COMPREHENSIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT : Promoting Wise Uses of Floodplains

CA Department of Water Resources/ CIFMCG Workshop COMPREHENSIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT: Promoting Wise Uses of Floodplains July 2006

Comprehensive Floodplain Management Workshop NFIP Overview

Workshop Modules • Comprehensive FPM • NFIP Overview • FPM No Adverse Impact Strategies • Natural Floodplain Functions and Societal Values • Flood Management Economic Analysis • Ecosystem Evaluation Methods • Case Study • Technical and Financial Assistance

NFIP Overview • Background • Agency Roles • Hazard Identification • Flood Insurance Rate Zones • Floodplain Management Requirements • Multi-Hazard Planning • Improving NFIP Effectiveness • Community Rating System

Background • The National Flood Insurance Program was established by Congress in 1968 to: • Protect lives and property • Reduce financial burden for flood damage assistance • Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the NFIP • Almost 50,000 communities in the U.S. participate in the NFIP • Over 98 percent of California’s communities participate in the NFIP

Agency Roles: Community • Adopt floodplain management regulations that meet or exceed NFIP standards and requirements • Provide information to residents on flood hazards, floodplain map data, flood insurance and proper construction methods • Monitor floodplain development by issuing permits and conducting inspections

Agency Roles: State • Ensure that communities have the legal authority necessary to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations • Establish minimum state regulatory requirements consistent with the NFIP (model FPM ordinance) • Provide technical and specialized assistance to local governments • Assess community compliance with minimum NFIP criteria

Agency Roles: State • DWR Floodplain Management Branch • Ricardo Pineda, Chief (916) 574-0611 • Bill Hom (916) 574-0633 • Maria Lorenzo Lee (916) 574-0639 • Steve Cowdin (DPLA) (916) 653-8166 www.fpm.water.ca.gov

Agency Roles: Federal (FEMA) • Assist in flood risk identification (mapping) • Make available affordable flood insurance • Establish development/building standards • Assist the state NFIP coordinating agencies • Assess community compliance with minimum NFIP criteria • Advise local officials responsible for administering the ordinance

Agency Roles • Government agencies should establish partnerships with private sector: • Public • Lenders • Insurance agents • Real estate agents • Appraisers • Consulting engineers • Surveyors

Hazard Identification • FEMA conducts a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) to appraise a community’s flood problems • Final report—written text, stream profiles, figures, tables, etc. • Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)—shows of flood hazard areas, flood insurance risk zones (ex: A, AE, V, or VE), base flood elevations, floodways and other related information

Hazard Identification • Base flood • A flood that has a one-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year • Referred to as the “100-year” flood • Base floodplain • The land covered by the floodwaters of the “base flood” • Referred to as the “Special Flood Hazard Area” (SFHA) • Base flood elevation (BFE) • The water surface elevation of the base flood

FIRMs For more information on FIRMs, visit FEMA’s website: www.fema.gov/fhm/ot_firmr.shtm

Hazard Identification FLOODWAY 1 FT MAXIMUM SURCHARGE

Flood Insurance Rate Zones .

Flood Insurance Rate Zones

FPM Regulations • To participate in the NFIP, a community must: • Adopt and enforce FPM ordinance • Require permits for floodplain development • Estimate flood elevations that were not determined by FEMA • Require residential structures to be elevated at or above the 100-year flood elevation (BFE) • Conduct field inspections and cite violations • Establish variance procedures • Advise FEMA when map updates are needed

Multi-Hazard Planning • Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 • Established a pre-disaster hazard mitigation program • Established new requirements for the national post-disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) • States and communities must have an approved multi-hazard mitigation plan in place before receiving post-disaster HGMP funds

Multi-Hazard Planning • More info: FEMA “State and Local Mitigation Planning How to Guides” www.fema.gov/fima/planhowto.shtm

Improving NFIP Effectiveness • Despite successes, there are concerns with the NFIP: • It only sets “minimum” standards • It focuses upon how to build in floodplains vs. how to minimize future damage caused by development • It ignores changing conditions • It ignores adverse impacts to existing properties • It undervalues natural floodplain functions and societal values

Improving NFIP Effectiveness • Go beyond “minimum requirements” • Join the existing Community Rating System • Adopt ASFPM “No Adverse Impact” Strategies • Integrate FPM planning with community general planning process

Community Rating System • Reduces flood insurance rates for communities that implement activities above NFIP minimum standards • Maximum premium reduction—45% • 61 CA communities participate in CRS • CA 2004 premium savings--$9.7 million

Community Rating System • CRS categories of activities • Series 300: Public information • Series 400: Mapping and regulations • Series 500: Flood damage reduction • Series 600: Flood preparedness • More CRS info: www.training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CRS/index.htm

To Summarize… • The NFIP sets minimum FPM standards • Communities are encouraged to go beyond minimum standards • For example, the state of California recommends that lowest floor be elevated TWO feet above the base flood elevation • See Model ordinance and other NFIP training at: www.fpm.water.ca.gov • Join the Community Rating System • Adopt No Adverse Impact strategies

What’s Next? • ASFPM No Adverse Impact strategies

COMPREHENSIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT : Promoting Wise Uses of Floodplains