NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION URGED · 2020-01-24 · Vol. 17, No. 3 June 2005 ASSOCIATION OF STATE...

Vol 17 No 3June 2005 ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS INC

NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION URGEDIn letters to the President Congress and governors of the 50 states the American WaterResources Association (AWRA) in April called for the establishment of a a National WaterCommission as part of a much-needed effort to chart a path for the future that will addressgrowing challenges in the management and protection of the nationrsquos water resources Thisrecommendation was the product of the Second National Water Policy Dialogue held in TucsonArizona in February 2005 The gathering was conducted by AWRA with the sponsorship ofnine federal agencies and 40 state local business and non-governmental organizations andattended by over 250 of the nationrsquos water resources experts (including representatives of theASFPM and several ASFPM members)

Among the serious challenges facing the nation include droughts that have resulted in annuallosses of over $5 billion conflicts among states over water use and allocation deteriorating water qualityconditions flood losses that continue to grow an aging water infrastructure that was rated sub-standardand at risk by the American Society of Civil Engineers [see News amp Views April 2005 p 5] andcontinued wetland losses and other environmental degradation

The AWRA letters call on national leaders tobull Address the nationrsquos water issues in an integrated manner focusing not on single projects

but on programs and watershed- and basin-level issuesbull Reconcile the myriad laws executive orders and Congressional guidance that have created

a disjointed ad-hoc national water policybull Clearly define 21st century goalsbull Effectively coordinate the actions of federal state tribal and local governments in dealing

with water seeking collaboration instead of competition to use scarce resources moreefficiently and to overcome decision gridlock on key water programs

bull Focus the nationrsquos superb scientific capabilities and cutting-edge information technologiesto support better water-related decision-making and

bull Educate public officials and the public about the extent and complexity of water challengesand the need to provide funding to support water resources infrastructure

The AWRArsquos call for national guidance coincides with recommendations recently advanced bythe ASFPM namely that federal coordination and leadership is essential to the effective management ofwater resourcesmdashand water problemsmdashthat are shared by all

gt gt gt The letters a summary of the Dialogue and other information are available athttpwwwawraorgmeetingsTucson2005

See you in MadisonThe ASFPM Annual Conference

June 13-17 2005Madison Wisconsin

see httpwwwfloodsorg

News amp Views June 20052

from the ChairChad Berginnis CFM

Do you remember back when you were in high school and went on a senior field trip Iremember it fondlymdashwe went to New York City for four days and experienced the rich culturaland historical opportunities that abound in the ldquocity that never sleepsrdquo Well I recently had asimilar experience when on behalf of the ASFPM I was part of a panel of international guests atthe invitation of the Ministry of Water Resources Peoplersquos Republic of China at a workshop toassist with the development of a national flood management strategy But this was no ordinaryworkshop

China with a population approaching 14 billion has significant flooding issues As anation China is trying to address flood management in a comprehensive way that combines bothstructural and non-structural measures implements the principles of multi-objectivemanagement and reaches a balance between acceptable flood damage and flood managementefforts The workshop was one in a series of steps that the Chinese government is taking todevelop a comprehensive flood management strategy Their task is unimaginably daunting yetabsolutely necessary China is going through unprecedented period of industrializationprosperity compressing into decades what in the United States occurred over two centuriesmdashand all with a population many times larger then ours on a land area comparable in size

From a flood management perspective China does several things well They have arigorous flood response and flood fighting regime Also nearly all of the land area in China isunder the planning authority of a River Basin District (RBD) The RBDs have planning andcoordination authority over the construction of flood control works and flood fighting althoughlittle impact on ongoing development and construction They have a good system of floodrecovery and even a compensation system for flood victims to help offset flood losses Also theyhave several recently enacted national laws on water resource and floodplain management thataccommodate a comprehensive approach

However China faces several challenges China has large flood detention areas but thesesame areas have settlements and are used intensively for agriculture which during a flood leadsto increased losses China is also just developing a comprehensive set of maps identifying floodhazard areas They do not have a flood insurance program but are very interested in the UnitedStatesrsquo program My point is that although we are vastly different countries we can learn fromone another because many of the problems of floodplain management are similar In a way I feltas if I was somehow part of the Chinese version of the legendary 1968 ldquoUniversity of Chicagomeetingsrdquo where Gilbert White Jack Shaeffer and others met to discuss what was to be the basisof our nationrsquos flood policy for decades to come

Coincidence or not I couldnrsquot help but wonder if that trip was my ldquoseniorrdquo experience asI complete my term as Chair of the ASFPM In many ways the trip was similar to my muchearlier trip to New York City inasmuch as it shaped my perceptions of the world and opened mymind to new experiences and ideas Perhaps I am also being a bit nostalgic about the last twoyears and serving as Chair for an organization as wonderful as the ASFPM I wish to express aheartfelt ldquothank yourdquo to all of the members that have contributed in some waymdashsmall or largeYour contributions of time talents and resources make the ASFPM a very effectiveorganization even if you do not always see those results immediately

It has been a lot of fun and extremely educational traveling to different chapter meetingsand learning about how floodplain management is implemented in different areas of our countryAdmittedly I have benefited greatly as I will ldquostealrdquo some of those great ideas and try toimplement them here in Ohio Which leads to my final point Why should you be involved inthe ASFPM I think now I know the answer to enhance your knowledge of floodplainmanagement swap ideas have fun and make a difference See you in Madison curren

News amp Views June 2005 3

SACRAMENTO-AREA LEVEE MESSAGE CLEAR The last News amp Views (April 2005 p 12) described some of the reaction in California to the news of

the much-anticipated certification of parts of the levee system in the basins of the American andSacramento rivers in the north-central part of the state The article drew a thoughtful letter from Pete

Ghelfi printed below in which he clarifies the dual message begin conveyed by official agencies and thesound policy behind it

News and Views Staff

While I enjoy reading the News and Views newsletter I think there was a missedopportunity to show the rest of the country what our community is trying to relate to itsconstituents regarding floodplain management and protecting their investments In yourarticle the phrase ldquoofficial ambivalencerdquo is used to characterize our message that ourconstituents can cancel their insurance but are cautioned about the risk they still face

I agree that we have a dual message to convey to our residents but the direction that wewant to go is clear We want greater than 200-year level of protection for our community We havebeen providing our community incremental improvements in flood protection over the years andlast November we completed enough work to have a portion of our levee system certified asproviding FEMA 100-year level of flood protection As you know when it comes to FEMA floodinsurance there is no ldquogray areardquomdashyou are in or out There is no flood zone that says ldquoIt is a goodidea to have flood insurance but you are not required to carry itrdquo

SAFCA the City of Sacramento and the County of Sacramento believe we are operatingin that ldquogray areardquo Our message to our constituents is that when you are in a FEMA 100-yearfloodplain you are in a high risk area when you are protected by levees that provide 100-year to200-year level of protection you are in a moderate risk area and if you are protected by levees with200-year level of protection that you are in a low risk area The common theme to all of this is thatthere is always a risk of flooding when you live behind levees

Our outreach message to our constituents informs them of the map change conveys therisk that they still face and urges them to convert their existing A99 policies to Preferred RiskPolicies We believe that a PRP is a great way to reduce flood insurance premiums to ourconstituents (if everybody that was removed from the SFHA converted to a PRP it would result inpremium savings of over $10 millionyear for the community) and it would leave them financiallyprotected in the event that we have greater than the infamous 1-percent storm We are obligated tolet our constituents know that they have the option of dropping their flood insurance andexplaining how they can do so if they choose We would be remiss if we did not disclose thisoption to them

We believe we are being good floodplain managers by promoting flood insurance for areasoutside the FEMA 100-year floodplain that are protected by levees This accomplishes severalpoints

bull A Preferred Risk Policy insurance protects a residentrsquos most significant investmentbull Carrying insurance is a reminder of flood riskbull SAFCA believes that a structure subject to moderate flood risk should carry insurance

flood insurance when it is behind a leveeWe trust that ASFPM will view our dual outreach message as honest and enlightened given

the available options and the continued moderate risk of flooding in areas protected by levees If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at (916)874-8733 or email at

ghelfipsaccountynet Also you can talk to me at the ASFPM conference in June

Sincerely

Pete Ghelfi PE CFM Director of Engineering


USGS DOCUMENTS STREAMFLOW TRENDS

The US Geological Survey has identified nationwide trends toward increasing streamflowin many areas of the nation since 1940 based on data collected from long-term USGSstreamgages This conclusion and several more interesting trends in the nationrsquosstreamflows can be found in four new fact sheets recently issued by the agency

Streamflow Trends in the United States demonstrates that streamflow has been increasingin the United States since at least 1940 The most widespread increases were in the UpperMississippi the Ohio Valley Texas-Gulf and the Mid Atlantic This means that duringtypically dry periods more water is now available in the streams

bull Streamflow increased across most of the United States during the 20th century at40-45 of these 435 stations

bull Increases were most prevalent in low to moderate streamflows (seen at 40 ofthe stations) with relatively few decreases (seen at 8 of stations)

bull Comparatively few stations (10) had increases in annual maximumstreamflow

bull Streamflow increases occurred as a sudden rather than gradual change around1970 suggesting the climate shifted to a new regime

gt gt gt Available at httppubswaterusgsgovfs2005-3017

Changes in Streamflow Timing in New England During the 20th Century shows that overthe last 30 years winterspring streamflows occurred one to two weeks earlier than inprevious decades in northern or mountainous areas of New England

bull For 14 of 27 streamgages in New England half the total volume of streamflowfor winterspring (January 1 to May 31) now arrives earlier than it did in the firsthalf of the 20th century

bull This shift to earlier streamflow was evident at all of the gages in the northernand mountainous areas of Maine and New Hampshire where snowmelt has thegreatest effect on streamflow (11 of the 27 streamgages)

bull Only 4 of the 27 streamgages exhibited shifts in the timing of fallwinterstreamflow (October 1 to December 31) and all of these tended toward earlierstreamflow


Changes in Streamflow Timing in the Western United States in Recent Decades notes thatstreamflows in most western rivers occur almost one to three weeks earlier now than theydid in the middle of the 20th century As much as three-quarters of water supplies in thewestern United States are derived from snowmelt Trends toward earlier snowmelt andstreamflow need to be considered in the water resource and flood management systems andprocedures in many western settings

bull The average streamflow center-of-volume date (the date on which one-half ofthe total annual flow volume passes a streamgage) in the western United Statesis about nine days earlier now than in the 1950s

bull These shifts in timing result both from late winter and early spring temperatureincreases and from changes in the form of precipitation (increasing liquidprecipitation smaller percentage of snow) in late winter and early spring


Trends in the Water Budget of the Mississippi River Basin 1949-1997 shows that thestreamflow of the Mississippi River was influenced by both climate and human activities

[continued on page 5]


Streamflow Trends (cont)such as construction of water reservoirs agricultural irrigation and groundwater pumping from 1949 to 1997 This study involved analysis of trends in precipitation streamflowevapotranspiration depletion of ground water and the filling of reservoirs

bull Streamflow in the Mississippi River basin increased at a rate of 45 per decadeduring the second half of the 20th century

bull This increase resulted primarily from an increase in precipitation offset byincreases in evaporation from reservoirs and irrigated cropland in the basin


The analysis and conclusions drawn by the fact sheets emphasize the importanceof maintaining long-term comprehensive streamflow gages and data collection systemsOf the nearly 22700 streamgages for which the USGS has records 435 monitor naturalbasins and have records of sufficient length to analyze climatic trends ldquoUnderstandingstreamflow trends is essential to effective management of the nationrsquos water supply and iscritical to developing strategies that mitigate the potential negative impacts of floods anddroughtsrdquo according to Robert Hirsch USGS Associate Director for Water

The USGS has been measuring and recording streamflow in the United States sincethe late 1800s Today the USGS monitors streamflow at 7400 locations nationwide Thestreamflow information is used for many purposes such as water resource appraisal andallocation design of infrastructure such as bridges and water treatment plants flood hazardplanning National Weather Service flood forecasting reservoir operations water-qualitymanagement habitat assessment and protection recreational enjoyment and safety andunderstanding changes in streamflow due to land use and climate changes

gt gt gt USGS streamflow data are available at httpwaterusgsgovwaterwatch

MARY FRAN MYERS SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDEDThe Natural Hazards Center has awarded two Mary Fran Myers Scholarships for 2005 toAna Pamela Membrentildeo de Martinez University of Guelph Canada and to Wei ChoongAsian Disaster Preparedness Center Bangkok Thailand The scholarships fund travel toand participation in the annual invitational Hazards Workshop held in Boulder Colorado

Both recipients have demonstrated commitment to the furtherance of hazard lossreduction and determination to contribute to the sharing and application of knowledgeresearch and information among professionals in pertinent fields Choong has been doingcommunity-based disaster reduction work in Asia and the Pacific Her recent experiencehas focused on how mitigation intervention (in the form of a small amount of financialassistance) that targets urban areas can enhance indigenous coping techniques such ashouse raising improving drainage raising roads and building small dikes and levees deMartinez is from Honduras where she worked as a civil engineer on reconstruction afterHurricane Mitch She is pursuing a graduate degree in Rural Planning and Development atthe University of Guelph and plans to resume mitigation work in Honduras includingwork on a program for integrated floodplain management under the auspices of theOrganization of American States

The scholarship is supported by contributions from the ASFPM and others and isawarded in memory of Myers a dedicated floodplain manager and former Co-Director ofthe Natural Hazards Center She worked to foster the integration of scientific research andits application to real-world problems and was particularly concerned that financial neednot preclude qualified and enthusiastic professionals from participating in the workshopthe most significant gathering of both scientists and research users in the hazards field

gt gt gt Application information is available at httpwwwcoloradoeduhazards


Washington ReportTSUNAMI WARNINGS STRENGTHENED

On May 11 2005 the President signed into law the Emergency SupplementalAppropriations Act for Defense the Global War on Terror and Tsunami Relief (PL109-13) which includes $172 million for the National Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration (NOAA) to support the expansion and enhancement of NOAA tsunamiwarning capabilities The law also provides $81 million for the US Geological Survey toaccelerate improvements in its seismic monitoring capabilities and information deliverysystems About $656 million is provided for tsunami recovery and rehabilitation efforts inthe Indian Ocean

FLOOD MAP CHANGES EFFECTIVE

The May 31 Federal Register published the flood map compendium for the last six monthsof 2004 The compendium lists all the NFIP map changes that became effective from July1 2004 through December 31 2004 It lists by community changes effective due toletters of map amendment letters of map revision letters of map revision based on fillletters of map revision with and without changes in base flood elevations floodwayrevisions and republished panels Access it at httpa257gakamaitechnet7257242201jan20051800edocketaccessgpogov2005pdf05-10616pdf

DISASTER MITIGATION GRANTS NOT TAXABLE AFTER ALL

On April 15 the President signed into law HR 1134 which will protect citizens frombeing taxed for disaster mitigation grants

Disaster mitigation grants are widely used by states cities and towns to mitigatefuture damage to property Homeowners often use the grants for projects such as elevatingor relocating structures after flooding in order to minimize the potential for future lossesFEMA disaster mitigation grantsmdashsuch as those issued under the Hazard Mitigation GrantProgram the Flood Mitigation Assistance program and the Pre-Disaster Mitigationprogrammdashhave saved an estimated $29 billion in disaster recovery over the last 15 years

A year ago the IRS ruled that disaster mitigation funds are taxable as incomeBefore that such assistance had not been considered income for tax purposes and in themeantime property owners were accepting mitigation funds without any idea that theycould be taxed as income The new law reverses that situation and applies retroactively

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

At the Moment Appropriations activity is in mid-cycle on Capitol Hill The House has marked up orpassed 8 of its 10 regular appropriations bills The Senate Appropriations Committee isexpected to begin markups in June Other bills and issues of interest to floodplainmanagers have seen some activity and some new measures have been introduced that willneed to be followed



Washington Report (cont)Appropriations

FEMAmdashThe House passed its Homeland Security Appropriations bill on May 17(HR 2360 HRept 109-79) The Senate bill is not marked up but likely will be the weekof June 13

The total bill is $308 billion $14 billion over FY lsquo05 and $13 billion over thePresidentrsquos request According to the Subcommittee on Homeland Security the billcontains ldquoan aggressive oversight strategyrdquo because the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) has ldquoignored requests for information and directions to move expeditiously in theimplementation of important national policies and goals There are more than $485million in cuts because we did not get the information we needed to make informeddecisions about programs and operations There is also more than $310 million in fencedfunding until the Department performs certain actionsrdquo

Repetitive LossmdashThe bill includes the full additional $70 million in transferfunding for the newly enacted programs to mitigate repetitive flood loss properties only$8 million had been requested by the Administration which prepared its request beforepassage of the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004

MappingmdashThe bill provides $200 million $68000 under the request Thatincludes specific mapping requests for sites in Arkansas Texas North Carolina andKentucky The House Report states ldquoThe Committee understands that this 5-year $1-billion program will not update all flood maps Because this is not the case theCommittee directs EP amp R to provide a report no later than January 16 2006 on thepercentage of maps that will be updated not merely transferred to a digital format and thepercentage of population that the updated maps coverrdquo

Pre-Disaster MitigationmdashThe bill provides $150 million $50 million above FYlsquo05 and $62000 below the budget request Report language supports FEMA coordinationwith state and local governments to develop pre-disaster hurricane plans House flooraction seems to clear the way for some or all of the program funds to be allocated byformula but it also seems to retain a competitive component FEMA officials are workingto interpret the floor action

Hazard Mitigation Grant ProgrammdashThe Committee did not approve thePresidentrsquos request to reduce the HMGP percentage for Enhanced Plan states from 20 to125

Corps of EngineersmdashThe Energy and Water Appropriations bill (HR 2419HRept 109-86) passed the House on May 24 The Senate has held a hearing on the Corpsbudget request and Subcommittee markup is scheduled for June 14th

Both Planning Assistance to States (PAS) and Flood Plain Management Services(FPMS) were funded at the budget request in the House bill The PAS amount is $465million including earmarks of $105 million Last yearrsquos request was the same butCongressional additions and earmarks yielded a program level of $8 million FPMS wasfunded at $562 million with one earmark of $500000 The FY lsquo05 budget request was thesame but Congressional additions brought the total to $681 million The Committee reportcontains language directing the Corps to begin pilot tests of rapid deployment flood wallsas alternatives to sandbags within 90 days of enactment of the appropriations bill



Washington Report (cont)EPAmdashThe Interior and Environment Appropriations bill (HR 2361 H Rept

109-80) passed the House on May 19 The Senate bill has not been marked up Budgetaryjurisdiction over the EPA has shifted from the former VA-HUD-Independent AgenciesSubcommittee to the newly expanded Interior and Environment Subcommittee Thatsubcommittee has a significantly smaller budget allocation and EPA funds now comeunder the same budget ceiling as the programs of the Park Service Fish and WildlifeService and the USGS

Overall funding is at $77 billion $187 million over the budget request but $318million below FY lsquo05 funding An interesting change is the elimination of earmarks andthe establishment of a fund through which some previously earmarked projects can befunded after agency review The fund is set at $80 million and earmarks previously hadtotaled $158 million Wetlands programs were funded at $290 million above FY lsquo05 inaccordance with the budget request

In related actions $134 million was provided for the Land and Water ConservationFund For federal land acquisition $43 million was provided down from $256 million inFY lsquo05 For state acquisition the budget request of $157 million was provided down from$90 million in FY lsquo05 The Fish and Wildlife Service was funded at $13 billion $17million below the request

USGSmdashThe budget request was $9335 million slightly below the enacted levelfor FY lsquo05 The Interior Appropriations bill provides $41 million over the budget requestIt substantially restores the major cuts proposed in the minerals program and restores fundscut from the water resources programs The Water Resources Investigations account isfunded at $21175 million ($76 million over the request and $551000 over FY lsquo05) TheCommittee report however states ldquoThe Committee is concerned with reports that suggestthat the Water Resource Division is providing or seeking to provide a variety ofcommercial services to Federal and non-Federal entities in direct competition with theprivate sector The Committee strongly discourages WRD from providing commerciallyavailable services to Federal and non-Federal entities through its cooperative waterprogram rdquo The budget had (as usual) sought no funds for the Water Resources ResearchInstitutes and the Committee has (as usual) provided those funds

The Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee is expected to mark up its billon June 7 to be followed by full Committee markup on June 9

Rivers Trails and Conservation AssistancemdashThe House bill reduces this alreadysmall budget by $500000 The Senate Appropriations Committee marks up its bill theweek of June 6th

Other LegislationPre-Disaster Mitigation Reauthorization and Possible Redesign

The Disaster Mitigation Act 2000 was set to expire on December 31 2004 Itprovides the authorizing authority for the PDM program The House Transportation andInfrastructure Committeersquos Emergency Management Subcommittee likely will considerPDM reauthorization and other mitigation issues at a hearing this summer They could alsoreview program implementation and consider allocating some funds for planning andpublic infrastructure mitigation projects

Water Resources Development Act 2005The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee reported out its version of

the WRDA 2005 (S 728) on April 26th and it is awaiting floor action[continued on page 9]


Washington Report (cont)The Senate bill is mostly a list of projects and studies but it has items of concern

A new test is added for determining benefitcost cost effective This does not require thatbenefits exceed costs Also David Vitter (R-LA) successfully amended the bill to includea new Section 2022 which eliminates important protections for national waters Currentlyunder the 1899 Rivers and Harbors Act the Corps of Engineers ldquocan prohibit or placeconditions on activities or development in navigable waters whenever those activitieswould destroy wetlands increase flooding damage fish and wildlife habitat threatennavigation or harm water qualityrdquo The Vitter provision would eliminate these protectionswhenever the activities take place on private property unless those activities ldquowould pose athreat to the safe transit of maritime trafficrdquo according to a summary prepared byAmerican Rivers National Wildlife Federation Earthjustice and the Sierra Club

Highway BillThe long-awaited Transportation Equity Act Legacy for Uses (TEA-LU) will very

soon go to a House-Senate Conference Committee The measure has passed both theHouse and Senate (HR 3) and conferees were appointed on May 26th

The Senate-passed bill contains a provision for a 2 set-aside in the surface waterportion for mitigation of the effects of stormwater runoff There is no similar provision inthe House bill The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee generally opposeshighway fund set-asides with the view that states should make the decisions Althoughstates may use highway fund money for mitigation there is no requirement that they do so

Department of Homeland SecurityThe House passed the first-ever authorization bill for the new DHS (HR 1817)

authorizing a $342 billion budget During Committee consideration Don Young (R-AK)Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee offered anamendment to restore to FEMA the programs that have been assigned to other parts ofDHS particularly the Office of State and Local Coordination He withdrew the amendmentwith the assurance of Chairman Cox that the Committee would work with him on hisorganizational concerns about FEMArsquos programs in DHS

The Senate has not yet drafted a comparable bill The Senate Committee onHomeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing earlier this year thatconsidered a number of reports on the status of DHS after its first two years One of thoseldquoDHS 20rdquo by the Heritage Foundation and the Center for Strategic and InternationalStudies of Johns Hopkins University recommends that FEMA be returned to its formerconstellation of programs with more autonomy There seems to be interest in the wayFEMA is functioning in the House Homeland Security Committee as well Former FEMADirector James Lee Witt has publicly advocated taking FEMA out of DHS and restoring itto its former independent agency status in order to maintain its ability to focus efficientlyon natural disasters and on long-term loss prevention (mitigation) policy development TheASFPM Board of Directors has adopted a resolution calling for FEMA to be restored to itsindependent agency status

Secretary Michael Chertoff is engaged in a ldquotop to bottomrdquo review of DHS andhow it is functioning Reportedly his recommendations could be released in June

CZM Reauthorization and NOAA Organic ActThe Senate Committee on Commerce Science amp Transportation held a hearing

May 25th on reauthorization of the Coastal Zone Management Act That and a NOAAOrganic Act were named as priorities by the US Commission on Ocean Policy and thesubsequent Presidentrsquos US Ocean Action Plan The program has had no authorizinglegislation since 1999 but has been continued through appropriations



Natural Hazards Review calls for Papers

The editors of the Natural Hazards Review are seeking submissions to this journalwhich publishes original peer-reviewed papers on every aspect of hazard lossreduction Papers are wanted that offer innovative and practical solutions to theproblems and challenges faced by all sectors of the hazards community includinggovernment academia the private sector and nongovernmental organizationsArticles containing detailed case studies are complemented by those reporting originalresearch findings those describing practical projects and others offering the latestcutting-edge knowledge on significant hazards issues

This is the first cross-disciplinary journal to bring together engineering the regulatoryand policy environments and the social behavioral and physical sciences to naturalhazards loss and cost reduction Extending well beyond the boundaries of onetraditional discipline it serves as a forum for holistic approaches to natural hazardsmitigation

The Natural Hazards Review is a publication of the American Society of CivilEngineers and the Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information CenterUniversity of Colorado

gt gt gt For more information visit httpscitationaiporgnho Or sendmanuscript submissions editorial inquiries comments or suggestions to the AmericanSociety of Civil Engineers Journals Production Department 1801 Alexander BellDrive Reston VA 20191

Washington Report (cont)The NOAA Organic Act (HR 50) has been under consideration by both the House

Resources Committee and the House Science Committee The Science Committee reportedthe bill out of committee on May 17th The House Resources Subcommittee on FisheriesConservation Wildlife and Oceans held a hearing on May 19th and also marked up thebill The next step will be full committee markup and then the bill will be ready for theHouse floor

The measure retains a structure not very different from the current one It doesestablish a new post of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science and Technology NOAAwould be organized into four basic areas 1) National Weather Service 2) Research andEducation 3) Operations and Services and 4) Resources Management

A separate measure S 786 was introduced by Rick Santorum (R-PA) to ldquoclarifythe duties and responsibilities of NOAA and the National Weather Servicerdquo The measureldquowould prevent the Weather Service from offering products or services that are or could beoffered by private-sector weather companiesrdquo according to a report in the Wichita EagleThe bill was introduced April 14th and referred to the Senate Commerce Science andTransportation Committee

mdashMeredith R Inderfurth Washington LiaisonRebecca Quinn CFM Legislative Officer

All referenced legislation and committee reports can be viewed at httpthomaslocgov


State amp Local ReportFARGO NORTH DAKOTA LIABLE FOR FLOOD DAMAGE

The city of Fargo must pay $3 million to North Dakota State University for damagesuffered in a 2000 rainstorm according to a ruling in mid May in Cass County DistrictCourt The flood damage could have been avoided had city and FargoDome workerslearned from a similar event in 1993 concluded the judge in his opinion

Instead the judge found poor preparations and ldquooverwhelming evidence of negligencerdquo bythe workers during the storm which dumped seven inches of rain in seven hours Two campusbuildings were damaged when water flowed from the Fargodome mechanical room through theschoolrsquos steam tunnel

The city claimed that city officials couldnrsquot have predicted or prepared for the storm andshouldnrsquot be held liable But the judge found that a 1993 storm and subsequent flood (which alsocaused extensive damage) should have led to more preventative measures Despite the forewarningno workers no pumps and no sandbags were in place when the first reports of likely floodingcame during the 2000 storm

ldquoGiven all of this it is hardly surprising that the FargoDome flooded at the exact locationand in the precise same manner for the second time in a decaderdquo the judge wrote

NDSU will pay about 90 of the award to the Federal Emergency Management Agencywhich covered much of the costs from the flooding However the city is expected to appeal theruling

gt gt gt The full article from the Fargo Forum is posted at httpwwwriverwatchonlineorgnewsforum05_17_05html

STORMWATER SETTLEMENT REACHED WITHLOUISVILLE KENTUCKY

The US Department of Justice the Environmental Protection Agency and KentuckyrsquosEnvironmental and Public Protection Cabinet have reached a Clean Water Act settlementwith the Louisville and Jefferson County Metropolitan Sewer District (MSD) Kentuckyhad filed a civil suit against MSD in state court in February 2004 stating that MSDrsquossewer systems are overwhelmed by rainfall throughout the year resulting in billions ofgallons of unlawful discharges of untreated sewage and overflows of combined sewageand stormwater into the Ohio River and its tributaries

The terms of the settlement require MSD to bring overflows from its sewers thatcarry a combination of untreated sewage and stormwater into compliance with water qualitystandards eliminate unauthorized discharges from the sewers that carry just untreated sewageimprove its management operation and maintenance to prevent future overflows and respond tooverflows when they occur A civil penalty of $1 million must be paid by MSD to theCommonwealth of Kentucky MSD also must perform $225 million in ldquosupplementalenvironmental projectsrdquo that provide public health screenings for residents near industrialized areasof Louisville perform or fund environmental awareness projects and reclaim a former landfill intoan area for public use

MSD operates and maintains an older sewer system consisting of six majorwastewater treatment facilities 21 minor treatment plants and 3000 miles of sewer lines About23 of the lines are served by single pipes that carry both untreated sewage and stormwater to thetreatment plant The rest of the system keeps the untreated sewage separate from stormwater

gt gt gt For more information see httpwwwepagovcomplianceresourcescasescivilcwalouisvillehtml


ON THE FIRST DAY OFHURRICANE SEASON the American Red Crossrecommends that youpurchase a WATER CONTAINERHaving an ample supply ofclean water is a priority in anemergency

FLORIDA GREETS HURRICANE SEASON American Red Cross chapters in Florida have a clever new public awareness campaignldquoThe Twelve Days of Hurricane Seasonrdquo geared toward preparing Floridians for the 2005season In posters on the website andthrough other media the Red Crossrecommends the purchase of a differentdisaster preparedness or mitigation itemeach day from June 1 through June 12During this same time period FloridarsquosHurricane Preparedness Sales TaxExemption will allow individuals andfamilies to purchase many of thesesupplies without paying sales tax onthem Among the items exempted fromtax are portable light supplies portableradios generators fuel tankswaterproof sheeting first aid kits ground-anchor systems or tie-down kits and batteries

gt gt gt For more information visit httpwwwFloridaPreparesNoworg

OKLAHOMA UPDATES FLOODPLAIN MANAGERSrsquo MANUAL

The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has released the new Oklahomarsquos FloodplainManagement 101 Textbook This floodplain managerrsquos reference contains many of thechapters previously found in the Guidebook for Local Floodplain OrdinanceAdministrators and contains a new chapter on ldquoNo Adverse Impact FloodplainManagementrdquo and new and updated information The book was rewritten updated andreorganized with numerous new illustrations to help explain many complex floodplainconcepts Eventually the text will be used as an OWRB Home Study Course in FloodplainManagement and allow local Floodplain Administrators to obtain Continuing EducationCredits Funds for this textbook rewrite and printing were provided in part by theDepartment of Homeland Security and FEMArsquos Community Assistance Program

gt gt gt The textbook is available on CD and in hardback and also online at httpwwwowrbstateokus

Publications Software AV amp the WebNational Flood Policy a Decade After the 1993 Mississippi Flood is a special issue of the Journalof Contemporary Water Research and Education released by the Universities Council on WaterResources (UCOWR) The issue highlights activities and policy changes that have occurred in theUnited States since the 1993 flood roused the nation to concern The theme is how the UnitedStates and its water resource stewards have responded to the challenge laid out in the GallowayCommission report Sharing the Challenge Floodplain Management into the 21st Century Thejournal describes efforts to measure the extent of the flooding problem in the United Statesperformance measures for mitigation activities new efforts into the arena of nonstructuralmeasures flood safety and the emotional toll flooding can take on its victims Federal state localand private actions to come to grips with flood problems are described and as the GallowayCommission prescribed are all necessary for successful flood mitigation March 2005 The journalis accessible through the UCOWR website at httpwwwucowrsiueduupdates 130indexhtml


Using Multi-Objective Management to Reduce Flood Losses in Your Watershed is an extremelyhandy compilation of ideas and step-by-step procedures for integrating floodplain managementwith many other concernsmdashat the local level First produced in 1996 by the ASFPM with fundingfrom the Environmental Protection Agency the document has now been converted (courtesy ofFrench amp Associates) to pdf format and made available on the ASFPMrsquos website In simplelanguage it gives a primer on watersheds and flooding reviews flood loss reduction measures listsavenues for crafting multi-objective projects (coordination with recreation interests economicdevelopment housing historic preservation education transportation water supply fish andwildlife and others) tells how to prepare a multi-objective management plan and gives sources ofmore information Take another look at httpwwwfloodsorgPDFUsing_MOM_in_Watershedpdf

Europersquos Flood Disaster of August 2002 Viennarsquos Evolving Flood Mitigation Projects examinesthe mitigation strategies in place in Vienna Austriamdashwhich was largely spared the effects of thedevastating floods in northern Europe in August 2002mdashand how they contributed to reduced levelsof damage The researcher concluded that the success of these strategies can be attributed to themultidisciplinary and cooperative approach used in the cityrsquos floodplain restoration project JanePreuss 2005 Quick Response Report 175 Natural Hazards Research and Applications InformationCenter Available at httpwwwcoloradoeduhazardsqrqrreptshtml

Local Flood Proofing Programs updates the Corpsrsquo 1994 publication of the same name with lotsmoremdashand recentmdashexamples It offers guidance to local officials on how to organize and fund aprogram for retrofitting floodprone buildings US Army Corps of Engineers 2005 There will beno printed copies but the document can be downloaded from httpwwwnwousacearmymilnfpcdocsLocal_FP_Programs_ February_2005pdf

Proceedings of the Federal Interagency Sediment Monitoring Instrument and Analysis ResearchWorkshop collates the discussion and recommendations growing out of that meeting sponsored bythe Subcommittee on Sedimentation of the Advisory Committee on Water Information and held inSeptember 2003 The purpose was to evaluate whether new techniques for collecting andanalyzing fluvial-sediment data (primarily suspended sediment and bedload data) can replace orsupplement traditional techniques to yield less expensive and more quantifiable data with lessinvestment of time Over the last several decades the need for fluvial-sediment information hasexpanded past design and management of reservoirs and in-stream hydraulic structures anddredging to include contaminated sediment management dam decommissioning and removalenvironmental quality stream restoration the global carbon budget and regulatory requirements ofthe Clean Water Act including the Total Maximum Daily Load program The workshop concludedthat several of the technologies discussed warranted additional research testing and calibrationThe formation of oversight panels was recommended for collection analysis and computationalprocedures for all aspects of sediment data but particularly for bedload transport John R Grayeditor 2005 USGS Circular 1276 Available at httpwaterusgsgovpubscirc20051276

ldquoIn the Newsrdquo is a new web page set up for FEMArsquos Public Affairs News Desk It features facts onemerging issues official statements background material and downloadable high-resolutionphotos Here one can find the latest information on what FEMA is doing in the areas of mitigationpreparedness response and recovery Visit at httpwwwfemagovmedia

ldquoCould it Happen Hererdquo presents a method for calculating the cost of the damage and othereconomic consequences likely from inundation by a tsunami on the coast of California Theseismicity of the southern California region is well known and several tsunamis generated by localearthquakes have been recorded during the last two centuries The study projects inundation zonesfrom different earthquaketsunami scenarios and the results suggest that the direct and indirectcosts could range from $7 billion to $40 billion Jose Borrero Sungbin Cho James E Moore IIHarry W Richardson and Costas Synolakis Civil Engineering 2005 (June) 54ndash65 Available athttpwwwasceorgfilespdfTsunamipdf


CalendarSee more flood-related meetings conferences and training at

httpwwwfloodsorgcalendarhtm

June 15 2005 GETTING IN STEP WITH PHASE II A WORKSHOP FOR STORMWATER PROGRAMMANAGERS Oklahoma City Oklahoma Sponsored by the US Environmental ProtectionAgency See httpwwwepagovnpdesstormwater and click on Training

June 12ndash17 2005 NO ADVERSE IMPACT PARTNERING FOR SUSTAINABLE FLOODPLAINMANAGEMENT 29TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAINMANAGERS Madison Wisconsin Contact the ASFPM Executive Office 2809 FishHatchery Rd Ste 204 Madison WI 53713-3120 (608) 274-0123 fax (608) 274-0696asfpmfloodsorg or see httpwwwfloodsorg

June 27ndash30 2005 MANAGING FLOODPLAIN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH THE NATIONAL FLOODINSURANCE PROGRAM (E273) Emergency Management Institute Emmitsburg MarylandContact (800) 238-3358 or see httpwwwfemagovEMIWeb

July 10ndash13 2005 THE CHANGING FACE OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT 15TH WORLD CONFERENCEON DISASTER MANAGEMENT Toronto Ontario Canada Sponsored by the Canadian Centrefor Emergency Preparedness Contact Adrian Gordon at (905) 331-2552 oragordonccepca or see httpwwwwcdmorg

July 11ndash15 2005 THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM OF THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCEPROGRAM (E278) Emergency Management Institute Emmitsburg Maryland Call (800)238-3358 or see httpwwwfemagovEMIWeb

July 17ndash21 2005 BALANCING ON THE EDGE COASTAL ZONE lsquo05 New Orleans LouisianaSponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Seehttpwwwcscnoaagovcz

July 18ndash21 2005 STORMCON 05 THE NORTH AMERICAN SURFACE WATER QUALITYCONFERENCE amp EXPOSITION Orlando Florida Sponsored by Stormwater Magazine andForester Communications See httpwwwStormConcom

August 3ndash4 2005 GETTING IN STEP WITH PHASE II A WORKSHOP FOR STORMWATER PROGRAMMANAGERS Indianapolis Indiana Sponsored by the US Environmental ProtectionAgency See httpwwwepagovnpdesstormwater and click on Training

August 29mdashSeptember 3 2005 THE COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM OF THE NATIONAL FLOODINSURANCE PROGRAM (E278) Emergency Management Institute Emmitsburg MarylandCall (800) 238-3358 or see httpwwwfemagovEMIWeb

August 31mdashSeptember 1 2005 SEVENTH ANNUAL OHIO STATEWIDE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENTCONFERENCE Columbus Ohio Sponsored by the Ohio Floodplain ManagementAssociation See httpwwwdnrstateohuswaterfloodpln

September 6ndash8 2005 THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENTHYDROLOGY ECOLOGY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT FLOOD PLAINS AND WETLANDSBologna Italy Sponsored by the Wessex Institute of Technology Contact Rachel Green atrgreenwessexacuk or see httpwwwwessexacukconferences2005rm05

September 6ndash9 2005 FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT STRUCTURAL AND NONSTRUCTURALSOLUTIONS HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE FLOODPLAINMANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION Sacramento California See httpwwwfloodplainorg


September 12ndash16 2005 THIRD NATIONAL FLOODPROOFING CONFERENCE Charleston WestVirginia Sponsored by the Association of State Floodplain Managers the Corps ofEngineers and FEMA Contact the ASFPM Executive Office at (608) 274-0123 or seehttpwwwfloodsorgConferences 20Calendarnfpc3asp

September 14ndash15 2005 SECOND ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE MINNESOTA ASSOCIATION OFFLOOD PLAIN MANAGERS Moorhead Minnesota See httpwwwmnafpmorgannualconf2005htm

September 19ndash21 2005 FIFTEENTH ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE OF THE OKLAHOMA FLOODPLAINMANAGERS ASSOCIATION Lone Wolf Oklahoma Contact OFMA PO Box 8101 TulsaOK 74101-8101 or see httpwwwokfloodorg

September 21ndash22 2005 SEVENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON WATERSHED PROTECTION AND 2005NEW YORK CITY WATERSHED SCIENCE AND TECHNICAL CONFERENCE Fishkill New YorkContact William C Harding Executive Director Watershed Protection and PartnershipCouncil at whardingdosstatenyus or see httpwwwdosstatenyuswatershedabstracts2-05htm

September 25ndash28 2005 DAM SAFETY 2005 New Orleans Louisiana Sponsored by theAssociation of State Dam Safety Officials Contact ASDSO 450 Old Vine St LexingtonKY 40507 or see httpwwwdamsafetyorg

October 20ndash21 2005 IBHS ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON PROPERTY LOSS REDUCTION Lake BuenaVista Florida Sponsored by the Institute for Business amp Home Safety Contact IBHS at4775 E Fowler Ave Tampa FL 33617 (813) 286-3400 infoibhsorg or seehttpwwwibhsorgcongress

October 25ndash28 2005 ADVANCED TECHNICAL SEMINAR ON DAM FAILURE ANALYSIS Salt LakeCity Utah Sponsored by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials Contact ASDSO450 Old Vine St Lexington KY 40507 or see httpwwwdamsafetyorg

October 31mdashNovember 2 2005 SUSTAINABLE BEACHES CONFERENCE St Petersburg FloridaSponsored by the Clean Beaches Council See httpwwwcleanbeachesorgeventssummit2005

November 11ndash13 2005 URBAN WATERFRONTS 23 GATHERING BY THE WATERS SavannahGeorgia Sponsored by the Waterfront Center See httpwwwwaterfrontcenterorg

November 13ndash17 2005 ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE Melbourne Australia Sponsored by theCommonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Abstracts aredue August 15 2005 For more information contact infogreenhouse2005com or seehttpwwwgreenhouse2005com

April 2ndash6 2006 EIGHTH FEDERAL INTERAGENCY SEDIMENTATION CONFERENCE AND 3RDFEDERAL INTERAGENCY HYDROLOGIC MODELING CONFERENCE Reno Nevada Sponsoredby the Subcommittees on Sedimentation and Hydrology of the Federal AdvisoryCommittee on Water Information Contact Doug Glysson USGS 412 National CenterReston VA 22092 (703) 648-5019 gglyssonusgsgov or see httpwaterusgsgovwicpacwisosconfcall_papers_extended_42005pdf

September 10ndash14 2006 DAM SAFETY 2006 Boston Massachusetts Sponsored by theAssociation of State Dam Safety Officials Contact ASDSO 450 Old Vine St LexingtonKY 40507 or see httpwwwdamsafetyorg

September 18ndash20 2006 SIXTEENTH ANNUAL FALL CONFERENCE OF THE OKLAHOMAFLOODPLAIN MANAGERS ASSOCIATION Norman Oklahoma Contact OFMA PO Box8101 Tulsa OK 74101-8101 or see httpwwwokfloodorg

ASSOCIATION of STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS2809 Fish Hatchery Road Suite 204Madison WI 53713(608) 274-0123 fax (608) 274-0696asfpmfloodsorghttpwwwfloodsorg

News amp Views is published six times each year by the Association of State Floodplain Managers Inc and is paid for by membership dues

Copyright copy2005 by the ASFPM Reproduction with credit permitted

Items for publication and other editorial matters should be directed toJacquelyn L MondayEditor News amp Views1026 So Johnson StLakewood CO 80226(303) 985-3141 fax 303-985-5181email jackiJLMcomcastnet

Deadline is the 18th day of odd-numbered months

For address changes and member services contact the ASFPM Executive Office at the address in the box

ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERSBOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIRChad Berginnis CFMDepartment of Natural Resources Division of Water1939 Fountain Square Bldg E-3Columbus OH 43224(614) 265-6715fax 614-447-9503chadberginnisdnrstateohus

VICE CHAIRPam Pogue CFMNFIP CoordinatorRhode Island Emergency Management Agency645 New London AveCranston RI 02920(401) 946-9996fax 401-944-1891pampogueringbarmymil

SECRETARYRhonda Montgomery CFM109 SW 9th St 2nd FloorTopeka KS 66612-1283(785) 296-4622fax 785-296-4835rmontgomerykdastateksus

TREASURERWilliam Nechamen CFMNFIP CoordinatorNew York Dept of Environmental Conservation625 Broadway 4th FloorAlbany NY 12233(518) 402-8146fax 518-402-9029wsnechamgwdecstatenyus

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORLarry Larson CFMASFPM Executive Officelarryfloodsorg


from the ChairChad Berginnis CFM

Do you remember back when you were in high school and went on a senior field trip Iremember it fondlymdashwe went to New York City for four days and experienced the rich culturaland historical opportunities that abound in the ldquocity that never sleepsrdquo Well I recently had asimilar experience when on behalf of the ASFPM I was part of a panel of international guests atthe invitation of the Ministry of Water Resources Peoplersquos Republic of China at a workshop toassist with the development of a national flood management strategy But this was no ordinaryworkshop

China with a population approaching 14 billion has significant flooding issues As anation China is trying to address flood management in a comprehensive way that combines bothstructural and non-structural measures implements the principles of multi-objectivemanagement and reaches a balance between acceptable flood damage and flood managementefforts The workshop was one in a series of steps that the Chinese government is taking todevelop a comprehensive flood management strategy Their task is unimaginably daunting yetabsolutely necessary China is going through unprecedented period of industrializationprosperity compressing into decades what in the United States occurred over two centuriesmdashand all with a population many times larger then ours on a land area comparable in size

From a flood management perspective China does several things well They have arigorous flood response and flood fighting regime Also nearly all of the land area in China isunder the planning authority of a River Basin District (RBD) The RBDs have planning andcoordination authority over the construction of flood control works and flood fighting althoughlittle impact on ongoing development and construction They have a good system of floodrecovery and even a compensation system for flood victims to help offset flood losses Also theyhave several recently enacted national laws on water resource and floodplain management thataccommodate a comprehensive approach

However China faces several challenges China has large flood detention areas but thesesame areas have settlements and are used intensively for agriculture which during a flood leadsto increased losses China is also just developing a comprehensive set of maps identifying floodhazard areas They do not have a flood insurance program but are very interested in the UnitedStatesrsquo program My point is that although we are vastly different countries we can learn fromone another because many of the problems of floodplain management are similar In a way I feltas if I was somehow part of the Chinese version of the legendary 1968 ldquoUniversity of Chicagomeetingsrdquo where Gilbert White Jack Shaeffer and others met to discuss what was to be the basisof our nationrsquos flood policy for decades to come

Coincidence or not I couldnrsquot help but wonder if that trip was my ldquoseniorrdquo experience asI complete my term as Chair of the ASFPM In many ways the trip was similar to my muchearlier trip to New York City inasmuch as it shaped my perceptions of the world and opened mymind to new experiences and ideas Perhaps I am also being a bit nostalgic about the last twoyears and serving as Chair for an organization as wonderful as the ASFPM I wish to express aheartfelt ldquothank yourdquo to all of the members that have contributed in some waymdashsmall or largeYour contributions of time talents and resources make the ASFPM a very effectiveorganization even if you do not always see those results immediately

It has been a lot of fun and extremely educational traveling to different chapter meetingsand learning about how floodplain management is implemented in different areas of our countryAdmittedly I have benefited greatly as I will ldquostealrdquo some of those great ideas and try toimplement them here in Ohio Which leads to my final point Why should you be involved inthe ASFPM I think now I know the answer to enhance your knowledge of floodplainmanagement swap ideas have fun and make a difference See you in Madison curren















Sincerely











































LEGISLATIVE REPORT






































































































































Sincerely











































LEGISLATIVE REPORT

































































































































































LEGISLATIVE REPORT













































































































































LEGISLATIVE REPORT

































































































































LEGISLATIVE REPORT


































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































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NATIONAL WATER COMMISSION URGED · 2020-01-24 · Vol. 17, No. 3 June 2005 ASSOCIATION OF STATE...

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