The Floodplain Management Program was established in the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of WaterPlanning by the 1997 state legislature. The need for a statewide flood management program in Nevada became apparent when the damages from the 1997 New Years Flood on the Truckee River were assessed. In the Spring of 2001 the flood management program was transferred within the Department to the Division of Water Resources.
The mission of the Floodplain Management Program is broad, but can be broken down into three main components; the Community Assistance Program, the Flood Mitigation Assistance Program, and implementation of a Statewide Flood Management and Mitigation Plan. Many of the activities in the program are undertaken in conjunction with an agreement between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the State, which defines mitigation and preparedness objectives.