In the United States, the responsibility for managing flood risks is shared across the Federal, state and local levels of government and the private sector. In the absence of continuous collaboration, conflicting policies, programs and interests from multiple layers of government can work at cross purposes and undermine efforts to improve flood risk management nationwide.

To help avoid this situation, USACE established in May 2006 the National Flood Risk Management Program which seeks to integrate USACE flood risk management activities, both internally and with counterpart activities of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), other Federal agencies, state organizations and regional and local agencies.

Specific goals of the Program include:

• providing current and accurate floodplain information to the public and decision makers
• identifying and assessing flood hazards posed by aging flood damage reduction infrastructure
• improving public awareness and comprehension of flood hazards and risk
• integrating flood damage and flood hazard reduction programs across Federal, state, and local agencies
• improving capabilities to collaboratively deliver and sustain flood damage reduction.

One example of a successful collaborative effort with state and Federal agencies is the Silver Jackets program which develops and supports continuous interagency flood risk management teams at the state level. Other examples are the Interagency Levee Task Force and International Partnerships.