The Floodplain Management Program was established in the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Division of Water Planning 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 Nevada Floodplain Management Program was transferred within the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and was later confirmed by Governor’s Executive Order, dated April 10, 2003, to its current residence within the Division of Water Resources under the direction of the Nevada State Engineeer.
The mission of the Floodplain Management Program is to reduce the impacts of flooding on Nevada citizens and property through assistance to Nevada communities with their implementation of wise floodplain management. The program can be broken down into three main components; the Community Assistance Program, the Flood Mitigation Assistance, and implementation of a Statewide Multi-Hazard 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 floodplain management and mitigation objectives.