Report | Decreasing Flood Risk in the Midwest with Regional Collaborations

New report from GCC and Headwaters Economics: Five case studies offer lessons for local, state, and federal partnerships

Every year, flooding causes billions of dollars in damage across the U.S., with devastating losses for individuals, families, and communities. Rural jurisdictions and communities with limited resources often face challenges in accessing funding and support needed to help mitigate flood risk. As a result, the communities that need this support the most have the hardest time securing it. But when communities work together across jurisdictional lines, they can often achieve more than they could individually.

Over the past year, Georgetown Climate Center and Headwaters Economics have worked together to look at the ways regional collaborations can help build local capacity, especially of smaller and rural communities, by bringing together different jurisdictions and people to develop comprehensive, watershed-scale approaches to mitigating flood risk and improving water quality. Released today, Decreasing Flood Risk in the Midwest with Regional Collaborations shares the findings of this research, presenting five case studies of successful collaborations in the U.S. Midwest that have effectively reduced flood risk and improved resilience. The report also summarizes the lessons these local collaborations can offer state, federal, and Tribal policymakers as well as leaders in other small towns and rural jurisdictions across the U.S.

“Many rural communities lack the specialized expertise or large budgets needed for effective flood mitigation projects,” said Dr. Kristin Smith, lead researcher for Headwaters Economics’ FloodWise Community Assistance program and co-author of the report. “This research highlights how some communities are finding success by creating partnerships that cross community and county boundaries. Each of these examples can serve as a template for local governments looking for ways to decrease their own flood risk.”

"Flooding and water quality challenges don't stop at jurisdictional borders, and resilience efforts shouldn't either. Regional challenges require regional solutions, and the initiatives highlighted in these case studies exemplify that," said Annie Bennett, GCC Associate Adaptation Director and report co-author. "Following historic opportunities for federal funding through recently passed legislation, the time could not be better for communities to come together, design a plan, and seek funding and financial support to carry out flood resilience projects together."

Key lessons include the importance of starting with small-scale projects to build trust and momentum; leveraging state policies to reinforce effective governance; and recognizing the interconnected benefits of initiatives that support both water quality improvements and flood risk reduction. The report’s case studies spotlight collaborations involving jurisdictions in five Midwest states, each of which demonstrates a different regional approach contributing to reducing flood risk and protecting water quality.

• The Dubuque County Watersheds program in Iowa, a partnership of county and city agencies, harnesses intergovernmental agreements for watershed management, enabling collaborative efforts with farmers to enhance soil health and water quality.
• In Atchison County, Missouri, a levee district collaborates with federal and state agencies, as well as the Nature Conservancy, for a levee setback project, enabling floodplain expansion.
• In Dodge County, Nebraska, a long-term recovery group and water management board work in parallel to increase resilience efforts following severe flooding in 2019.
• Central Arkansas Water, a regional water utility, employs a green bond to finance watershed protection, ensuring drinking water quality and preservation initiatives.
• The Marengo River Watershed Partnership in Wisconsin brings together local, state, federal, and Tribal governments with nonprofits and stakeholders to develop a science-based plan to address erosion and sedimentation in the watershed.

Learn more on the Headwaters Economics website.