Using Multi-Objective Management to Reduce Flood Losses in Your

WHY ORGANIZE
A GROUP
The participants in an
organized group will
recognize that they are
involved and will be
more willing to commit
themselves to the
process.
The typical approach is to create a planning
committee. This can be a self-appointed group of
individual citizens; an organization created by your local
government; another existing organization, like a
neighborhood association; or part of a local comprehensive
or community development planning effort.
Getting started
As long as there is more than one person interested in
following the M-O-M approach to reduce flood damage,
there is a reason to get organized. Often, only one active
Each participant can do and vocal person can get the ball rolling. The key is to
some of the work, have people recognize that by working together, you
especially data gather- have a better chance of reaching everyone’s goals.
ing, thereby reducing
If you are a person who wants to see the process
the overall cost.
begin, you should talk to others. Once you have 10−20
A group or committee people who are willing to support you, you should
is an effective forum discuss getting more formally organized. If the others
for discussing alterna- agree, start with your elected representatives on the city
tives, debating goals council or town or county board.
and objectives, and
Even though you may view your city or county
matching the technical government as part of the problem, it can pay off to
requirements of a
work with them and have a planning committee with
program to your local
situation.
official government recognition. If your elected
representatives realize that there is a flood problem and
An organized approach that there are alternatives for solving it, they should
gives participants a support you.
feeling of “ownership”
Being an official committee appointed by your
of the plan and its local government not only gives legitimacy to your work,
recommendations,
which helps build public
but also can give you some needed staff and office support.
support for it.
State and federal agencies are more likely to respond to
requests for help from a representative of a local
Committee members government (in fact, some agencies can only
form a constituency respond to a government request).
that will have a stake in
Your problem may extend beyond your
ensuring that the plan
community’s corporate limits. You may need to involve
is implemented.
several cities or counties. In that case, one group can
take the lead and ask other entities to appoint
representatives. Check with an agency that covers the
entire watershed or affected area, such as the county, a multi-county planning
commission, or a water management district.
If you find that you are just about the only person who cares and you
cannot raise support from others, you may want to consider joining another
planning body. For example, you may be more productive working on a
recreation board or land use planning committee. Instead of those interest groups
coming to your committee, you can take your concerns to them. Multi-objective
management does not mean you have to manage a flood group. It means that other
groups incorporate flooding into their concerns, too.
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