumental in leading our
community into floodplain management. But NFIP regulations do not
take into account future watershed urbanization and the resulting
increase in flood depths. Tulsa's program is based on total basin
urbanization.
In an urban area such as Tulsa, stormwater and flood programs should
include multiple objectives, including recreation and environmental
quality, and multiple techniques, including structural and
nonstructural projects.
Mitigation and flood-loss reduction should become the central focus
of flood recovery efforts. Re-establishment of the pre-flood status
quo only sets the stage for future disasters and losses.
Pre-flood contingency and mitigation planning is the next local,
state, and federal priority. We must plan in advance for our actions
during and after the next floods and there will be future floods,
in Tulsa and elsewhere.
If this website helps us share our experiences with others, and if
our lessons prove useful, it will have served its purpose well.
Charles L. Hardt, P.E.
City of Tulsa Public Works Director
and Chief Operations Officer
From Rooftop to River: Tulsa's Approach to Floodplain and Stormwater Management
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