fighting future flood damage - iowa league of cities · fighting future flood damage september 27,...

Iowa League of Cities

Fighting Future Flood Damage

September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

1

Fighting

Future Flood

Damage

A.J. Mumm, Polk County

Larry Hurst, Mills County

Iowa League of Cities 2012 Annual Conference & Exhibit

Handouts and presentations are available online at www.iowaleague.org

2



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Objectives • Introduce the Iowa Emergency Management

Association (IEMA) – mission, members and purpose

• Present the Mitigation Basics – definition, strategies and examples

• Describe the Planning Process

• Highlight the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program – eligible activity types and project examples

• Suggestions and Resources

• Q&A

3



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

The Iowa Emergency Management

Association exists to advance the professional

interests of its members and to assist Iowans in

preserving life and protecting property in the face of any

hazard.

• Iowa Certified EM • Legislative Advocacy • Continuing Education • Mentoring • Information Sharing • Networking

4



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Local Emergency Management Commissions

Local Emergency

Management Commission

Mayor Mayor Mayor Mayor Board of Supervisor Sheriff

Emergency Management

Agency

5



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

•Coordinating emergency and

disaster operations

• Facilitating recovery operations and programs following the impact of natural or man-made disasters

•Developing emergency plans, facilitating

training, and conducting disaster

exercises

•Creating and enhancing partnerships with local jurisdictions, the private sector, non-profit organizations, and citizens

Organize Prepare

Respond Recover

6



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Duties & Responsibilities

Hazard Analysis & Risk Assessment

Resource Management Planning Direction and

Control

Damage Assessment

Comms. and Warning

Operations and Procedures

Training

Exercises Public Education Admin.

7



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

mit·i·gate /ˈmɪtɪˌgeɪt/ Show Spelled [mit-i-geyt] Show IPA verb,

mit·i·gat·ed, mit·i·gat·ing.

verb (used with object)

1. to lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.

2. to make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.

3. to make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.

FEMA/DHS definition: sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects.*

*This definition distinguishes actions that have a long-term impact from those that are more closely associated with immediate response activities.

8



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Strategies & Examples

Prevention

• Planning and Zoning

• Building Codes

• Capital Improvement Programs

• Open Space Preservation

• Storm Water Management Regulations

• Drainage System Maintenance

Property Protection

• Acquisition

• Elevation

• Relocation

• Structural Retrofits

• Flood Proofing

• Shatter Resistant Glass

• Insurance

Public Education & Awareness

• Outreach Projects

• Real Estate disclosure

• Info Centers

• Education program

• Technical Assistance

• Flood maps and data

Natural Resource Protection

• Sediment and erosion control

• Stream corridor restoration

• Watershed management

• Forest and vegetation management

• Wetland restoration and preservation

Emergency Services Measures

• Warning

• Dam Condition monitoring

• Emergency response planning

• Evacuation

• Critical facilities protection

• Health and safety maintenance

Structural Projects

• Storm water controls (culverts)

• Floodwalls and levees

• Diversions

• Storm sewers

• Channel modifications

• Retaining walls

• Safe rooms

• reservoirs

9



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Mitigation Planning Overview

10



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa


• Step 1: Organize Resources

– Identifying and engaging interested members of the community

– Technical experts

– Elected officials

– Private Sector

– Schools

Document thoroughly with agenda, objectives, sign-in sheets, outcomes, etc.

11



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Mitigation Planning Overview • Step 2: Assess Risks

– Characteristics and potential consequences of hazards • Historical occurrence, probability, vulnerability,

geographic extent, severity of impact, speed of onset

– Impacts and cascading potentials

– Community assets

Emergency management agency will likely already have a Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment completed. Committee can review, comment and amend for use in this planning process.

12



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

13



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa


• Step 3: Develop a Mitigation Plan – Potential hazard and asset candidates will

be revealed in the risk assessment phase

– Prioritize strategies and projects:

Social acceptance

Technical capabilities

Administrative capacity

Political appetite

Legal authorities

Environmental impact/benefits

Economic feasibilities – Benefit Cost Analysis

14



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa


• Step 4: Implement Plan and Monitor Progress – Pre-disaster mitigation project grants

– Post-disaster mitigation project grants

– Post-disaster public assistance program

– Capital Improvements Program

– Comprehensive Plan

– Incentives for private business and residents

– Others

15



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

16



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

• Hazard Mitigation Grant Program HMGP

• Pre-Disaster Mitigation PDM

• Flood Mitigation Assistance FMA

• Repetitive Flood Claims RFC

• Severe Repetitive Loss SRL

17



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Program Description • Each program was authorized by separate legislation action,

and as such, each program differs slightly in scope and intent

•Stafford Act

•Follows major disaster declaration

•Funding based on federal assistance for disaster recovery statewide HMGP

•Stafford Act

•Pre-Disaster

•Annual appropriation PDM

•National Flood Insurance Act

•Reduce claims under National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

•Annual appropriation FMA


•Reduce damages to individual properties with one or more claim payments

•Annual appropriation RFC


•Reduce damages to individual properties with severe repetitive losses

•Annual appropriation SRL

18



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Historic HMA Funding

FY HMGP * PDM FMA RFC SRL

10 23,361,517 100,000,000 40,000,000 10,000,000 70,000,000

09 359,034,202 90,000,000 35,700,000 10,000,000 80,000,000

08 1,246,236,812 114,000,000 34,000,000 10,000,000 80,000,000

07 315,730,830 100,000,000 31,000,000 10,000,000 40,000,000

06 232,227,932 50,000,000 28,000,000 10,000,000 40,000,000

* fluctuate based on the number and severity of declared disasters

19



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Eligibility & Cost Sharing

Entity HMGP *

PDM FMA RFC SRL

State agency (EM or similar) X X X X X

Tribal Governments X X X X X

Local government X X X X X

Private non-profit organizations X

In general, HMA funds may be used to pay up to 75% of the eligible

activity costs. Remaining 25% of eligible costs are derived from

non-Federal sources. There are some exceptions.

In general, the non-Federal share may not be met with other Federal

sources, however, there are some exceptions; namely, the U.S. Housing

and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grants

(CDBG),

20



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Eligible Activities by Program

21



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Property Acquisition and Structure Demolition

• Voluntary acquisition of at-risk structure and land

• Conversion of land to deed-restricted open-space in perpetuity

22



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Property Acquisition and Structure Relocation

• Voluntary acquisition of at-risk structure and land

• Conversion of land to deed-restricted open-space in perpetuity

• Physical relocation of existing structure to an area outside hazard prone area

23



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Structure Elevation

• Physically raising structure to Base Flood Elevation or higher

• Continuous foundation walls

• Piers or posts

• On fill

• Utilities must be elevated as well

24



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Mitigation Reconstruction

• Only eligible under Severe Repetitive Loss program

• Construction of an improved, elevated building on the same site when an existing structure has been partially or completely demolished or destroyed

25



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Dry Flood-proofing

• Techniques to keep structures dry by sealing the structure to keep floodwater out

• Permissible on historic residential structures only when other techniques would cause to lose its status

26



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Minor Localized Flood Reduction Projects

• Lessen the frequency or severity

• Decrease predicted flood damages

27



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Structural Retrofitting of Existing Buildings

• Modifications to structural elements to reduce or eliminate the risk of future damage and to protect inhabitants

28



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Non-Structural Retrofitting of Existing Buildings and Facilities

• Bracing of building contents

• Elevation of heating and ventilation systems

29



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Safe Room Construction

• Provide immediate life-safety protection in public (community) or private structures from tornado and severe wind events, including hurricanes

30



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Infrastructure Retrofit

• Measures to reduce risk to utilities, roads and bridges

31



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Soil Stabilization

• Geo-textiles, stabilizing rods, decreasing slope angles, rip rap, anchoring

32



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Wildfire Mitigation

• Defensible space

• Ignition-resistant construction

• Fuels reduction

33



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: Post-Disaster Code Enforcement

• Support post-disaster rebuilding

• Sufficient expertise on hand to ensure appropriate codes and standards are utilized and enforced

34



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Activity: 5% Initiative Projects

• Difficult to prove BCA cost effectiveness but are consistent with goals of state or local mitigation plans

• Must meet all other HMGP program requirements

35



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Ineligible Activities

• Do not reduce risk

• Projects that are dependant on another phase to be effective

• Actual physical work as begun prior to award final approval

• Temporary measures

• New construction – Saferoom exception

• Projects that create revolving loan funds

• Projects required as a result of negligence, intentional actions, remedy a code violation or legal obligation imposed by a settlement or court order

• Activities on federal lands

• Beach nourishment/re-nourishment

• Retrofitting facilities primarily used for religious purposes, however a place of worship may be included in property acquisition when the whole area is being removed

• Activities that address only man-made hazards

• Landscaping

• Hazmat site remediation

• Protection of environment (solely)

• Prescribed burning

• Studies not directly related to design and implementation of a mitigation project

• Preparedness measures and response equipment

36



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Cost Effectiveness

• FEMA validated BCA

• Future benefits (projected losses avoided) related to the project costs

37



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Environmental and Historic Preservation Requirements

• Programs must conform to all Environmental and Historic Preservation laws

– National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

– National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)

– Endangered Species Act

• And Executive Orders

– Floodplain Management

– Protection of Wetlands

– Environmental Justice

38



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

National Flood Insurance Program Eligibility Requirements

• For structures that remain in the Special Flood Hazard Area after the implementation of the project… – Flood insurance must be maintained for the life of

the structure

– Equal to at least the cost of the project

– Regardless of the transfer of ownership

– Subgrantee is responsible for any flood map amendments

– Any costs associated with changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Map are eligible in cost estimate during application process

39



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Suggestions • Pre-disaster vs. Post-disaster

– Emotion/Reaction

– Clarity of Thought

– Opportunities

• Multi-jurisdictional approach

– Net gain benefits vs. deflected costs

• Integration – Comprehensive Plan

– Capital Improvements Plan

– Lessons Learned

40



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Resources • Local Emergency Management Agency

• Councils of Government

• Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• Private Contractors

41



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Q & A

42



September 27, 2012

Sioux City, Iowa

Thank You

fighting future flood damage - iowa league of cities · fighting future flood damage september 27,...

Documents