Cameron County, TX Consultation Coordination Officer (CCO) Meeting Please sign in (sheet at front of the room) Meeting will begin at 9:00 July 29, 2015 Lisa Jennings FEMA Region 6
Roles & Responsibilities FEMA Project Team Coordinate with State agencies and local communities Analyze flood hazard and flood risk Prepare draft result mapping Update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) Administer formal Appeal and Comment period
Roles & Responsibilities State Partners State National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Coordinator Coordinate with local officials Provide State oversight of NFIP State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) Coordinate with local officials Assist and review Hazard Mitigation Plans Review grant funding requests and submit to FEMA Texas Natural Resources Information System (TNRIS) Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) with FEMA
Roles & Responsibilities Local Communities Local Elected Officials Review draft data Collaborate with State and FEMA during review of study results Submit questions, comments, and concerns to FEMA Review ordinances for update, include higher standards Communicate study results with residents and business owners
Roles & Responsibilities Local Communities Local Floodplain Administrators Provide technical review of draft data Submit questions, comments, and concerns to FEMA Local Planning Staff Review changes Update flood hazard profile and mitigation strategies in Hazard Mitigation Plan
The NFIP No Federal law requires communities to join Community signs Resolution of Intent to join Indicates community s: explicit desire to participate in the NFIP commitment to recognize flood hazards adoption of minimum (or higher) standards for community development
The NFIP NFIP administered at local level Requirements are intended to: Prevent loss of life and property Reduce taxpayer costs for disaster relief Minimize economic and social hardships that result from flood events Support available for communities State NFIP Coordinator State Hazard Mitigation Officer (SHMO) FEMA Regional Staff
The NFIP Identifying Risk Locating areas of past flood inundation, culverts which are undersized, areas of development and areas naturally exposed to flooding. Analyzing Risk Determining the impact of natural hazards that lead to effective strategies for reducing risk Mitigating Risk Reducing or eliminating long term risk from existing and future construction through land use planning, adoption of sound building practices.
Scope of Flood Study Updated to countywide format Performed new coastal analysis New surge model New WHAFIS Model Revised flood hazards for Main Ditch No. 2 and Cameron County Drainage Ditch #1 Revised flood hazards along streams based on historic study data and new topographic data Prepared new digital products Change Layer (CSLF) prepared for community use and risk communication
Regulatory Products Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Preliminary map for review Flood Insurance Study (FIS) Text Overview of engineering analysis and approach Summary of Map Actions (SOMA) Shows Historic Map Changes Digital data on DVD Data is preliminary and comments and questions are welcomed!
Natural Hazards Are Unpredictable! Can you predict When the next hurricane or tropical storm will occur? Where it will make landfall? How many will landfall? Will it be a category 1 event? Or a Category 5? How fast is it moving?
Natural Hazards Are Unpredictable! FIRMs help planning efforts by Showing possible effects of 1-percentannual-chance storm along the coastline FIRMs account for: Existing land use conditions Based on aerial photography and site visits Effect of coastal surge Based on historical events Wave action Based on predicted interactions with the built up environment
How Do these Flood Risk Products Help You? Help local business owners and residents: Understand current flood risk Enable informed decisions about protecting against that risk Aid communities and state officials Grant funding application review and selection process Identify new areas of risk for incorporation into Hazard Mitigation Plan
Lessons Learned - Building Along Coastlines Slab-on-grade buildings constructed just outside of Zone V areas suffer damage due to: Surge Breaking waves Coastal erosion Scour Wave heights as small as 1.5 feet can cause significant damage to structures
New Mapping Feature: Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) 15
New Mapping Feature: Limit of Moderate Wave Action (LiMWA) The LiMWA
The LiMWA
Seclusion Mapping Process to allow flood insurance study to proceed Current Effective FIRM data shown in areas protected by levees Note placed in Notes to Users Advantages of Seclusion Gets modernized maps in hands of community Community can start using new data Current effective FIRMs are used for flood insurance rating purposes. Requires concurrence of impacted communities
Seclusion Note Seclusion Note Seclusion Boundary Current Effective FIRM Depicted Study Findings Depicted
New Levee Analysis and Mapping Procedures (LAMP) Approach FEMA has replaced the former levee analysis and mapping approach with a suite of alternative procedures created to: Comply with all current statutory and regulatory requirements governing the NFIP. LAMP does not change Code of Federal Regulation Requirements for Certification Be a cost-effective, repeatable, and flexible approach Leverage local input, knowledge, and data through proactive stakeholder engagement Align available resources for engineering analysis and mapping Consider unique levee and flooding characteristics Allow a variety of approaches to be applied to a levee system if needed.
Coastal Barrier Resources System (CBRS) Panel 300
Other Protected Areas Panel 175
Regulatory Mapping Products FIRM, FIS, LOMC, GIS Databases (FIRM DB and NFHL) Product Availability Final Regulatory and Preliminary Regulatory (last 12 months) https://msc.fema.gov/portal/productavailability Regulatory Product Status Preliminary, Pending, Effective, Historic Flood Map Tools FIRMette Web FIRMette Desktop FIRMette Tutorial Advanced Map-Viewing Tools NFHL Non-Regulatory Products Flood Risk Products Hazus How to: Find a Flood Map Read a Flood Map Purchase Flood Insurance Dispute a determination Find a LOMC Find NFIP Status MSC FAQs
Non-Regulatory Products Tools provided to assist communities Changes Since Last FIRM (CSLF) Allows address look-up to review map changes Online and currently available for public use Flood Depth Grids Layer added to the interactive web portal depicts flood depths along the coastline Link local websites to this interactive web portal http://maps.riskmap6.com/tx/cameron
Interactive Web Portal
Interactive PDF on RiskMAP6.com http://riskmap6.com/ documents/meeting_ 461/48061CIND0A_Hy perlink.pdf Clickable Panels Easy to print PDFs
Changes Cameron County, Texas Riverine SFHA Decrease, 6% Riverine SFHA Increase, 1% Non-Coastal to Coastal (VE), 1% Coastal Zone (VE) to Non- Coastal Zone, 4% Riverine SFHA Decrease Riverine SFHA Increase No Change to Zones (SFHA, Non-SHFA, Coastal), 88% Non-Coastal to Coastal (VE) Coastal Zone (VE) to Non-Coastal Zone No Change to Zones (SFHA, Non- SHFA, Coastal)
How Does This Product Help You? The Change Layer (CSLF) provides local officials an overview of difference between the effective and preliminary maps Supports: Proactive notification of residents and business owners of changes Promotion of smart building practices within flood hazard areas Review of flood profiles in local Hazard Mitigation Plans that may require updating Promotion of insurance/agent training in your area
Next Steps For Local Communities Immediate Actions Review the preliminary products Contact FEMA with questions Provide comments to FEMA Regional office Review current floodplain ordinances for needed updates Begin to communicate study results to residents and business owners
Next Steps For Local Communities Participate in Flood Risk Open Houses for your residents to interact with the updated mapping Communities are expected to advertise the event locally Risk Communication Guidebook resources http://www.riskmap6.com/guidebook.aspx Contact Region 6 for additional ideas Bring your paper maps Booths for each community Staff from 1:30 7 pm
Next Steps For FEMA Publication of the proposed flood hazard determination notice Part of the Regulatory Process Notice lists communities affected by mapping updates and revisions Publishes in the Federal Register Typically takes 30 days to publish in the Register After the Notice has published Local newspapers are contacted and two newspaper publication dates are confirmed Communities are notified two weeks before the first publication by way of certified letter sent to the CEO 90-day Regulatory Appeal/Comment Period starts the day of the 2nd newspaper publication
Next Steps
Appeal and Comment Period Formal 90-day appeal period held for communities involved in update process Review preliminary products for: New/revised base flood elevations (BFEs) New/revised Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) New/revised flood depth/elevations (Zone AO/AH) Zone designation changes (Zone AE Zone VE) New/revised floodway boundaries
Appeal and Comment Period Community Role in Process Collaborative interaction with FEMA Act as collection point for submittals to FEMA Review revision requests submitted to FEMA FEMA will work with the community throughout the process The products are a tool for your community s floodplain management. We are striving to create a great product for you!
Appeal and Comment Period Appeals and comments should be submitted, in writing, to FEMA at: Mrs. Sandra Keefe ATTN: Lisa Jennings, Appeal Coordinator FEMA Region VI 800 North Loop 288 Denton, Texas 76209
Community Floodplain Ordinance FEMA Assistance Model ordinance (a-e) is available for review and use The Model ordinance is the minimum standard If needed, contact: FEMA Compliance Specialist State NFIP Coordinator Consider adopting higher standards, if possible Increasing open space and adding freeboard requirements have proven to be the most beneficial for reducing risk
Community Floodplain Ordinance Community participation status is dependent on updating the ordinance prior to the FIRM effective date Update ordinance and submit to FEMA for review FEMA will review it against minimum standards FEMA will notify you of any required modifications FEMA will request submittal of the community adopted ordinance Adopted ordinance must be received and approved before the FIRM effective date
Risk Communications FEMA has tools to help your efforts Newsletters, Fact sheets, and Handouts Let us know what you are interested in, we most likely have a tool to assist you Interactive Mapping Web Portal Look up flood risk by address Link to our website! Training available on the resources page http://www.riskmap6.com/resources.aspx http://maps.riskmap6.com/tx/cameron
Risk Communications Risk Communication Guidebook for Local Officials Online access to tools, templates and ideas for how a community can communicate risk with residents and business owners Clickable Table of Contents Template for creating your own Community Outreach Strategy Links to customizable Word Documents for Community use Ideas and strategies to help you get started http://www.riskmap6.com/guidebook.aspx
Coming Soon Cameron County Flood Risk Open House To be determined in coordination with the County. Stakeholder Insurance Workshop Local officials, agents, lenders, real estate professionals To be determined in coordination with the County. Training and Webinars Interactive on-line sessions Building Science (coastal), Communicating Risk, Insurance, others Resilience Meeting
Questions? Floodplain Management & NFIP Compliance Mike Segner, TWDB Michael.Segner@twdb.state.tx.us Jaye Hendricks, FEMA Jaye.Hendricks@fema.dhs.gov Map Inquiries, Coastal and Riverine Engineering Larry Voice, FEMA Larry.Voice@fema.dhs.gov Hazard Mitigation & Planning Johnna Cantrell, TDEM Johnna.Cantrell@dps.texas.gov Bart Moore, FEMA Bart.Moore@fema.dhs.gov