moving towards resilience in vermont
TRANSCRIPT
Moving Towards Resilience in VermontPresentation by Katharine Otto, AICP
Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, VT
2014 NADO Rural Transportation Peer Learning Conference – Cincinnati OH – December 2014
Overview
Why pursue resilience?
What is “resilience”?
State led efforts
Regional efforts
Town efforts
Why pursue resilience?Vermont is experiencing increasing severity and frequency of storm and flooding events.
Since the beginning of 2011◦ 8 federally declared major disasters related to severe storms and flooding
◦ Many smaller storms and flooding issues affecting just a few towns
Vermont experiences two types of flooding◦ Inundation – eg Lake Champlain Spring Flooding 2011
◦ Flash flooding/ Fluvial erosion – eg Tropical Storm Irene in August 2011
Cost $358 million for repairs to town and state infrastructure in 2011 alone (4 declared major disasters) (VTrans 2013).
Number of FEMA major disaster declarations in Vermont in 5 year increments. The upward trend is attributable to an increase in storm frequency and continuing development in vulnerable areas. (FEMA, 2012)
Transportation infrastructure typically bears the greatest proportion of economic costs from flood disasters in Vermont
What is “resilience”?FEMA
1. Mitigation
2. Preparedness
3. Response
4. Recover
VTrans
1. Response –emergency preparedness
2. Recovery – put back in order after the event
3. Resilience – build and act in such a way as to mitigate the problem in the future.
Example for Town Plan – In 24 V.S.A. §4382(12)
(A) A flood resilience plan that:i. identifies flood hazard and fluvial erosion
hazard areas, based on river corridor maps provided by the Secretary of Natural Resources pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 1428(a) or maps recommended by the Secretary, and designates those areas to be protected, including floodplains, river corridors, land adjacent to streams, wetlands, and upland forests, to reduce the risk of flood damage to infrastructure and improved property; and
ii. recommends policies and strategies to protect the areas identified and designated under subdivision (12)(A)(i) of this subsection and to mitigate risks to public safety, critical infrastructure, historic structures, and municipal investments
(B) A flood resilience plan may reference an existing local hazard mitigation plan approved under 44 C.F.R. §201.6.
Example for Regional Plan – In 24 V.S.A. §4348a(11)
(A) A flood resilience element that:i. identifies flood hazard and fluvial erosion
hazard areas, based on river corridor maps provided by the Secretary of Natural Resources pursuant to 10 V.S.A. § 1428(a) or maps recommended by the Secretary, and designates those areas to be protected, including floodplains, river corridors, land adjacent to streams, wetlands, and upland forests, to reduce the risk of flood damage to infrastructure and improved property; and
ii. recommends policies and strategies to protect the areas identified and designated under subdivision (11)(A) of this subsection and to mitigate risks to public safety, critical infrastructure, historic structures, and public investments.
(B) A flood resilience element may reference an existing regional hazard mitigation plan approved under 44 C.F.R. § 201.6.
…No single definition, but key words include
Fluvial Erosion &
Flood Hazards
Policies and
Strategies
Protect River
Corridors
Protect assets
Reduce and
mitigate risks
Education◦ Development of “Roads and
Rivers Training” by VTrans and VT Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) – Tiers 1 and 2 developed and being done www.vtwaterquality.org/rivers/docs/rv_riversroads_fieldguide_plain.pdf and http://wsmd.vt.gov/rivers/roadstraining
◦ Flood Ready Vermont website -http://floodready.vermont.gov/
Photo of stream table from Roads and Rivers Tier 2 Training 2014. By Katharine Otto
Policies and Standards◦ Revised Emergency Assistance and Relief Fund (ERAF) rules
https://outside.vermont.gov/agency/ANR/FloodResilience/Pages/ERAF.aspx◦ Revising State Standards and Manuals – including Hydraulics, Side slope design
near rivers, etc.◦ New River Corridor rules and maps from ANR
www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/rivers.htm◦ Recognizing co-benefits of resilience actions - eg culvert that is good hydraulically
is often also good for wildlife and erosion/ water quality issues.
Comparing a buffer setback to a river corridor. From “Fluvial Erosion Hazards Areas Frequently Asked Questions and Answers” by Vermont River Management Program Vermont Agency of Natural Resources. May 1, 2010 www.watershedmanagement.vt.gov/rivers/docs/rv_vtfehqa.pdf
Example: VT Agency of Transportation River Science Climate Resilience Strategy
Design for a flood a resilient box culvert that was built at the site in 2013. Note outline of temporary culvert put in place as part of the emergency response
Site of a culvert destroyed by Tropical Storm Irene in Rochester, VT on a tributary of the White River
Example: New VTrans Hydraulics ManualUses a “river science” approach and considers hydraulic capacity, sediment and debris. (Just hydraulic capacity in old manual)
Allows for more risk based design in terms of roadway safety and stream stability. E.g. a structure on town road with an ADT of 2000 over a unstable channel will be designed differently than a town road structure with and ADT of 20 over a stable channel.
Parallels language in the latest stream alteration permit so process is more clear to people unfamiliar with the design and permitting process (FEMA).
Washington DOT
Example: Side Slope DesignBefore
After
Example: New River Corridor Rules and Maps – draft just released tinyurl.com/floodreadyatlas
Planning◦ Supporting efforts to better inventory
assets – eg using LiDAR, fieldwork, improved databases and transparency of inventories
◦ Flood vulnerability mapping using LiDAR data
◦ Flood resilience is a new required element for local and regional plans
Plan today for tomorrow’s Flood. Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development, Dept of Housing & Community Development. http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities/planning/resiliency
Known damage site
Unknown erosion site
Previously armored site
Regional Planning CommissionsEfforts of transportation planners funded via Transportation Planning Initiative (TPI)
◦ Roads and Rivers Training
◦ Transportation System Resiliency Planning Pilot Study – just starting
◦ Roadway Drainage & Erosion Inventory and Prioritization Pilot Study – just starting
Regional Plans◦ Resiliency component
Assisting town to inventory their assets – roads, bridges, culverts◦ VT Online Bridge and Culvert Inventory Tool – www.vtculverts.org
◦ Better Backroads Program -http://vtransengineering.vermont.gov/bureaus/mab/better-back-roads
◦ Using other grants – eg Community Development Block Grants
Example: vtculverts.org Work started on framework in 2001 following direction from Vermont Legislature. Now used for over a decade.
Provided by VTrans and VT Regional Planning Commissions (RPCs)
Since 2012 system redesigned◦ make site easy to use by RPC staff,
Town staff and others.
◦ Less fields and easy web portal
As of 2013 database includes◦ 91,929 culverts
◦ 2651 bridges
Late 2014 additions◦ Adding prioritizations – based on a
variety of factors, including whether the culvert is big enough for the drainage area
◦ Adding ability to see if ANR has done a study on a culvert nearby
Example: Southern Windsor County Regional Plan Update 2014
Add Flood Resilience section per required element in 24 V.S.A. §4348a and to be consistent with State Planning Goals in 24 V.S.A. §4302
List sites that need potential hazard mitigation or improved drainage in Regional Transportation Plan (Volume 2 of plan)
New or improved goals, policies and recommendations that move towards resilient communities
Page 43 of 2014 Regional Transportation Plan (Volume 2 of Regional Plan) http://swcrpc.org/publications/
Town Plans
Inventorying infrastructure
Flood & River Corridor Regulations
Town Highway Codes & Standards
All-Hazard Mitigation Plans
Local Emergency Operations Plans
Climate Adaptation Plans
Capital Budget & Program
Hazard Mitigation Programs (e.g. buy outs)
Rebuilding Stronger – Learning from the Mad River Watershed. Vermont Agency of Commerce & Community Development, Dept of Housing & Community Development. http://accd.vermont.gov/strong_communities/opportunities/planning/resiliency/sgia
Key takeaways from Vermont◦Recognizing co-benefits of resilience actions - eg culvert that is good hydraulically is often also good for wildlife and erosion/ water quality issues.
◦Behind everything is an unprecedented level of inter-agency and multi-level collaboration
Questions?Contact: Katharine Otto, AICP. Southern Windsor County Regional Planning Commission, VT [email protected]
For more info about State led projects (particularly slides with VTrans logo at the bottom) contact Gina Campoli, VTrans [email protected]
Larry Kasden of the Ottauquechee Natural Resources Conservation District (http://onrcd.org/) facilitates a workshop for local primary school teachers on how to incorporate the “stream table” and rivers into classes