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Optimizing Investment in Flood Control and Floodplain Zoning
Author(s) -
Whipple William
Publication year - 1969
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/wr005i004p00761
Subject(s) - zoning , floodplain , damages , flood control , investment (military) , flood myth , control (management) , environmental resource management , environmental science , natural resource economics , environmental planning , business , water resource management , economics , civil engineering , engineering , geography , cartography , archaeology , management , politics , political science , law
Recent governmental actions have accentuated floodplain zoning as an alternative to structural flood control. Optimization of investment between these alternatives requires consideration of project‐induced development (economic development which would not occur if the project were not built) and site income (the return to the owner of new construction in the floodplain net of the cost of their development). These concepts are used to develop quantitative criteria applicable to determining to what extent zoning is practicable and to determining a correct benefit‐cost ratio for the optimum solution. Results indicate that previously existing methods that do not take account of damages to project‐induced growth may give unduly high benefit‐cost ratios. It should normally be expected that a combination of flood control and zoning will be most productive.