Stronger leadership, more communication, better research, greater education and stiffer laws could help control flood damage and reduce loss of property and lives, according to more than a dozen experts who spoke at an all-day seminar in Madison.  These experts also identified a need to fundamentally reconsider how we ask citizens to share risk and responsibility, and the role of government in shaping those choices.

Roxanne Gray, from Wisconsin Emergency Management, speaks to participants at the conference.

Wisconsin State Representative Joan Ballweg and La Follette School Professor Dennis Dresang.

Carolyn Heinrich, the Director of the La Follette School at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, welcomed more than 130 representatives from local government, state agencies, engineering firms, academia, non-profits, public health and the Wisconsin Legislature to “From Sandbags to Sanity: Policy Implications of the Floods of 2008” at the Monona Terrace on April 20.  “This is a perfect example of the Wisconsin Idea in action,” said Heinrich.  “Today we are drawing on the expertise of UW to deal with one of the most pressing policy problems our state faces.”

Donald Moynihan, faculty member at the La Follette School and member of the WAGE steering committee, organized the symposium which featured a range of experts from both the UW system and elsewhere.  Gerry Galloway, of the University of Maryland, and Ray Burby, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, joined UW experts such as Sandra McLellan and Ken Potter. 

Other speakers included representatives from Gov. Jim Doyle’s Wisconsin Recovery Task Force and the Wisconsin Legislative Council’s Special Committee on Emergency Management & Continuity of Government, including Rep. Joan Ballweg.

Moynihan said he was particularly pleased with the blend of participants, noting a vigorous give-and-take in each of the sessions between attendees and presenters.  “This is the kind of interaction we hoped would happen,” said Moynihan. “Our goal was to put out the strongest research, ask the toughest questions and involve the hands-on people who work to solve these problems on a day-to-day basis. “

In a post-seminar survey participants were enthusiastic about the dialogue.  “This was a great example of the Wisconsin Idea,” said one.  Another participant saw the seminar as “a great opportunity to look at different areas and aspects of a flood response and recovery. I hope it does not stop here and should continue to move forward with the topics that were discussed.”  Participants also learned more about flood policies in other countries from Gerry Galloway.  “It was great to hear from someone with such a global perspective. I really hope flooding issue stay at the forefront at the national level, and trickles down.” 

The positive assessment of the seminar was reflected in responses to close-ended evaluations of the survey.  On a scale of 1-5, where 5 is agree and 1 is disagree, participants provided an average score of over 4.5 in response to the statement “overall, this symposium was worth attending.”

The organizers will produce a report that consolidates the best of the findings, ideas and concerns of the day.  “We need to think about the policy next steps,” said Moynihan.  “It is easy for the threat of disasters to be forgotten about as the fade into the past.  One goal of the seminar is to remind us all just how important these issues are.  Our ability to deal with the next great flood depends on what we do now.”

Some of those next steps were summarized at the end of the day by Larry Larson, head of the national Association of State Floodplain Managers, who said resolving the lingering issues is like going to a 12-step self-help program for addicts.

“We’ve made the first step: admitting that we have a problem,” said Larson. “Now we have to go the rest of the way.” He cited particular concern over leadership, out-dated maps and information, short-term public attention, lack of coordination among governments and competing laws. 

The symposium was sponsored by the UW-Madison’s Center for World Affairs and the Global Economy (WAGE), the La Follette School of Public Affairs, and the Water Resources Institute, with additional support from the Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Endowment.

The full agenda, including presentations, is available on the La Follette website at: www.lafollette.wisc.edu/publicservice/floods.