Using Multi-Objective Management to Reduce Flood Losses in Your

Opportunities
The following are examples of ways that agricultural interests can combine their
activities with some of the flood loss reduction measures discussed in Chapter 3:
Planning and zoning−Floodplains often contain very rich farmland. They
can be preserved as farms with appropriate land use plans and zoning
regulations.
Open space preservation−In some states, preserving farmland is
encouraged by property tax credits. Landowners can be paid from the
Wetland Reserve Program to protect wetlands.
Watershed management−Runoff loads are reduced, water quality (and
irrigation supplies) are improved, and erosion and land loss are minimized
through best management practices that reduce runoff from croplands, feed
lots, and timbered areas; erosion and sediment control measures; contour
strip farming; impoundment systems; farm ponds; and no-till farming.
Drainage system maintenance−In flat areas, especially on the prairie and
in deltas, good drainage of farm land is essential to make it productive.
Maintaining the drainage system benefits both farmers and those concerned
with flooding.
A M-O-M
Success
Story
Agricultural development in the Upper St. John’s River basin
in northeast Florida had reshaped the land since 1900. The
historic floodplain had been shrunk by levees built to provide
dry land for crops. Over 62% of the river’s headwater
marshes had been destroyed.
The St. Johns River Water Management District worked with
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to devise a flood control plan that was also
environmentally sensitive. They called the approach “semi-structural,” meaning that
it relies less on artificial controls and more on the function of the natural river
floodplain to store and manage floodwaters.
Levees, spillways, and water control structures were built, but a large part of the
water is stored in four marsh conservation areas. There are also several small
reservoir storage areas built on former farmland. The reservoirs are relatively deep
because the farmland had subsided due to groundwater pumping.
The system is managed to provide flood protection, agricultural, and environmental
benefits. After heavy rains, the system stores excess water and lets it out slowly,
protecting downstream areas from flooding. This approach also prevents high fresh
water loads from damaging the shell fishery in the Indian River Lagoon.
The effluent from farm field and livestock pastures is segregated from the
floodplain and reused for farm irrigation and freeze protection. In all, there are more
than 125,000 acres of pristine and restored freshwater marshes, which help clean
the river water. They also provide habitat for fish and wildlife which, in turn,
provides recreational opportunities.
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