Use of FEMA Non regulatory Flood Risk Products in Planning Georgia Association of Floodplain Managers Annual Conference March 24, 2016
What are the Non regulatory Flood Risk products? Go beyond the basic flood hazard information on regulatory flood hazard products Provide a deeper and user friendly analysis of flood risk Help community members and officials view and visualize their local flood risk, allowing communities to make informed decisions about reducing flood loss and mitigating potential damage from flood hazards. WHOLE COMMUNITY Audience may include property owners, emergency management officials, community planners and developers, real estate and insurance specialists and other professionals and community decision makers.
What are the Non regulatory Flood Risk products? Provide information to assist with planning for and executing strategies to protect safety and reduce flood losses Used to create awareness that will also lead to reducing losses There is more to mitigation planning than FEMA driven hazard mitigation plans Datasets and product should be incorporated into state and local government operations
What are the Non regulatory Flood Risk products? Changes Since Last FIRM Flood Depth and Analysis Grids Flood Risk Assessment Dataset Areas of Mitigation Interest Flood Risk Products
Application of Flood Risk Datasets and Integration into: Products for Mitigation 1. Hazard Mitigation Planning 2. Floodplain Management and Community Rating System 3. Community Comprehensive or General Planning 4. Community Investment Capital Improvement Planning 5. Public Outreach 6. Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grant Application Prioritization and Support a) Including Benefit Cost Analysis or BCA Screening 7. Other Non FEMA Grants to Reduce Flood Risk 8. Response and Recovery Planning 9. Emergency Management/Evacuation Planning
Features/Benefits Changes Since Last FIRM Depicts changes made to floodplain and floodway boundaries and flood zone designations Easy to identify impacts of new maps on regulatory floodplain Assists in prioritizing mitigation actions Intended Users Community officials and leaders Planners Engineers Developers Insurance agents, realtors, lenders Citizens
Flood Depth and Analysis Grids Features/Benefits Assists with mitigation prioritization based on risk Assist local permit officials by identifying areas of high hazard Assists with cost effectiveness screening Effective visual tool to communicate risk to public Intended Users Planners Local Permit and Construction Inspection Officials Officials preparing mitigation grants Elected officials and local leaders Home owners/home buyers Realtors
Flood Risk Assessment Dataset Primarily based on: Hazus MR 4 Average Annualized Loss Study Refined Hazus analysis for new or updated flood study reaches Intended Users Planners Developers Community officials Emergency managers Features/Benefits Identifies areas of higher flood risk by census block Quantifies potential future flood losses to existing structures Improves ability to identify effective mitigation actions, or areas requiring higher building code requirements, or use of flood resilient designs and construction materials Supports mitigation plan updates through improved risk quantification Supports disaster recovery planning by showing areas of highest expected damages
Areas of Mitigation Interest Features/Benefits Identifies areas at risk of flooding, along with the factors that contribute to those risks Informs decision makers where mitigation actions or additional building code requirements are needed or further research is warranted Useful in formulating building code enhancements and prioritizing mitigation actions and identifying needed resources Helps visually communicate flood risk to the public Allows neighboring communities in a watershed study area to see factors that may impact them, fostering collaboration Can identify potential flooding issues associated with undersized culverts
Areas of Mitigation Interest (continued) Intended Users Planners, Developers, Engineers, Citizens
Flood Risk Products Contain or summarize the information found in the datasets The Flood Risk Database provides a framework for storage of datasets (for GIS Departments); The Flood Risk Report is a summary of key information (Useful tool for prioritizing mitigation actions and resources and useful for risk communication and outreach by community officials) The Flood Risk Map is a visual depiction of select information found in the datasets.
Features/benefits Flood Risk Map Visually depicts flood risk within a watershed (Includes Hazus risk assessment results and selected Areas of Mitigation Interest) Provides specific areas of focus for community consideration Shows the interrelation of flooding issues across jurisdictions within a watershed Combines multiple datasets from Flood Risk Database into one map Intended Users Community officials and leaders Developers Planners Citizens
Application of Flood Risk Datasets and Products for Mitigation HAZARD MITIGATION PLANNING
Mitigation Planning Cycle Update the Plan Establish a Planning Process Identify Hazards and Assess Risks Keep the Plan Current Develop a Mitigation Strategy Adopt and Implement the Plan
Hazard Mitigation Planning Better flood risk quantification through Flood Risk datasets Provides digital flood risk data that are easier and less expensive to update during subsequent revisions (for risk analysis) Reinforce interconnectedness of riverine and/or coastal systems for multi jurisdictional plans by using watershed analysis Reduce costs for planning risk assessments from coastal and riverine studies because loss estimates may already be provided through or enhanced by the Flood Risk Assessment and Database Identify and profile hazards and assess vulnerability through identifying structures, and estimating potential losses through the Flood Risk Assessment dataset
Hazard Mitigation Planning Better flood risk quantification through Flood Risk datasets (continued) Provide support documentation for project development for later grant submittals Communicate risk through flood loss estimation scenarios from Hazus information Identify goals and mitigation actions for the Mitigation Strategy Section Operating Guidance 6 11 walks through how it matches up to regulations
Hazard Mitigation Planning Flood Risk Datasets and Products may help local and state officials with developing flood risk mitigation actions Changes Since Last FIRM News areas may be found at risk to flooding; flood risk may have decreased in other areas this information is critical in determining where mitigation strategies are needed Areas of Mitigation Interest Helps to focus local officials attention on those areas that may need flood risk mitigation strategies Flood Risk Assessment and Flood Depth and Analysis Grids Planners and officials can identify where risk reduction efforts may produce the highest return on investment
The Disaster Mitigation Plan? You just have to know where to look!
Application of Flood Risk Datasets and Products for Mitigation FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM
Floodplain Management and CRS Using the datasets and products to promote floodplain management: Use the 1 Percent Plus Water Surface Elevation Grid for advising the local elected officials to consider adopting more freeboard. Use to advise elected officials and property owners that they should consider purchasing a Preferred Risk Flood Insurance policy Use Depth and Velocity Grids to develop higher regulatory standards for areas within the SFHA with higher risk Areas of Mitigation Interest that show flooding areas not included in the SFHA could also be used to create overlay zones to include in development standards Flood risk data can also be used to justify an investment in resources for managing the risk through programs such as the CRS, which provides financial incentives for participation
Floodplain Management and CRS Examples of potential CRS point generating uses: Areas of Mitigation Interest may identify stream flow constrictions, which could be mitigated locally through a culvert or bridge enlargement, an activity, which if it results in the protection of buildings in the SFHA would accrue CRS points Water Surface Elevation Grid for adopting freeboard in the local floodplain ordinance substantial credit would be given for this increased regulation Flood Risk Assessments show details of potential future flood losses of critical facilities using Hazus If the community used this information, and determines the need to adopt a more stringent flood protection standard for critical facilities, the community could receive CRS points
Application of Flood Risk Datasets and Products for Mitigation Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grant Application Prioritization and Support
HMA Grant Application Prioritization and Support (Including BCA Support) Project identification with Areas of Mitigation Interest Project Prioritization with Flood Risk Assessment and Depth Grids Evaluating cost effectiveness of potential mitigation projects Benefit Cost Analysis Screening with Depth Grids Evaluating effectiveness of completed projects Demonstration of losses avoided has taken on a new importance as elected officials seek to ensure that limited funds are being used effectively Depths at specific locations provide needed data
Application of Flood Risk Datasets and Integration into: Products for Mitigation 1. Hazard Mitigation Planning 2. Floodplain Management and Community Rating System 3. Community Comprehensive or General Planning 4. Community Investment Capital Improvement Planning 5. Public Outreach discuss areas with most severed flooding 6. Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grant Application Prioritization and Support a) Including Benefit Cost Analysis or BCA Screening 7. Other Non FEMA Grants to Reduce Flood Risk 8. Response and Recovery Planning 9. Emergency Management/Evacuation Planning roads to avoid
Where to go to get more information Google: FEMA Operating Guidance 6-11 and Areas of Mitigation Interest
Thank You! For Additional Information, please contact: Lawrence Frank, MRP, CFM lawrence.frank@atkinsglobal.com Mitigation & Resiliency Programs