FINAL  

Interagency Recovery Task Force

Management Plan

Mississippi River Floods 2011

October 20, 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 

 1.1 HISTORY ......................................................................................................................................... 1 

 1.2 PURPOSE ......................................................................................................................................... 1 

 1.3 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................ 2 

 

2.0 BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 2 

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK .................................................................................................................................. 3 

4.0 EXECUTION STRATEGY ....................................................................................................................... 3 

 4.1 DIRECTION AND CONTROL ............................................................................................................. 3 

 4.2 TASK FORCE MEMBERSHIP ............................................................................................................. 3 

 4.3 REVIEW PROCESS AND COMMENT .................................................................................................. 4 

5.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ............................................................................................................ 4 

 5.1 ADMINISTRATION ........................................................................................................................... 4 

 5.2 PROCEDURAL RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................... 4 

6.0 FUNDING .............................................................................................................................................. 5 

 6.1 USACE ACTIVITIES ......................................................................................................................... 5 

 6.2 OTHER MEMBER ACTIVITIES .......................................................................................................... 5 

7.0 COMMUNICATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 5 

 7.1 COMMUNICATION GOALS ............................................................................................................... 5 

 7.2 COMMUNICATION STRATEGY ......................................................................................................... 5 

8.0 PROGRAM SUCCESS ............................................................................................................................. 6 

APPENDIX A – INTERAGENCY RECOVERY TASK FORCE CHARTER ........................................................ 7 

APPENDIX B – TASK FORCE ACTIVATION MEMO ................................................................................. 12 

APPENDIX C – AGENCY AUTHORITIES FOR RESTORATION................................................................... 14 

   
1 Interagency Recovery Task Force

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 HISTORY. Throughout the history of human civilization there are numerous epic natural 

disasters that have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. The Mississippi River and 

Tributaries (MR&T) flood risk management system was borne from one of these disasters, the 

Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927. In 1927, the Mississippi River broke out of its levee 

system in 145 places and flooded 27,000 square miles. The flood affected Arkansas, Illinois, 

Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. By May 

1927, the Mississippi River below Memphis, Tennessee, reached a width of 80 miles. Many 

areas were inundated up to a depth of 30 feet. The flood caused over $400 million in damages 

and killed 246 people in seven states. The MR&T project was designed to function as a system 

of levees, floodwalls, floodways, and reservoirs that function as a single system to prevent 

similar devastation and loss of life in the unlikely event that such an epic event should ever 

reoccur. Such a flood event occurred; setting new gage records at most locations from Cape 

Girardeau, MO to the Gulf of Mexico. On 1 May 2011, while flood waters were rising, MG 

Michael Walsh directed the activation of Operation Watershed which not only looked at current 

and near future planning and execution during the flood event, but also looked down the road at 

repair and recovery of the watershed. 

1.2 PURPOSE. This Interagency Recovery Task Force (IRTF) Management Plan identifies 

those participating states, agencies, and USACE organizations that will be involved in the 

restoration of the Mississippi Valley watershed. The purpose of this task force management plan 

is to set the stage for common purpose with a collaborative and holistic watershed approach to 

rehabilitation of flood damage reduction and floodplain management systems damaged by the 

2011 Mississippi River floods, integrating solutions whenever possible that lead to long-term 

flood risk reduction. This plan identifies the Task Force member agencies and resource support 

agencies that should be involved in the determination of the appropriate restoration/repair 

measures to flood damage reduction projects and floodplain management systems, and the 

processes by which they accomplish those determinations. In addition to the measures, the 

determination will identify the appropriate agency and subsequent authority for restoration of 

flood damage reduction systems, or alternative to restoration of the damaged structure. Further, 

this plan recognizes that there will be ongoing short-term fixes that must be addressed to restore 

and maintain appropriate levels of protection for the balance of the flood season, and that those 

measures must be implemented as expeditiously as possible. It is anticipated that there will be 

opportunity for participating agencies and stakeholders to identify potential long-term initiatives 

and actions to further reduce risk of flood damage in the future, thus leading to community 

sustainability. 

This watershed approach will require the coordination and participation of seven states and nine 

federal agencies. The participating states include Missouri, Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, 

Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Coordinating agencies include the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA), National Weather Service (NWS), U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the Maritime 

Administration (MARAD), as well as, USACE Major Subordinate Commands. Those USACE 

commands are the Mississippi Valley Division (MVD), Great Lakes and Ohio River Division 
2 Interagency Recovery Task Force

(LRD), Northwestern Division (NWD), and support from Southwest Division (SWD) and South 

Atlantic Division (SAD). 

This plan is not intended to usurp any authorities and programs currently assigned to its member 

states and agencies, nor deny any applying party access to existing programs for repairs and 

associated restoration and/or other impediments. 

1.3 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. This plan supports the intent of the team to restore impacted 

flood risk management systems and the watershed. The primary goals of this plan are to: 

 Implement a consistent approach across regional and state boundaries in order to 

prioritize restoration projects and resources across agencies and authorities; 

 Share responsibility for all flood plain management restoration initiatives, 

programs, and projects in order to reduce flood risks long term; 

 Pursue all potential funding methods from federal and state resources; 

 Ensure continuous pre- and post-disaster collaboration; 

 Give consideration to all structural and non-structural alternatives in repair and 

restoration; 

 Learn about programs, identifying limitations and opportunities, and combine 

programs to create integrated, comprehensive and sustainable solutions while 

minimizing duplication of efforts and ensuring consistency; 

 Create a multi-agency technical resource for state and local agencies; 

 Improve flood risk outreach by presenting a unified interagency message to better 

educate and advise mutual customers as a result of gaining familiarity with each 

agency’s missions, processes and programs; 

 Improve internal and external risk communication, including increased awareness 

of residual risk; 

 Catalog and share information on past and future projects and initiatives while 

prioritizing current initiatives. 

2.0 BACKGROUND

As a result of the 1993 Midwest Floods and the California Floods of 1996/1997, the Office 

of Management and Budget and the Council on Environmental Quality issued a joint 

memorandum dated February 18, 1997 directing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

(USACE) to develop a comprehensive approach to levee rehabilitation that includes 

providing analysis of both structural repairs and non-structural alternatives. This 

comprehensive approach, implemented under the provisions of Public Law 84-99, includes a 
3 Interagency Recovery Task Force

formal interagency process located at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

Joint Field Office (JFO) to address the needs of the local sponsors and/or levee owners 

seeking Federal assistance. The formal interagency process was first implemented in 1997 

and refined following the Midwest Floods of June 2008 to ensure that agencies quickly and 

efficiently considered relevant non-structural measures during evaluation and review of 

levee repair and reconstruction projects. Now, with the 2011 floods, this comprehensive 

approach has grown to cover the Mississippi River watershed and will involve more than the 

critical evaluation of levees, but also structures, floodways, and navigation. USACE and 

their Task Force members have acquired significant experience developing and 

implementing the process required for an interagency approach to assist state and local 

entities. Previous floods have provided opportunities for agencies to forecast both short and 

long-term strategies. 

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

This Interagency Recovery Task Force Management Plan (IRTFMP) covers the scope of the

short-term efforts required for recovery from the Mississippi River Basin Flood Event, Spring 

2011, which began with the following declaration: At 0900 hours Wednesday 20-APR-2011 the 

river gauge at Cairo IL went above the Memphis Districts trigger point for Phase I floodfight 

activation stage of 49' with a reading of 49.02’. National Weather Service forecast on 20-APR2011 shows a sustained rise with a projected crest of 52.0 (Phase II activation level) on 30-APR2011. This information activated to an emergency declaration and began the flood fight for the 

Mississippi River Valley Watershed. Therefore, the Commander, Mississippi Valley Division, 

USACE has been designated the Lead Corps Official (LCO) for this Task Force. The 

operational boundary and the duration of this Task Force are further defined by the Commander, 

Mississippi Valley Division in his request to activate the Task Force. This IRTFMP will remain 

in effect for the duration of the Task Force, as agreed to by its member agencies. 

4.0 EXECUTION STRATEGY. This plan will use the following broad strategies. 

4.1 Direction and Control. In accordance with the OMB and CEQ guidance1 this Task 

Force works under the leadership of the USACE, specifically the Commander, Mississippi 

Valley Division, who is identified as the Task Force Chairperson2. The Charter (see 

appendix A) further serves as the authority to form the Task Force to meet and act on flood 

risk management and other matters assigned to it. 

4.2 Task Force Membership. Establishment of a Regional Interagency Recovery Task 

Force made up of the following participants with the USACE, Mississippi Valley Division, 

as the lead element: 

 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division 

                                                           

1 Office of Management and Budget/Council of Environmental Quality (OMB/CEQ) memorandum, dated February

18, 1997, Subject: Floodplain Management and Procedures for Evaluation and Review of Levee and Associated

Restoration Projects

2 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Engineering Regulation ER 500‐1‐1, Civil Emergency Management Program, dated

30 September 2001
4 Interagency Recovery Task Force

 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Southwest Division 

 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 

 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

 Department of Agriculture (Natural Resources Conservation Service) 

 Department of Interior (U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) 

 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) 

 Maritime Administration (MARAD) 

 National Weather Service (NWS) 

 State Emergency Management Agencies 

 State Departments of Natural Resources 

As the Task Force matures, there may be opportunities for additional members to join 

from other states, agencies, stakeholders, and other non-governmental organizations. 

4.3 Review process and comment. The Task Force members will have the opportunity to 

review and comment on policy, process, regulations, and/or guidance to improve the 

recovery process, mitigation considerations and future flood preparedness. Members will 

also review the damage assessment prioritization lists and system performance evaluation 

report, as well as other relevant documents provided by Task Force members for group 

consideration or action. 

5.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1 Administration.

5.1.1 The Task Force Chairman, through the Task Force Staff Chief or Program Manager, 

is responsible for announcing meeting, setting agenda, and preparing a summary of each 

meeting. 

5.1.2 The Task Force Chairman or Staff Chief will conduct each meeting in a manner 

designed to promote active participation and open dialog among all members or their 

representatives. 

5.1.3 Resolution of issues that impact national floodplain management policy or cut across 

agency lines may be identified by the Task Force and will be addressed through the 

Headquarters, USACE, to OMB/CEQ. 

5.1.4 Monthly updates will be prepared by the Task Force Chairman, through the Task 

Force Staff Chief or Program Manager. Each Task Force member will receive copies of the 

monthly report for its use, and may include it in any agency reports. The report will inform 

on the damage assessment teams and damage assessment reports, inform on the system 

performance evaluation team status, provide comments for consideration relative to any 

future comprehensive long-term studies, and highlight policy and guidance that present 

challenges to desired rehabilitation alternatives. 

5.2 Procedural Responsibilities.
5 Interagency Recovery Task Force

5.2.1 The Task Force will meet on a regular basis through a combination of face-to-face 

meetings or by conference call to conduct business. The nature and timing of future 

meetings will be set by the Task Force Chairman. Business meetings will be used to review 

action items, share status of projects, discuss problem, issues and concerns, bring new ideas 

to the table, and overall coordination and collaboration efforts for short and long-term goals 

towards watershed recovery. 

6.0 FUNDING

6.1 USACE Activities. USACE participation in the Task Force activities will be funded 

under appropriate Mississippi Rivers and Tributaries and R&T and Flood Control and Coastal 

Emergencies (FCCE) appropriated funds. 

6.2 Other Member Activities. Other member agencies and states will fund their 

participation in Task Force activities through their existing authorities, programs, and budgets. 

7.0 COMMUNICATIONS

The Task Force will communicate transparently with other state and federal agencies and 

external and internal audiences about their processes and decisions. The goal is to ensure that all 

Task Force members and stakeholders, including our common public, have a comprehensive 

understanding of the Task Force mission and the processes used to achieve that mission. 

7.1 Communication Goals. Communication goals to help achieve Task Force goals are as 

follows. 

 Foster learning by the Task Force membership through dialogue about mission 

requirements and relationships between agencies. 

 Build relationships with all federal, state, and local agencies, and other flood 

management systems stakeholders to assure effective information sharing and a 

collaborative approach to restoring damaged flood management systems. 

 Leverage public affairs staff and processes in all agencies to inform leaders, 

decision makers, employees, stakeholders and private citizens on initiatives and 

actions associated with the Task Force. 

 Communicate the metrics that will evaluate performance of restoring flood 

damage reduction projects and flood management systems to build internal 

accountability and promote public confidence and support. 

 Conduct internal and external information forums to gather, evaluate and share 

lessons learned regarding applied principles and implementation processes. 

 Ensure that all public and private stakeholders understand what the Task Force 

partnership is doing, why they are doing it, and what the processes are that will 

bring success. 
6 Interagency Recovery Task Force

7.2 Communication Strategy. To build awareness, the overall external communication 

strategy is to speak as a cohesive organization conveying accurate and timely watershed recovery 

information to the public and private stakeholders and customers. This will be accomplished, in 

part, by developing communication materials such as newsletters, event calendars, recovery 

status reports, success stories, etc., and a public website/social networking page in which to post 

them. 

8.0 PROGRAM SUCCESS

Program success will be achieved when there is successful restoration of flood management 

systems to original level of protection, along with an appropriate long-term strategy for flood 

risk reduction through sound floodplain management. This will be accomplished through: 

 Excellent coordination and input, including meetings and reviews and discussions 

with all public and private stakeholders. 

 Recognizing the great response and recovery efforts being applied by all member 

states and agencies, and understanding authorities and programs available through 

each. 

 Educating customers about the goals, priorities and evaluation of those projects 

and other related activities impacting levee integrity. 

 Recognizing the importance of protecting important environmental and natural 

resources. 

 Monitoring and tracking the latest DHS/FEMA and other Federal agency 

activities impacting the successful accomplishment of flood management system 

restoration. 

 Development of future regional strategies for short-term and long-term flood risk 

management, and assisting the states with implementation of their mitigation 

plans. 

 Incorporating lessons learned from this flood event into flood mitigation plans for 

the impacted areas, and prioritizing healthy floodplain management activities for 

greatest impact to flood risk reduction. 

 
7 Interagency Recovery Task Force

APPENDIX A 

INTERAGENCY RECOVERY TASK FORCE CHARTER

Interagency Recovery Task Force Charter

This charter establishes and formalizes the expectations for implementation of the Interagency Recovery

Task Force Team for the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Missouri, and

Illinois, and the following agencies: National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency,

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish &

Wildlife Service, U.S. Coast Guard, and Maritime Administration. A review of this charter will be

conducted annually, or at any time, with the consent of the core member agencies.   

For the purposes of this document, the following definitions will be used:

Repaireffort will strive to provide the rapid development and installation of initial interim

measures designed to provide a basic level of protection and functionality before the next flood

season.  Reset projects will directly address system functionality with respect to floodways,

dredging for navigation, and levee degradation.

Restore effort will strive to provide for the development and installation of permanent measures

designed to return the navigation and MR&T structures to the full level protection and functionality.  

Restore projects will be designed to return the system to full pre‐flood functionality necessary to ensure

safety and security from future catastrophic flooding.

Mitigation is the effort to reduce loss of life and property by lessening the impact of disasters.   

Risk is defined as the product of the probability of a flooding event and the consequences of the

flooding event.   

Life‐cycle denotes all phases of the flooding emergency:  preparation, response, recovery and

mitigation.  The intent is to integrate mitigation into all phases.

Vision Statement:

Establish and strengthen a mutual and holistic method of rehabilitating our flood risk management

systems damaged by recent flood events, by collaborating and combining solutions for short and long‐

term restoration efforts.  

Mission Statement:  

Through an intergovernmental team of State and Federal agencies a collaborative process will:

• A multi‐agency forum does not currently exist to solve the many regional issues and

challenges that will be presented in the recovery from this historic flood event.
• Provide Safety and Security for Citizens Lives and Livelihoods

• Create strong regional effort to inspect, review, reset and restore our flood risk

management system

• Pursue all potential funding methods from federal and state sources.

• Give consideration to traditional and non‐traditional alternatives in repair and restoration.

• Implement a collaborative and communicative approach across regional and state

boundaries to prioritize our efforts and resources during the challenging recovery

process

• Facilitate strategic, integrated life‐cycle mitigation actions to reduce the threat, vulnerability

and consequences of flooding in the Mississippi River Valley;

• Create or supplement a mechanism to collaboratively solve issues and implement or

recommend solutions;  

• Increase and improve flood risk communication and outreach,  

Goals:

1. Implement a consistent approach across region and state boundaries in order to prioritize

agencies, authorities, and resources in the rehabilitation process.

2. Create a strong team to inspect, review, repair and restore our flood risk management

system and adjacent project.

3. Create an IRTF management plan

4. Share responsibility for all flood plain management restoration initiatives, programs, and

projects in order to reduce flood risks long term.

5. Supply an effective outreach program to communicate short and long term to the public, as

well as, educate on the agencies’ responsibilities, programs and authorities.

6. Pursue all potential funding methods from federal and state resources

7. Ensure continuous pre‐ and post‐disaster collaboration.  

8. Give consideration to all structural and non‐structural alternatives in repair and restoration.  

9. Learn about programs, identifying limitations and opportunities, and combine programs to

create integrated, comprehensive and sustainable solutions.   

10. Create a multi‐agency technical resource for state and local agencies.

11. Improve flood risk outreach by presenting a unified interagency message to better educate

and advise mutual customers as a result of gaining familiarity with each agency’s

missions, processes and programs.   

12. Improve internal and external risk communication, including increased awareness of

residual risk.

13. Identify and facilitate improvements to existing programs, policies and processes.  

14. Identify other collaboration opportunities to combine resources and identify gaps; minimize

duplication of effort and ensure consistency.

15. Catalog and share information on past and future projects and initiatives.

16. Prioritize current and future initiatives individually and collectively.

Roles & Responsibilities:

The team will be intergovernmental and multiple state in nature.  Membership will vary based on

available resources and team focus; however, the core member agencies involved at all times will

include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the National Weather Service (NWS), the U.S. Department of

Agriculture (USDA), the  U.S. Coast Guard (USCG),  the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S.

Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Maritime Administration (MARAD), the State of Louisiana, the State

of Mississippi, the State of Arkansas, the State of Tennessee, the State of Kentucky, the State of

Missouri, and the State of Illinois.  Representatives may be from the regional and state levels of the

organizations. As the intergovernmental team evolves, other State, Federal, Non‐Governmental

Organizations (NGO) and local agencies may choose to participate in this initiative.  All participating

agencies will contribute experience and information to all team efforts.   

Initially, the lead agency will be USACE.  The USACE representative will maintain and distribute a contact

sheet.  With the support of a team consensus, the leadership role may rotate among the core members.   

With the support of all team members, the agency assuming the leadership role is responsible for

organizing, coordinating and facilitating team meetings, as well as recording and maintaining final

meeting minutes.  The representative of the lead agency may request assistance in performing any of

these responsibilities.   

Meetings:

At a minimum, meetings will be conducted on a quarterly basis.  Coordination between meetings may

occur through email and teleconferencing.  Meeting agendas shall be published at least one week prior

to a meeting.  Draft minutes shall be distributed via email for comment.  Final minutes shall be

distributed to all members and posted on a public website.   

Decision Making:

Decisions will be accomplished through team consensus after discussion.   The core member agencies

that should be involved in all major decisions are USACE and FEMA.
12 Interagency Recovery Task Force

APPENDIX B 

TASK FORCE ACTIVATION MEMO

 
13 Interagency Recovery Task Force
14 Interagency Recovery Task Force

APPENDIX C 

AGENCY AUTHORITIES FOR RESTORATION

 
Interagency Recovery Task Force

APPENDIX C - AGENCY AUTHORITIES FOR RESTORATION OF FLOOD MANAGEM

AGENCY AUTHORITY DESCRIPTION

USACE YES PL 84-99, amended by WRDA 96, authorizing when requested by the public sponsor, to imp

alternatives (NSA’s) to the rehabilitation, repair, or restoration of flood control works damagstorms.

USACE YES MR&T – Flood Control Act’s 1928, Sec 1 & 3; 1936, Sec 3, 8, 12; 1938, Sec 4; 1941, Sec 3

10; 1950, Sec 204; 1954, Sec 203; 1962, Sec 207; 1965, Sec 201, 204; 1968, Sec 213; River Authorization Act of 1971, PL 92-222, Sec 7; WRDA 92, Sec 103 (c)(2); WRDA 00, Sec 50

FEMA YES Authority for Non-Structural alternatives may be applicable through the Hazard Mitigation P

authorities exist under the FEMA Public Assistance Program 

 USCG NO No existing authority. EPA NO No existing authority.DOA: NRCS YES

 Emergency Watershed Protection Program - Section 403- of Public Law 95-334. The provieasement was added in 1996. Wetlands Reserve Program - authorized under the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended bFarm Bills. It is a voluntary program to restore and protect wetlands on private property.

USFWS

YES Authority declares the intent of Congress that fish and wildlife enhancement be given full co

of Federal water development projects to those purposes. Also authorizes the use of Federal land acquisition. Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act as amended (16 U.S.C661-667e) Endaamended (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 701 et seq.) 

USGS NO No existing authority. Can assist other Federal agencies by providing technical services.NWS NO No existing authority. Can assist other Federal agencies by providing technical services.