The Southern Tier Central Flood Assistance program provides local governments, businesses, residents, and organizations with technical support to implement a variety of flood risk management activities. This program emphasizes the development and implementation of strategies and projects that will reduce the impacts of future flooding.

• Grants writing for flood recovery and mitigation projects.
  
  
• Floodplain management assistance to reduce the risks associated with new development in flood-prone locations.
  
  
• Assistance with managing stream channels and stream corridors in a manner that maintains and restores healthy stream and river systems.
  
  
• Technical assistance with drainage, stormwater management, and erosion control in order to avoid escalation of flood hazards.  
  
  
• Support for local flood warning and response efforts.
  
  
• Flood mitigation planning to develop strategies for improved management of flood risks.
  
  
• Watershed planning to promote integrated management of land and water resources.
  
  
• Training and information about flood hazards and flood damage prevention techniques.
  
  
• Public education about flood risks and strategies for reducing flood losses.
  
  
• Assistance to municipalities participating in the Community Rating System, through which flood insurance premiums are reduced by implementing flood protection activities.
  

The Flood Assistance Program is implemented by the STC Flood Mitigation Specialist, Janet Thigpen, who is a Certified Floodplain Manager.  She serves as the Secretary of Environmental Emergency Services (which operates the Flood Warning Service for Chemung, Schuyler, and Steuben Counties) and as Past Chair of the New York State Floodplain and Stormwater Managers Association.  Janet can be reached at (607) 737-5271 or jthigpen@co.chemung.ny.us.