Risk MAP Early Demonstration Projects in Region II2011 Association of State Floodplain ManagersMay 17, 2011Louisville, KY

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OverviewFEMA Region II was asked to develop potential

demonstration projects to better field test proposed Risk

MAP datasets and products

Three projects were identified in New York: Broome County Depth Grid and HAZUS-MH Development/Area of

Mitigation Interest

Great Lakes Discovery Process Development

Mohawk River Depth and Velocity Grid Development and Comparison

One project was identified in New Jersey:

Passaic River Basin Areas of Mitigation Interest

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Flood Risk Datasets and Products

Changes Since Last FIRM Data Areas of Mitigation Interest

Flood Risk ReportFlood Risk Map

Ad-Hoc Flood Risk Analyses

Flood RiskDatabase

Flood Risk Assessment Data Flood Depth & Analysis Grids

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Mitigation Planning is KeyHazard Mitigation Planning is part of the overall planning for any community – Comprehensive, economic development, infrastructure, mitigation and emergency planning are all facets of the same process.

Flood

Reduction

Initiate Plan

Identify Hazards

Adopt Plan

Develop Action Plans

Assess Risks

Implement Plan

Update Plan

Create Mitigation Strategy

Hazard Mitigation

Planning Cycle

Broome County, NY

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Why A Project in Broome County?

New Hydrology indicated an upward trend in flood discharge

Increased flow created potential issues due to levee deaccreditation

New Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) products provide communities additional tools for planning

Broome County had the basic requirements, a strong Geographic Information System (GIS) and data

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Broome County HAZUS-MH Study

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Field Data Acquisition -Enhanced

First floor elevation

Building Type – residential, commercial, critical facilities

Basement or not

Enhanced HAZUS Level 2

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Depth Grid Analysis

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Example Area of Mitigation Interest

Robinson St. was initially identified as the sole source for flooding of a large area

The area was of interest to the City of Binghamton as a potential economic development site

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Example: Area of Mitigation Interest

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Example: Area of Mitigation Interest

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Flood Control Structures at the Underpasses

Property Protection Measures

Site Specific Structural Protection

Flood Insurance

Combinations of above methods

No Action

Example: Area of Mitigation Interest

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Mohawk RiverStudy area including: Village of Fonda and Village of Fort

Plain located within Montgomery County, New York.

State, local, and tribal officials can use the summary information provided in a Flood Risk Report, in conjunction with the data in the Flood Risk Database, to:

Update

Local hazard mitigation plansCommunity comprehensive plansEmergency operations and response plans

Develop hazard mitigation projects Communicate flood risk Guide modifications of development standards

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Mohawk RiverVillage of Fort Plain Project Area

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Mohawk RiverVillage of Fort Plain

Hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces computed for apartment building

Hydrodynamic and hydrostatic forces computed for the fire/police station

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Mohawk RiverVillage of Fort Plain

Velocity vectors and magnitudes computed for Apartment building

Velocity vectors and magnitudes computed for Fire / Police station

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Mohawk RiverVillage of Fort Plain

Passaic River Basin Areas of Mitigation Interest Early Demonstration Project

(New Jersey)

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Project Scope

Early Demonstration Project -Combines a detailed Analysis of one

Area of Mitigation Interest (AoMI)

with Mitigation Planning Technical

Assistance

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Mitigation Planning Technical Assistance

PurposeEnsure all Risk MAP projects receive

sufficient technical assistance to enable the community, and thus FEMA, to meet the goals of Risk MAP

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Scope Overview Present current information and recommendations

for mitigating high-risk floodprone structures Includes Repetitive Loss and Severe Repetitive Loss

Properties in: Fairfield Little Falls Lincoln Park Pequannock Pompton Lake

Uses National Flood Mitigation Data Collection Tool (National Tool) • Collects property-specific data for floodprone properties• Validates and stores detailed risk information for structures

Develop appropriate mitigation recommendations at both the community mitigation planning level as well as at the structural or project specific level

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Task 1 – Preliminary Data Collection, Prioritization, and Kick Off MeetingData Collection

Claims history and policy informationProperty characteristics

Value Standardized address

Flood Insurance Rate Map InformationMitigation actions takenTopographic dataGeo-coded property locations (X and Y coordinates)

Prioritization based budgetAll SRL, RL with $50k or more, clusteringTotal of 650 structures

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Task 2 – Site Visits for Validation, Collection of Field Data and Photographs4 Inspectors for approximately 11 days650-700 propertiesCollecting

GPS CoordinatesFoundation typeConditionPhotographsMitigation observedOther

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Task 2 – Site Visits for Validation, Collection of Field Data and Photographs (cont.)

Post Field Data Collection Township Data CollectionElevation certificates for elevated structuresBuilding demo permits for mitigated structuresOther information needed to fill gaps

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Task 3 – Develop Specific Recommendations for Mitigation

Evaluate standard mitigation options for each property validated in the National Tool using FEMA 551

Generate worksheets and rank mitigation measures for each property

Considers drainage improvements, barriers, wet and dry-floodproofing, elevation, relocation, and acquisition

Considers relative cost, human intervention, and annual maintenance

Consider project type as it relates typically to NEPA compliance

Deliverable – community specific report listing properties by community with maps – explanation of how options were evaluated – recommendations for cost-effective mitigation

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Task 4 – Develop community-level recommendations for mitigation plan updates or improvements

Obtain and review most recent plansConsult NJ State Hazard Mitigation PlanDevelop community level planning

recommendations addressing how the communities could use the project information to improve their plans and to obtain HMA grant assistance

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Areas of Mitigation InterestMitigation Planning Linkages

Risk Assessment Product Mitigation Planning Requirement

Areas of Interest 44 CFR Part 201(d)(3), revise plans to reflect changes44 CFR Part 201.6(c)(2)(i), profiling hazards44 CFR Part 201.6(c)(2), risk assessment44 CFR Part 201.6(c)(3), developing mitigation strategies

There are several required areas for mitigation plans for which Areas or Mitigation Interest might be helpful:

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Desired OutcomeCommunities will use the instructional report to conduct similar research for remaining properties

Communities will use the data to: Update their mitigation plans

Hazard Profiles Quantitative Risk Assessment Mitigation Strategy Development

Prioritize projects Develop project applicationsTake action to reduce losses!!!

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EDP Lessons Learned It sounds repetitive but close, direct , and constant

communication with communities and stakeholders is paramount for the success of Risk MAP projects.• It helps in stakeholder understanding Risk MAP vision.

The products were overall, very well received by communities• It creates trust and a sense of partnership

The stakeholders can better understand and accept the limitations of the program as much as the benefits.

The communities are planning on using the data in a variety of ways• It opens the vaults of knowledge and information from

communities to contractors The stakeholder's knowledge of the local areas and specialized

datasets were CRITICAL for producing the products.

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Questions?

Alan Springett – FEMA Region II

(212) 680-8557

Jean Huang – Dewberry

(703) 849-0264

Scott Choquette – Dewberry

(860) 508-4261