Orange County Flood Insurance Study Update Larry Voice FEMA Region VI August 26, 2009
AGENDA Introduction Study Overview and Status Update Levees Post-Preliminary Process Outreach Moving Forward 2
Introduction FEMA Contracting Officer Technical Representative: Larry Voice 940-898-5419 FEMA Outreach Coordinator: Diane Howe 940-898-5171 Sign-In Sheet Questionnaire 3
Study Overview and Status Update 4
Orange County Flood Insurance Study Project Started 2006 Part of FEMA Map Part of a nation-wide effort to update coastal flood risk data. Seventeen of eighteen coastal counties 5
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
Data Acquisition and Engineering Analysis LiDAR Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) Coastal Storm Surge Model USACE Wave Analysis CF3R Riverine Studies CF3R DFIRM Mapping CF3R 7
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
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
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 10
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 11
What is Storm Surge? Wind and pressure driven ocean surface rise Wind stress on water surface Low pressure storm systems 12
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
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
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
Riverine Studies and DFIRM Mapping Riverine Studies Redelineation of riverine studies on effective FIRM Inclusion of one new community study Effects of new storm surge study on riverine elevations Levee Accreditation Owner must certify in accordance with 44 CFR 65.10 Levee will be shown as providing protection against 1% annual chance flood DFIRM Mapping New DFIRMs next year End of summer or early fall Post Preliminary Process 16
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 GIS-based Digital Maps New DFIRMs will include limit of moderate wave action (PM-50) Waves 1.5-3 feet No compliance requirements 17
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 18
LEVEE ACCREDITATION 19
Levee Accreditation No levees are shown as providing protection on effective FIRMs If community wants a levee accredited: Certify the levee in accordance with 44 CFR 65.10 Letter of Map Revision 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 20
POST PRELIMINARY PROCESS 21
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 22
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 protests 23
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. 24
OUTREACH MOVING FORWARD 25
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 26
Outreach Past Outreach Efforts Tropical Storm Alison Recovery Project (TSARP) http://www.tsarp.org/ Louisiana Mapping Project (LaMP) www.lamappingproject.com 27
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 28
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 29
Outreach Questionnaire What would the community like to see? 30