Calhoun County Flood Insurance Study Update

Transcription

1 Calhoun County Flood Insurance Study Update Larry Voice FEMA Region VI September 18, 2009

2 AGENDA Introduction Study Overview and Status Update Levees Post-Preliminary Process Outreach Moving Forward 2

3 Introduction FEMA Contracting Officer Technical Representative: Larry Voice FEMA Outreach Coordinator: Diane Howe Sign-In Sheet Questionnaire 3

4 Study Overview and Status Update 4

5 Calhoun County Flood Insurance Study Project Started 2007 Part of FEMA Map Part of a nation-wide effort to update coastal flood risk data. Seventeen of eighteen coastal counties 5

6 Where Are We At Today? ping Project Phases Community Coordination & Mapping Needs Assessment Project Scoping (Three phases) Data Acquisition and Engineering Analysis DFIRM Production Preliminary DFIRM Post Preliminary Processing 6

7 Data Acquisition and Engineering Analysis LiDAR Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) Coastal Storm Surge Model USACE Wave Analysis Halff Riverine Studies Halff DFIRM Mapping Halff 7

8 LiDAR LiDAR Data included Mass Points, Breaklines, Bare Earth DEM, and 2-ft. Contours Significant improvement over USGS National Elevation Dataset Collected by TNRIS Available through Texas Water Development Board (TWDB)/TNRIS Worked with National Geodetic Survey Benchmarks Subsidence 8

9 Why a New Storm Surge Model for Texas? Improved engineering, modeling, and data New topographic data LiDAR New modeling techniques and equipment Advanced Circulation Model (ADCIRC) Changes to the coast Subsidence Population and development 9

10 ADCIRC Grid Finite Element 2M nodes >90% in LA/TX coastal areas

11 Storm Surge Modeling in Texas ADCIRC/STWAVE Requires High Performance Computing Clock hours per storm: Cray XT3 ERDC Sapphire 7.8 hours Sun Constellation UT Ranger 40 minutes Dell Linux Cluster UT Lonestar 8 hours 11

12 Stillwater Elevations The storm surge study calculates Stillwater Elevations, which include the effects of: Wind Pressure Tides Riverine flow Wave radiation stresses (offshore waves) Bathymetry Stillwater does not include wave surface motion or wave run up 12

13 Coastal Storm Surge Model Accuracy Validated Using Past Storms Brett Allen Rita Carla Hurricane Ike Best data on storm surge in Texas Opportunity to test and improve model Delay to project 13

14 Coastal Storm Surge Model Accuracy Independent Technical Review Local, state and national reviewers Dr. Billy Edge Texas A&M Steve Fitzgerald Harris County Flood Control District Jim Weatherford Texas General Land Office Gilbert Ward Texas Water Development Board Bill Espey Espey Consultants Currently reviewing validation results FEMA Review Regional Management Center FEMA Engineers 14

15 Next Step After Storm Surge Model? FEMA expects to receive storm surge results by the end of this year Will complete QA/QC of results early next year Storm surge results do not include wave effects Wave and Wave Runup Analysis will commence upon acceptance of storm surge results 15

16 Base Flood Elevations From Stillwater Elevations

17 Wave Analysis Wave Height Analysis For Flood Insurance Studies (WHAFIS) Wave heights and wave run-up Transects based on LiDAR and field surveys

18 Field Surveys

19 Riverine Studies and DFIRM Mapping Riverine Studies Redelineation of riverine studies on effective FIRM Effects of new storm surge study on riverine elevations Levee Accreditation Owner must certify in accordance with 44 CFR Levee will be shown as providing protection against 1% annual chance flood DFIRM Mapping Preliminary DFIRMs next year End of summer or early fall Post Preliminary Process 19

20 Map Improvements Current Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) were developed decades ago In 2002, FEMA initiated the Map Program (Map Mod Program) New FIRMs will be GISbased Digital Maps New DFIRMs will include Limit of Moderate Wave Action Waves feet No compliance requirements 20

21 Benefits of New DFIRMs Information will enable informed decisions by all parties Planning tool for economic and land use development Risk identification for mitigation and recovery Other Federal Agencies State and Local Government Public Stakeholders and Partners Engineering Community Insurance, Realtor, and Lending Stakeholders FEMA/DHS MOD Team Education Community 21

22 LEVEE ACCREDITATION 22

23 How Does a Levee Become Accredited? To be accredited, a levee must meet ALL Section 44 CFR 65.10a-e requirements, including General Requirements Design Criteria Operation Plans and Criteria Maintenance Plans and Criteria Certification Requirements FEMA s review and response is based on the data and documentation that are submitted 23

24 FEMA Responsibilities FEMA is not responsible for: Certifying or examining levees Designing, constructing, operating, or maintaining levee systems Determining how a structure or system will perform in a flood event 24

25 Conditions of Levee Systems There are three basic conditions for levees/levee systems: Maintained, have proper documentation, and can be certified immediately Cannot be certified because of design deficiency and/or required maintenance or repair activities Appear to be certifiable but do not have CFR Section (1-percentannual-flood-protection) data and/or documentation compiled Provisionally Accredited Levee 25-

26 Levee Accreditation Process FEMA has not yet formally requested levee certification for levees in Calhoun County Letters will be mailed to communities requesting that the levees be certified. Letters expected to go out late Provide certification Request Provisionally Accredited Levee Decertify Levee Levees should be shown as providing protection on current effective FIRMs to be eligible for accreditation. To be certifiable, the levee system must be owned and operated by a public entity. 26

27 Levees and NFIP Maps Accredited Legal ease - Levee meets 44 CFR Plain speak - Levee can be reasonably expected to provide protection against the 1% annual chance flood hazard Disclaimer - This is not a guarantee of performance at any level flood, and larger floods can happen Implication - People encouraged to purchase insurance and to take mitigation action (e.g. elevate structures), but it is not required 27

28 Levees and NFIP Maps Not Accredited Legal ease requirements unavailable or not met Plain speak - It is known the levee is not likely to protect against the 1% flood or its ability to protect is unknown Disclaimer - FEMA would be violating the law if it accredited a levee it knows does not meet the requirements or it accredited a levee without proper information demonstrating compliance with the regulations Implication - Insurance and mitigation (e.g. floodplain management) required 28

29 Levees and NFIP Maps Provisionally Accredited Legal ease Levee owner signs PAL agreement stating levee meets 44 CFR Plain speak PAL Implementation for 24 months Disclaimer: PAL is only for the aggregation of certification documents and data. PAL is not for making repairs or improvements. Implication: Maps move ahead with special provisionally accredited note 29

30 Procedure Memorandums PM No. 34 Interim Guidance for Studies Including Levees (August 2005). PM No. 43 Guidelines for Indentifying Provisionally Accredited Levees(Sept 2006). 30

31 Procedure Memorandums PM No. 52 Guidelines for the mapping of impacted areas landward of levee systems (March 2009). PM No. 53 Procedures for mapping of impacted areas landward of PALs when the 24-month submittal period expires (April 2009). 31

32 POST PRELIMINARY PROCESS 32

33 Post Preliminary Process FEMA DFIRM Post Preliminary Process Preliminary DFIRM Community Consultation Officer s s (CCO) Meeting Appeal & Protest Period Appeals Resolved Letter of Final Determination Community Adopts Map Effective DFIRM Varies (Minimum 30 Days) 90 Days Varies (3-12 Months) 6 Months 33

34 Post Preliminary Process Preliminary maps issued CCO meeting held Typically 30 days after preliminary maps released FEMA compliance specialist explains community rights and responsibilities 90 day appeal period starts Two notices in public media Only BFE changes are appealable Other issues are protests Technical evidence must be basis of appeals and protest 34

35 Post Preliminary Process Appeal resolution Typically 3 months to 1 year Letter of Final Determination (LFD) issued Map adoption by communities Within 6 months of LFD Maps go effective Six months after LFD Not used for insurance until effective 24 month typical duration Current FIRMs are in effect during post preliminary process. 35

36 OUTREACH MOVING FORWARD 36

37 Outreach Project Reaching Important Stage Data will be available within a few months Preliminary DFIRMs in approximately one year FEMA Outreach Effort Details still being worked out Joint effort FEMA Region VI FEMA HQ RAMPP TWDB USACE 37

38 When Outreach begins... CD with list of resources: Community website Permit office Libraries

39 Outreach Past Outreach Efforts Tropical Storm Alison Recovery Project (TSARP) Louisiana Mapping Project (LaMP) 39

40 Outreach Subjects covered will include: Technical information on flood insurance study Post preliminary process Insurance Will likely include: Website Technical workshops Public meetings Additional meetings with communities 40

41 Community Participation In Outreach Outreach effort will provide an opportunity to communities Community participation will determine success Community participation in meetings Participate in FEMA meetings Community meetings with FEMA participation 41

42 Outreach Questionnaire What would the community like to see? Technical POC Preferred Media in your area GIS Community Website Please take our business card... we re only a phone call away. 42