It is the purpose of this chapter to: promote the public health, safety and general welfare, and to: protect human life, health and welfare; encourage the utilization of appropriate construction practices in order to prevent or minimize flood damage in the future; minimize flooding of water supply and sanitary sewage disposal systems; maintain natural drainage; reduce financial burdens imposed on the State, local community, its governmental units and its residents, by discouraging unwise design and construction of development in areas subject to flooding; minimize the need for rescue and relief efforts associated with flooding and generally undertaken at the expense of the general public; minimize prolonged business interruptions; minimize damage to public facilities and other utilities such as water and gas mains, electric, telephone and sewer lines, streets and bridges; reinforce that those who build in and occupy special flood hazard areas should assume responsibility for their actions; minimize the impact of development on adjacent properties within and near flood prone areas; provide that the flood storage and conveyance functions of the floodplain are maintained; minimize the impact of development on the natural and beneficial functions of the floodplain; prevent floodplain uses that are either hazardous or environmentally incompatible; and improve drainage standards to reduce threats to community welfare.

78 Del. Laws, c. 183, § ?1;