The loss of floodplain storage has been shown to alter the natural hydrograph of rivers, modifying the frequency, timing, and magnitude of floods. Developing incentives for creating or improving flood storage is important, especially in urban communities where options to offset development impacts are limited.
W2r helped the Willamette Partnership develop the Oregon Flood Attenuation Impact Mitigation (FAIM) tool to assess floodplain storage and attenuation across spatial scales. The tool is a robust, yet easy to use, spreadsheet model that aids in determining reasonable, prudent, and cost effective alternatives for mitigation identified in the FEMA BiOP. It will be available to municipalities, drainage districts, and developers. NMFS was highly involved as a technical reviewer of the tool.
Client
Willamette Partnership
Keywords
Floodplain storage incentives, development impact offsets, floodplain storage and attenuation
