Two basic issues are considered--the advisability and constitutionality of regulations to preserve flood plain areas as open spaces, and the basic problems in planning and coordination of flood plain management efforts with federal, state, regional, and local elements. The first issue involved legal research of case law across the nation. Investigation of the second issue concerned review of governmental flood plain management efforts in the southeastern Wisconsin area through literature review, telephone surveys, and interviews. An appendix discusses open space regulations and analyzes such regulations. (Author)