The 37th Annual Natural Hazards Research and Applications Workshop will be held on July 14-17, 2012 at the Omni Interlocken Resort in Broomfield, Colorado. Plenary sessions will examine new findings on climate change and extreme events, developments in the conceptualization and measurement of disaster and community resilience, and insights on postdisaster recovery from communities that experienced devastating tornadoes. Concurrent session tracks will exam important topics for research, policy, and practice, including strategies for examining drought and flood, assessing vulnerability, disaster recovery theory and practice, and changes in the nation’s institutional frameworks for managing hazards and disasters. You will learn about the potential for a catastrophic South American earthquake, discuss the management of risks associated with U.S. levee systems, and explore strategies for bridging the knowledge-practice gap. For more information on this workshop, click here. To submit an abstract by April 30, click here. For poster session information, click here.

By Kurt Repanshek – National Parks Traveler – November 11, 2011

Wet weather this fall has created a problem of standing water at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where officials say a high water table is responsible. Quick solutions, though, are not readily available, as various state and federal laws prevent the park from simply draining the water away.  While the national seashore has a drainage ditch system, it was built "decades ago before the Wetlands Protection Act and other modern environmental laws came into existence," says Cyndy Holda, the seashore's spokeswoman. To read full story, click here.

The Natural Floodplain Function Alliance (NFFA) is an affiliation of nonprofit and private organizations, government agencies and individuals dedicated to the protection and preservation of the natural functions of floodplains, including coastal areas.  As a founding member of the NFFA, the Association of State Wetland Managers is pleased to provide a place on its website, but ASWM is one of many NFFA members and these webpages represent the collective work and contributions of NFFA member organizations.  These webpages provide information about NFFA, its activities and publications and reports useful to those interested in learning more about the importance of natural floodplains.  NFFA was established to “promote, protect, and enhance the protection, restoration, and management of natural floodplain resources.”  Members share information and may elect to coordinate actions on issues of interest, but the Natural Floodplain Function Alliance does not take formal positions on matters of national policy, guidance or legislation.  For a copy of the Natural Floodplain Function Alliance mission statement, goals and objectives click here.

For more information or if you are interested in joining the alliance, please contact Dave Fowler with the Association of State Floodplain Managers or Jeanne Christie ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) with the Association of State Wetland Managers.