Advance Measures

Advance Measures

Advance Measures assistance may be provided in order to prevent or reduce damages when there is an imminent threat of unusual flooding. Technical Assistance may be provided when there is a significant potential that an imminent threat of unusual flooding will develop and is provided to Tribes and States to help them prepare for the threat. Advance Measures projects are temporary projects that provide measures necessary to prevent or reduce impacts of floods that (1) pose a significant threat to life and/or improved property, and (2) are beyond the capability of Tribe/State/local interests to perform in a timely manner. Advance Measures projects must be engineeringly feasible and capable of being constructed in time to meet the anticipated threat.

What is an “imminent threat of unusual flooding”? The imminent threat of unusual flooding from adverse conditions is a subjective determination that considers the potential for flooding to approach the flood of record, a catastrophic level of flooding, or a greater than 50-year level of flooding for a given location. Adverse conditions include, but are not limited to, record level snow packs, or the potential failure of a dam. The threat must be established either by the National Weather Service (NWS) or the Corps.

Forms of Assistance:

Technical Assistance (When requested by an authorized representative of the Governor)

• Evaluate flood threat to area.
• Supplement data collection efforts.
• Inspect existing Flood Control Works and identify problems.
• Provide engineering technical services.
• Provide information for local contingency/ evacuation/flood fight plans.

Direct Assistance (When requested by an authorized representative of the Governor)

• Conduct field investigations / data collection.
• Provide emergency flood fight supplies to threatened areas.
• Project Report approved by HQUSACE.
• Project economically feasible and constructable before flood.
• Emergency construction of protective measure.

Beneficiaries:

Any locality faced with a heighten flood threat to public health and welfare. 

Qualifying Requirements:

• State/tribal/local governments must make full use of their own resources, including the National Guard.
• Requests for assistance to the Corps must be initiated by the Governor or his/her authorized representative.
• The impacted area must be in the predicted or forecasted flood path.
• Constructable prior to the flood event.
• Benefit-cost ratio greater than 1.0.
• Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) required.

Limitations:

• USACE assistance is supplemental to state and local efforts. 
• Advanced measures is temporary and removed by locals. 
• Applicants must furnish lands, easements, and right-of-way; make necessary relocations; and hold the U.S. free from damages. 

Applications:

Application for program assistance will be made to USACE District, but assistance is subject to approval at higher levels. 

Comments:

Assistance is provided to protect life, prevent urban damages and flooding of public facilities.