Stronger Storm Water Standards Will Reduce Flood Risks and Cut Costs

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1 Stronger Storm Water Standards Will Reduce Flood Risks and Cut Costs Author: Victor O. Ukpolo; Clean Water Fund and Prince George s County Clean Water Coalition Flood Prone Communities There are many flood prone structures located in the older, highly urbanized inner beltway communities of Prince George s County. These communities include, Edmonston, Capitol Heights, Seat Pleasant, Wilburn, Fairmont Heights, Colmar Manor, College Park, Hyattsville, Riverdale, Riverdale Heights, Riverdale Hills, Crestwood, and Green belt (Figure 1). Many of these structures are located on stream banks that are downhill, or downstream of large developed areas that were not built to retain storm water sufficiently. Thus, downstream properties located in flood prone areas receive greater risks from stream bank overflows causing floods. According to the Association of Floodplain Managers, our society has transported runoff and flood waters through the watershed by using structural interventions (such as concrete lining, revetments, floodwalls, jetties, diversions, and dams and reservoirs) that interrupt or negatively modify natural environments (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). Floodwalls and levees increase flow discharge and elevation when they constrict high flows into a narrow path (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). Developments that rely on these out dated forms of structural interventions and do not utilize the natural environment contribute to water quality and flooding issues downstream. Negative Community Impacts Figure 1. Prince George s County Flood Prone Structures Flooding impacts communities all across Prince George s County. There is flooding which may occur inside the Special Flood Hazard Area (100 year flood plain) and localized flooding which occurs more often outside that area. In addition, many property owners outside the Special Flood Hazard Area (100 year floodplain) do not have flood insurance and cannot receive assistance from standard home owner s insurance for flood damage (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources, 2011).They must purchase flood insurance, or deal with the costs of replacing, or repairing carpet, floor panels, insulation, and mattresses that may have been damaged as a result of low storm water retention upstream. Geographically, these property owners also are living in the low lying areas, downstream in local watersheds.

2 According to FEMA, as a result of localized flooding, which often occurs outside the 100 year flood plain, residents must tolerate the following: Disrupted traffic patterns due to large water puddles (e.g. bridges crossing waterways) Blocked driveways (including entrances to large commercial properties) Blocked streets Deteriorating buildings, damaged sidewalks and streets due to accelerate aging caused by water damage. These infrastructure damages attribute to the negative appearances of communities, commonly classified as urban blight. These local flooding problems get worse overtime as development increases for lack of action to retain more storm water onsite (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005). The County must go beyond minimum flood management standards by implementing stronger storm water retention standards to eliminate downstream flooding. County Costs During the last 30 years, the federal government has allocated 2.8 billion taxpayer dollars to pay claims associated with losses due to localized flooding (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005). These costs are expected to increase in communities that have not taken adequate action to reduce flood risks (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005). According to the Department of Environmental Resources, there are approximately 25 new drainage projects initiated each year as a result of either homeowner complaints, referrals by other agencies, or requests by County Council Members (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources, 2011). Many drainage complaints are the result of properties that have been identified as flood prone structures and are an expensive management cost to the county. In addition, the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Prince George's County and Laurel states that the damage risk from the total 3693 flood-prone structures, including 2803 homes and 890 other buildings in the county was $605,159,000, in 2005 (Prince George's County and The City of Laurel Maryland, 2005). This cost does not even include the resources dedicated by the County s Environmental Services Group to investigate the 500 drainage complaints reported by residents every year (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources, 2011). Prince George s County can save money by requiring redevelopers to build natural More and more studies are showing that natural floodplain features can be more effective at controlling or attenuating flooding and can be less expensive over the long run than traditional human-made flood control structures. These aspects were reviewed by the Committee. -- Federal Emergency Management Agency/Community Rating System. "Strategic Evaluation: CRS Credit for Protecting Natural Functions (Draft)." Technical Report. August structures that eliminate the need for storm water ponds and sewer pipes, reduce storm water overflow storage, and reduce hard infrastructure by building narrower streets, less sidewalk, reduce storm water treatment devices, and avoiding the purchase land for ponds (Environmental Protection Agency, 2009).

3 Taxpayer Costs The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 requires property owners receiving federal assistance to purchase homes, which are located in the Special Flood Hazard Area (area with 1% chance of flooding during any year, or 100 year floodplain), to receive flood insurance (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources). The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which is managed by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005), provides federally backed flood insurance for jurisdictions (ex. Prince George s County) that agree to adopt flood management ordinances and reduce future flood risks. Prince George s County has participated in the NFIP since 1978 and currently has a Community Rating of only 5 out of 10 (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources, 2011). The NFIP s Community Rating System (CRS) provides a benefit to communities by reducing flood insurance premium rates for homeowners. According to FEMA, Prince George s County must recertify each year reporting its continued activities for reducing flood risks (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005). The County is currently undergoing the recertification process with the NFIP. Although, Prince George s County has an above average rating (top 3% of participating communities in the nation), it has an opportunity to receive a higher future rating. A higher CRS rating can be achieved through implementing the strongest storm water regulations (storm water volume retention standards) thereby reducing localized flood risks (Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources, 2011). According to FEMA, the CRS encourages and provides credit for regulations that require developers to detain or retain excess storm water runoff (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2005). The CRS Storm water Management activity s section for a watershed master plan (WMP) provides forty points for managing peak flows and volumes (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). The program will be providing more points in the future for communities that are providing natural functions or green infrastructure to reduce flooding and increase water quality (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). This is a cost benefit the county may take advantage of for taxpayers.

4 Conclusion Stronger storm water standards are not only good for the environment and human quality of life, but they are also good for reducing the County s administrative costs and taxpayers insurance premiums. Local governments will increasingly receive credit for demanding development that has multiple uses and solves multiple problems such as storm water runoff and flooding. In Reducing Damage from Localized Flooding, FEMA clearly states that storm water standards include parking lot, rooftop, and street designs that retain and release storm water runoff over time (Federal Emergency Management Agency,2005). Although FEMA s interest is clearly reducing damage caused from flooding, the agency sees the benefits from dynamic structural designs using green infrastructure (See Figure 2). Further, recent studies suggest that green infrastructure practices will have substantial local and downstream economic benefits (Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2010). These practices can be cheaper to construct and maintain and have a longer life-cycle cost than centralized storm water strategies (Federal Emergency Management Agency). The CRS points that the County can receive through innovative storm water regulations are bound to rise, as FEMA continues to promote green infrastructure techniques that return the largest bang for the buck. Figure 2: Environmental Protection Agency. "Protecting Floodplains and Water Quality through LID." Presented at ASFPM Conference, June 2009 by Dov Weitman, Chief, Nonpoint Source Control Branch. n.d.

5 Works Cited Association of State Floodplain Managers. "Natural and Beneficial Floodplain Functions:." White Paper Environmental Protection Agency. "Protecting Floodplains and Water Quality through LID." Presented at ASFPM Conference, June 2009 by Dov Weitman, Chief, Nonpoint Source Control Branch. n.d. Federal Emergency Management Agency. "Reducing Damage From Localized Flooding: A Guide to Communities." Technical Report. June Chapters 1,2, & 3.. "Strategic Evaluation: CRS Credit for Protecting Natural Functions (Draft)." Technical Report. August Prince George's County and The City of Laurel Maryland. "Hazard Mitigation Plan: Public Review Draft 2010 Update." Technical Report Prince George's County Department of Environmental Resources. "Flood Management." Webpage. dmenu(7)