Nonstructural Measures in Flood Risk Management: Enhancing Public Safety and Reducing Damages

1. Flood Risk Management and the Role of Nonstructural Measures Association of State Flood Plain Managers New Orleans, LA Pete Rabbon Director, National Flood Risk Management Program U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 18 November 2008 Slide 1

2. The World Has Changed Droughts Water Conflicts Between States Population Migration 2001 9/11 Global Climate Change Aging Infrastructure Growing State Water Resources Capabilities 2004 Our Last Civil Works Strategic Plan Floods Sedimentation a Bigger Issue Growing Backlog CG, O&M Declining Discretionary Funding Disappearing Wetlands & Coasts Rising Cost of Oil

3. Deliver Enduring and Essential Water Resources Solutions USACE Campaign Plan – Goal 2 Focus the talents and energy of the Corps of Engineers on delivering enduring,comprehensive, sustainable and integrated solutions to the Nation’s water resources and related challenges through collaboration with stakeholders (regions, States, local entities, other Federal Entities, etc.), playing a leadership or support role as appropriate to meet today’s and future challenges.

4. New Thinking

5. Vision: To lead collaborative, comprehensive and sustainable national flood risk management to improve public safety and reduce flood damages to our country. Mission: To integrate and synchronize the ongoing, diverse flood risk management projects, programs and authorities of the US Army Corps of Engineers with counterpart projects, programs and authorities of FEMA, other Federal agencies, state organizations and regional and local agencies. Flood Risk Management Program

6. Flood Risk = f(chance of flood, consequences) Flood management = Floodwater management + Floodplain management

8. Shared Flood Risk Management

9. Intergovernmental Flood Risk Management Committee • Core Members: USACE, FEMA, ASFPM, NAFSMA leadership • Meet quarterly to discuss integration of programs and policies • Current Focus Areas: • Interagency Cooperation/Collaboration • Risk Communication • Levee Inventory and Assessments • Mapping, Certification, and Accreditation • Legislative Impacts

10. Interagency Levee Task Force • Identification of regional partners • A facilitated comprehensive regional approach to flood risk management and recovery • Establishment of interagency partnerships (federal / state) • Explore non-structural solutions and other flood risk management opportunities http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/ILTF/

11. PLANNING RESPONSE MITIGATION SILVER JACKETS - OHIO Silver Jackets Teaming Structure • Initiating State-level teams nationwide • Each team will be different and will evolve • Focus is on State priorities • Will not duplicate similar efforts • Establish relationships where they don’t exist • Strengthen existing relationships • Supplement successful teams • Learn about programs and how to combine them • Lead facilitators: USACE, FEMA, State NFIP, and State EMA

12. Louisiana Coastal Protection & Restoration (LaCPR) • $20 million authorized and funded by Energy & Water Development Appropriations Act, 2006. • Category 5 equivalent comprehensive hurricane protection • Congressional direction: develop and present full range of flood, coastal and hurricane protection measures exclusive of normal policy considerations. • Traditional National Economic Development (NED) and National Ecosystem Restoration (NER) analyses will not be done. • Risk-based tool development • Decision framework to present risks, costs & consequences

13. Mississippi Coastal ImprovementsProgram (Ms CIP) • $10 million authorized in Emergency Supplemental Appropriations • Over 180 problem areas identified; 15 near-term improvements • 7 hurricane storm damage reduction projects • 4 flood damage reduction projects • 4 ecosystem restoration projects • Comprehensive Plan • Hurricane storm damage reduction involving multiple lines of protection: • Restoration barrier islands • Improving beaches and dunes • Balance of engineered and environmental measures

14. Policy Studies • Wise Use of Floodplains – Identify procedural or legislative changes that may be warranted to allow the Corps of Engineers to be more effective in working with other Federal agencies, states, local governments and stakeholders in the management of flood risk. • WRDA 2007, Section 2032 - The President is to submit a report to Congress describing the vulnerability of the U.S. to damage from flooding, comparative risks faced by different regions of the country, programs in the U.S. which may be encouraging development and economic activity in flood prone areas, and recommendations for improving those programs and proposals for implementing the recommendations.

15. National Flood Risk Management Program • Templates for Change • EU’s Directive on Flood Risk Management • Executive Order 11988 • Water Resources Planning Principles and Guidelines • Unified National Program for Floodplain Management

16. National Flood Risk Management Program • EU Directive • Requires inter jurisdictional coordination • Acknowledges impacts of land use and water use decisions on flood risk • Emphasizes developing and updating flood risk assessments and maps • Addresses multiple flood risk reduction objectives • Emphasizes educating and involving the public

17. National Flood Risk Management Program • Executive Order 11988 • “...take action to reduce the risk of flood loss, to minimize the impact of floods on human safety, health and welfare, and to restore and preserve the natural and beneficial values served by the floodplain.”

18. National Flood Risk Management Program • Unified National Program for Floodplain Management

19. National Flood Risk Management Program • Water Resources Planning • Principles and Guidelines • National Objectives: • Public Safety • Environmental Quality • Economic Development

20. It is ours to create. A Picture of the Future ….?