Policy report highlighting five recommendations released

Report cover photo

In the publication Supporting New England Communities to Become River-Smart: Policies and Programs that can Help New England Towns Thrive Despite River Floods, published in 2016 by Eve Vogel and her UMass Amherst RiverSmart project colleagues, residents, as well as the governments that serve them can learn how to better deal with and adjust to riverfloods. The report points to practical policy solutions at federal, state and regional levels that can support New England communities to become what we call river-smart.

Five policy changes are identified and discussed in detail:

  1. Develop Fluvial Hazard Assessments
  2. Upgrade Vulnerable Stream Crossing Infrastructure
  3. Support River-Smart Planning and Mitigation
  4. Provide Outreach and Training on River Dynamics and River-Smart Practice
  5. Designate, Recognize and Support River-Smart Regional Intermediaries

Project Principal Investigator Eve Vogel said: " We intend this summary report to be widely comprehensible and useful to people who care about New England's communities and their abilities to withstand and manage river floods."

Download the report in low or high resolution