NC FIMANHurricane Florence Success Stories and

Future VisionApril 30, 2019

Tom Langan, PE, CFM, North Carolina Division of Emergency Management

The Genesis 1999… Hurricane Dennis followed by Floyd

NC Flood Warning Program Goals

• Real-time flood inundation mapping (current and forecast)

• Alerts• Leverage vast investment in data• Assist in risk-based decisions during and

before disaster• Prevent and reduce the loss of lives and

property

NC Flood Warning Program Timeline

1999•Hur. Floyd

•52 deaths

2003•NOAA Grant(s)

•Eastern basins

•Initial Site

2006•NC Funding

•Western growth

2007•More Libraries

•NC Gages

2008•IHRMProject

•100% digital

•Building level risk

2011•Coastal Gages

•Coastal Libraries

2013•NEXFIM•Pilot Project

2016•FIMAN 2.0

•Hur. Matthew

2017•New Sites

2018•Hur. Florence

•New Sites

What is FIMAN?

What is an Inundation Library?

“Library” of flood inundation mapping near gaging stations

+ Gaging Stations+ Telemetry+ Pre-made inundation libraries+ Web tool to efficiently

communicateReal-time flood mapping solution

N. Fork Catawba River @ HWY 221

Site Login

Home Screen / Current Severity

Gage Search Options

Dashboard Concept

• Three Tabs– Current: Provides most recent gage data– Scenario: Planning tool for visualization and

impact– Forecast: Shows timeline using NWS forecast data

• Info Widgets– Interactive for stage, flow, forecast, impacts

Current Inundation Level and Flow

Gage Stage Charts + Forecast

Flood Impacts/Damages

Flood Scenario Mode

Forecast

Gage Summary Reports

Statewide Reports

Real Time Alerts

Hurricane Florence – September 2019FIMAN in Action

Rainfall Depths and Return Periods

Vital Component of EOC Operations

9/14/18: Florence Makes Landfall

9/14/18: Rivers Rising with Forecasts

9/15/18

9/16/18

9/17/18

9/23/18

9/27/18

Support Federal Disaster Declaration

Hurricane Florence:Ground Truth Testing

NOAA Imagery 9/19

Contentnea Creek at Hookerton: 9/19

FIMAN Inundation 9/19NOAA Imagery 9/19

Neuse River at Goldsboro

(9/19/18)

State Disaster Recovery Act of 2018• Install 22 new Riverine and 3 Coastal

radar gages – generate inundation map libraries and risk calculations

• Extend inundation libraries and risk modeling for 20 existing gages

• Develop inundation libraries at 30 existing gages that currently do not have inundation libraries

• Install 3 riverine and 12 coastal ultrasonic low cost water level sensors at high risk bridges and culverts

FIMAN Build Out• 5-yr plan designed to increase FIMAN coverage for municipalities across the state• Ranked and Prioritized 320 new gages

• Flood warning for critical infrastructure and roadway overtopping

Drainage Area Bridge ConditionFreeboard Average Daily Traffic

Critical Facilities Impacted Buildings

Questions?Tom Langan, PE, CFM

tom.langan@ncdps.gov

North Carolina Emergency Management

North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program

Effective Post 2013 – 24

Ready for LFD – 7

Revised Preliminary – 10

Preliminary – 0

Approved for Preliminary –12

Flood Database Review – 9

H&H Review – 12

In Survey – 12

FY18 Funding – 3

North Carolina Emergency Management

NCFMP 2019 status

RiskMAP PMR effective issuances: 114 countiesRiskMAP Countywide effective issuances: 24 countiesRiskMAP 2019 estimated countywide LFD issuances:19

countiesRiskMAP 2019 estimated countywide preliminary

Releases: ~19 counties

North Carolina Emergency Management

Sea Level Rise/Climate Change: Not Factored In

DFIRMs are based on existing shoreline characteristics, and wave and storm climatology at the time of study

By current Code of Federal Regulations, we cannot map flood hazards based on anticipated future sea levels or climate change.

In 2012 Congress directed FEMA to establish a Technical Mapping Advisory Council to provide recommendations on future flood hazard mapping guidelines—including recommendations for future mapping conditions, the impacts of sea level rise and future development. FEMA will be required to incorporate future risk assessment in accordance with the recommendations of the Council.

North Carolina Emergency Management

NFIP Flood Maps and Stormwater Mgmt.Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) show the

flood risk for drainage areas greater than 1 sq. mile (rural areas), and 0.5 sq. miles for urban areas.

Not mapping areas less than these threshholds, but many communities report these areas have

repetitive floodingNFIP does encourage communities to adopt

higher development standards, and rewards them with reduced premiums if participating in the Community Rating System (86 in NC)

Properties outside SFHA have more difficulty getting mitigation grants to remove or elevate, as the Benefit/Cost is harder to justify.

Statistics of Note23% of NFIP Policies

are for bldgs. outside the SFHA

25% of all claims come from these buildings

80% of properties damaged during Floyd were outside the SFHA

North Carolina Emergency Management40

State Hazard Mitigation Planning• Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)supports

local level planning:• Supporting the development of local hazard

mitigation plans.• Flood Risk mapping for vulnerability assessments, including

building footprints, first floor elevations, damage calculations, identification of ‘Hot Spots’ of building in harm’s way, and Risk Mitigation Tool (to facilitate the development of Hazard Mitigation Plans)

• Providing technical assistance and training to local governments to assist in applying for HMGP grants; and

North Carolina Emergency Management41

State Hazard Mitigation Planning• Risk Management supports local level

planning:• Supporting the development of local hazard

mitigation plans.• Flood Risk mapping for vulnerability assessments, including

building footprints, first floor elevations, damage calculations, identification of ‘Hot Spots’ of building in harm’s way, and Risk Mitigation Tool (to facilitate the development of Hazard Mitigation Plans)

• Providing technical assistance and training to local governments to assist in applying for HMGP grants; and

North Carolina Emergency Management

Building Resilient Communities Through Action

Best Management Practices

Land Use Ordinances

Local Building Codes

Mitigation Projects

Community Identified Mitigation Programs

North Carolina Emergency Management

North Carolina Emergency Management

Property Protection Mitigation MethodsModify existing structures/ infrastructure to protect

from hazards or remove from hazard area

Examples:Acquisition/RelocationElevationRetrofitsFloodproofingStorm shutters

North Carolina Emergency Management

Strategies To Mitigate Flood Risk:1. Identification of mitigation goals—broad

statements achieved through implementation of specific actions including implementation of polices as well as projects

2. Identification, consideration and analysis of available mitigation measures (actions) to achieve goals

3. Selection and prioritization of specific mitigation actions to be pursued

North Carolina Emergency Management

Resilient redevelopment Plans• 50 counties • 949 Actions identified• Infrastructure actions > 50% of projected

number of strategies and total costs

• Over $2 Billion for Action Costs• Stormwater Mgmt. is #1 project type,

which accounts for nearly 20% of total costs ($397.6 M)

• Approximately 95,000 structures damaged

• Approximately 59,000 in the SFHA

• Approximately 17,000 substantially damages structures

USAR teams search for home survivors (FEMA)