IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Following the Tulsa River

Flooding is the most common hazard we have in the United States. It causes damage to cities and towns everywhere in every state in the nation. One of the reasons for this is that in settling America people congregated around rivers. They used them as a water and food source. Before the railroad and highways, rivers were the transportation system of choice. This gathered people, business and industry around rivers. It has also caused them to be in harm's way when flooding occurs. 

Ann Patton has written the history of one of our rivers, The Tulsa River. She knows something about the river having concentrated much of her work on making people and systems more disaster resilient concerning flooding that has emanated from the Tulsa River.

I met Ann back when Project Impact was in full swing. Tulsa was one of the success stories from that FEMA program. Her work there in getting the public and private sectors to work together was highlighted on numerous occasions as the city and its partners were recognized for their disaster mitigation work.  

Writing a book is a labor of love. It shows that Ann loves Tulsa and the Tulsa River for what it provides and she also respects the danger it represents.  

Eric Holdeman is a contributing writer for Emergency Management magazine and is the former director of the King County, Wash., Office of Emergency Management.