The High Water Mark

The Newsletter of the Floodplain Management Association

Mission: To promote the common interest in reducing flood losses and to encourage the protection and enhancement of natural floodplain values. August 2024 - Volume 34, Issue 3

Chair

Brent Siemer City of Simi Valley 805.583.6805

Vice Chair

Vince Geronimo Geronimo Engineering (916) 993-4606

Treasurer Megan LeRoy California DWR (279) 386-8112

Secretary Millicent Cowley-Crawford Woodard & Curran 415-321-3421

Past Chair

Michael C. Nowlan Wood Rodgers, Inc. 916.326.5277

Director

Abigail Mayrena

Clark County RFCD 702-685-0000

Director John Moynier Parsons Corporation 626-440-2389

Director Brian Brown California DWR

Director Darren Suen

Central Valley Flood Protection Board 916.574.0609

Director Wendy Wang

Central Valley Flood Protection Board 916-501-1482

Director Hilal El Haddad

Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (951) 955-1265

Director Roger Leventhal Marin County DPW (415) 473-3249

Director David Smith WEST Consultants, Inc. 858.487.9378

Director Kayla Kelly-Slatten KKS Strategies, LLC.

Director Remi Candaele Q3 Consulting rcandaele@q3consulting.net

Director Carly Narlesky MBK Engineers 916-456-4400

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Brent Siemer

Grasping the Opportunity, Continued

This letter continues my exploration on the value of association membership. While we have considered the value to our careers and to our employers, let’s now shift our focus to the communities who gain from our professional efforts. How does our membership in the Floodplain Management Association (FMA) benefit these communities?

Having served in public roles across counties and cities for over 40 years as a civil engineer, I’ve developed a deep connection with the communities I’ve served. Indeed, I have been a resident of these communities, and I acknowledge that this experience might seem selfserving. However, the final benefit of FMA membership is the positive impact on communities, even to those who may be unaware of our contributions.

In the public sector, we often hear more complaints than praise. So what motivates us to keep improving things for those who might never acknowledge our efforts? Here are ten key benefits that keep me inspired:

Communication Skills: Over five decades, I’ve seen communication evolve from time-consuming processes to instantaneous exchanges. What took hours to compose, days to deliver and weeks to get response happens in minutes today. The advent of smartphones and digital communication means we must be more deliberate before hitting “send.” Having a network of professionals in an association like FMA enhances these skills and helps manage the flood of information. These skills flow over to every relationship you have in your community, whether talking over the fence or defending a project during a public hearing,

Management Skills: Associations like FMA involve many moving parts that need to interact through the mutual agreement of its membership. The skill set developed in a volunteer environment is quite different from an office setting. But learn your skills with volunteers and working with the public becomes much easier, and your community will appreciate your willingness to engage with what concerns them.

Leadership Development: Taking on leadership roles within the association builds your capacity to guide and influence. Through leadership roles within the association, members can develop their leadership skills and contribute to the community’s overall leadership capacity.

The challenges of leading volunteers often provide insights into steering a community towards collaborative, effective solutions. Take my word, professional association experience will give you great insight into guiding a community towards shared solutions that are both genuine and effective.

Knowledge Sharing: Members in associations share industry insights, best practices, and innovations with each other, leading to overall professional growth within the community. The willingness to share the power that knowledge brings is critical to an effective association, and as a corollary to the community you are serving.

Networking Opportunities: Associations offer platforms to build relationships and collaborate. The connections made within FMA can lead to local partnerships and opportunities, enhancing community development through cross-association collaboration. Involvement in a variety of associations leverages the knowledge in each, further benefiting communities.

Education and Training: FMA provides access to workshops, seminars, and certifications that enhance members’ skills and knowledge, contributing to a more skilled local workforce. While FMA may focus on flooding, there are connections into academia, social studies, emergency management and soft sciences that equip members to take many tangents into serving their community. Some have found the public speaking experience at conferences gives them wings to do so within their community leading important causes.

Community Engagement: FMA members frequently participate in the annual conference community service project, scholarship committee or even a beach cleanup day, bringing valuable experience back to their local communities Some members even take on roles in local boards and commissions, amplifying their impact.

Professional Standards: Associations like FMA establish and uphold ethical standards and guidelines for the profession, promoting integrity and trust within the community. While many residents may not be familiar with ASFPM, FMA or the Certified Floodplain Manager designation, we do, and our adherence to these standards enhances our professional credibility and community trust. This is mantle that each of us wears as we represent our fellow FMA members in all we do for communities.

Career Development: FMA provides access to career resources and mentorship programs that support each members’ career progression and job stability. As a member of the community in which you reside, that career tract means greater opportunity to bring about effective improvement to your community, professionally and personally.

Public Awareness: Associations like FMA can help its members raise awareness about the importance of floodplain management and its contributions to the community, fostering greater appreciation and understanding. Just a simple conversation with your neighbor begins to help educate a neighborhood then a community learn about flood risks and understand ways to mitigate them. I have the luxury of annual presentations to neighborhood councils, one for each council member. The membership changes each year with a fresh group of 40+ engaged residents to instruct in flood risk awareness and preparedness.

PLUS, a bonus benefit.

Economic Impact: While FMA may not offer the revenue that conferences, events, and business opportunities can bring to every community, we can do our part to reduce and/or eliminate the economic loss brought by flooding. I live in a well-protected community and constantly hear, “It never floods here!” This underscores the silent yet significant role of our association in preventing flood-related damage.

In summary, FMA membership offers substantial value to our communities by improving safety, fostering professional growth, and enhancing public awareness. I hope this letter inspires you to recognize the benefits of FMA membership and to consider greater involvement in our association.

And I hope to see you all at our 2024 FMA Conference in Henderson, Nevada, September 3-6. Track me down and let me know if these three articles have given you any inspiration to become a FMA member, or to step up your volunteer commitment.

Brent

Siemer Chairman, Floodplain Management Association

Deputy Public Works Director (Development Services) Department of Public Works City of Simi Valley bsiemer@simivalley.org

Tel: 805.583.6805

SAVE THE DATE

California Extreme Precipitation Symposium

June/July 2025

Location TBD

Draft Theme: TBD

Floodplain Management Association

Annual Conference

September 3-6, 2024

Westin Lake Las Vegas – Clark County, NV

Visit – www.floodplain.org

FEDERAL/NATIONAL NEWS

For an update of the latest disaster declarations: CLICK HERE

For information on Flood Insurance Reform – Rates and Refunds: CLICK HERE

Advisor Update

FEMA Updates for FMA Board:

• A Final Rule to implement the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) for actions funded by FEMA was published on July 11, 2022. Starting September 9, 2024, infrastructure and other FEMAfunded projects (non-critical) need to be resilient to at least 2 feet above the local flood level. Similar to HUD’s recent implementation of FFRMS, this rule and supporting policy allow FEMA to consider the best available science in making projects more resilient to flood hazards. FEMA pays for the applicable federal cost share to implement FFRMS which is 75% or more. Since August 2021, FEMA has partially implemented FFRMS in its grant programs for new development, substantial improvement, or repairs to substantial damage. The distinction between partial and full implementation is the expansion of the horizontal “flood zone” from the Special Flood Hazard Area to an expanded FFRMS floodplain. Ongoing work to implement FFRMS include a Federal Flood Standard Support Tool (Beta), a FFRMS Standard Floodplain Determination Job Aid, and a State of the Science Report of ClimateInformed Science Approach for flood hazards

• Individuals in San Diego County are eligible for federal assistance with damages suffered during flooding between January 21 and 23 (DR-4758CA). Heavy rains left extensive flood damage to numerous homes. San Diego County residents have until November 19, 2024, to apply for an economic disaster loan with U.S. Small Business Administration. California was granted a second Presidential Major Disaster Declaration this year (DR-4769-CA) for February storm recovery. Counties receiving aid include Butte, Glenn, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sutter, and Ventura.

• FEMA selected 656 projects for $1 billion in Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grants from fiscal year 2023 funding. The projects help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments become more resilient to natural hazards. The top project type is flood control (almost $400 million for 28 projects) and almost 30% of the planned funding is within FEMA Region 9. FEMA’s July 2024, announcement aligns with the 2024 Year of Resilience theme to build capacity to withstand tomorrow’s risks, and was announced several months earlier than last year.

• In addition to funding, BRIC provides Direct Technical Assistance (DTA) to support early project implementation and mitigation planning. 23 tribal nations, three territories, and 67 communities were selected in July 2024 for BRIC DTA. This initiative now provides technical, non-financial assistance to 167 total recipients.

• Selections for new Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) projects are anticipated in a couple months.

• FEMA is making $181 million available for 32 states to rehabilitate high hazard dams through FEMA’s National Dam Safety Program

STATE NEWS

California General Updates

Historic 2023 Water Year Delivered Big Boost to California’s Groundwater Supplies

The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has released the latest Semi-Annual GroundwaterConditions report, and the data show that California achieved 4.1 million acre-feet of managed groundwater recharge during Water Year 2023, which is nearly the water storage capacity of Shasta Lake. The report also details an increase in groundwater storage of 8.7 million acre-feet. Water Year 2023 is the first year since 2019 that there has been a reported increase in groundwater storage.

During the 2023 Water Year, more than 1.2 million acrefeet of groundwater recharge was permitted by state agencies, more than 400,000 acre-feet of flood water was recharged using the Governor’s Executive Orders, and millions more acre-feet of managed and naturally occurring recharge was achieved. Groundwater recharge projects have proved critical during flood response, as we saw in 2023 when thousands of acrefeet of water were diverted from streams, away from flood-prone areas, and put onto available open lands to recharge groundwater basins. Learn more about water infrastructure projects in your community at build.ca.gov

More information

Hydrology Update

Climate change has fundamentally altered our state’s hydrologic system – intensifying severe weather as we swing from extreme dry to extreme wet situations.

The statewide accumulated precipitation for the water year remains just above average at 104%, with 23.2 inches total, through the end of May. The month of May was below average for precipitation across the Sierra Nevada. The precipitation that fell was mainly during the beginning of May, generally between May2-7. The statewide average temperature for the end of May was about 70°F, which is about 5 degrees above the historical average for this time of year. The statewide average temperature during the month of May oscillated between below average (generally during May 1-10 and May 20-27), then increased to near or above average (as shown in Figure 2) during the middle part of May. The fluctuation of temperatures during May resulted

in alternating periods of increased snowmelt rates during the warmer periods or slower snowmelt rates during the cooler periods.

Statewide reservoir storage at the end of May was 117% of average. Most reservoirs are near or above average storage due to retaining inflow from minor precipitation and continued snowmelt runoff during the past month. The majority of California’s snowpack melted during April and May, which resulted in greater flow contributions for major rivers.

El Niño conditions continued to weaken during May and will likely transition to neutral conditions in the next month. CPC predicts La Niña conditions by June to August 2024 (with a 49% chance) or by July to September (with a 69% chance).

DWR will continue to work closely with the research community through partnerships with Scripps/NOAA/ others to understand climate forces and continually improve our forecasting.

More information

Climate Readiness - Using Advanced Lasers and Sonar to Determine if Lake Oroville Has Lost Capacity

With California experiencing extreme swings between severe drought to torrential rain, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) wanted to see if the State Water Project’s largest reservoir, Lake Oroville, had shrunk (or lost storage capacity) due to weather swings and almost six decades of service. DWR utilized the latest terrainmapping technology to determine if there have been any changes in the lake’s volume to optimize how the reservoir is operated and ensure accuracy in estimating California’s water supply availability.

Because decades have passed since its construction, DWR sought to assess whether sedimentation had altered Lake Oroville’s storage capacity and topography significantly. Starting with an airplane-mounted LiDAR laser system, DWR took advantage of the lake’s historically low water levels in 2021 to first map portions

Continued on next page

STATE NEWS (Continued)

of the basin that would typically be under water during normal years. Then a boat outfitted with multibeam-sonar bathymetry instruments spent weeks in 2022 sending sonar pulses into the depths of Lake Oroville to map its underwater surface terrain. What resulted were highly detailed 3D topographic terrain models of the bottom of the lake, which DWR engineers used to calculate a new storage capacity of 3,424,753 acre-feet, approximately 3 percent less than previously estimated, which was 3,537,577 acre-feet.

Compared to aerial photogrammetry surveying methods used during the construction of Oroville Dam, which mapped the terrain contours in 20-foot elevation increments, current methods were able to pinpoint with accuracy areas where sedimentation resulted in minor storage loss – primarily below 420 feet and in the far reaches of the lake’s forks.

While Lake Oroville is a primary water facility for the state, the dam performs a critical role in protecting the City of Oroville and downstream communities from floods. From October through April, DWR maintains storage space in the reservoir to capture high inflows from storms and spring snowmelt, permitting controlled and coordinated releases from the dam. The new storage capacity data will be used to ensure that water operations at Lake Oroville continue to provide required flood control protection.

Note: DWR will start using Lake Oroville’s new storage capacity data for water operation calculations on Monday, July 1, 2024.

More information

DWR Collaborates on the “Park of the Future” Teaming with Nature-based Solutions

California’s newest state park, Dos Rios, officially opened on June 12 in the San Joaquin Valley and the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is honored to be one of many partners that helped bring it to life. Through the use of nature-based solutions, Dos Rios State Park reduces flood risk for the surrounding area, provides a refuge for local residents during worsening heat waves, and restores the natural environment of the Central Valley to benefit local fish and wildlife. Dos Rios has been hailed as “a park of the future” and provides a blueprint for other projects.

DWR’s participation began in 2010 when the organization’s Flood Protection Corridor Program

awarded River Partners$3 million in Proposition 84 funds to help acquire the 1,603-acre Dos Rios Ranch. Over the next 14 years, this site would undergo an extensive transformation to become a California StatePark.

That transformation was not something that any one entity could do on its own. Along with DWR, a total of 11 partners provided $40 million to acquire and restore the property, which sits about eight miles west of Modesto at the confluence of the Tuolumne and San Joaquin Rivers. It’s the largest public- private floodplain restoration project in California.

More information

DWR Presents New eDNA Strategy in Washington D.C. to Help Improve Water Management

One of the primary goals of the Department of Water Resources is to use the newest and best available science for water management. DWR also pioneers that science, as shown recently in an article about “Using Genetic Identification to Find Spring-run Salmon and More.” Earlier this month, DWR senior environmental scientist Sarah Brown was invited to Washington D.C. to participate in the 3rd National Workshop on Marine eDNA and to present DWR’s new eDNA Strategy.

Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is the DNA that animals and plants leave behind as they pass through their environment. New genetic tools are allowing scientists to take basic water samples and scan it for DNA of specific species. The power of these new tools to rapidly obtain comprehensive information about biological communities in our fresh and marine waters is opening exciting new doors for natural resource management.

eDNA presents exciting possibilities for efficient, cheaper, and powerful advancements in biological monitoring. The release of the DWR and National Strategies sets the stage for coordination among scientists and managers for its use in decision-making. DWR will be working with federal agencies and other partners to develop implementation plans to move National eDNA Strategy goals forward.

More information

Training and Upcoming Events

NFIP Training

From March through June 2024, DWR conducted three of FEMA’s Elevation Certificate webinars. For the current fiscal year, DWR is coordinating with FEMA to teach five NFIP courses, with the topics, dates, and locations to be determined. The program’s webpage will provide registration information when it is available.

More information

Upcoming Events and Meetings

If you have questions about any of these events or would like to be added to our mailing list, please contact Nikki Blomquist or Salomon Miranda. Their contact information is provided at the end of this report.

• CA Silver Jackets Annual Meeting: October 15,2024

• Flood Preparedness Week: October 19-26,2024

• 2024 Preseason Flood Coordination Meetings. These meetings are for emergency managers and not the general public. Dates are subject to change if an emergency arises in the region.

- Tuesday, Sept. 10 –Sacramento

- Thursday, Sept. 12 –Fresno

- Wednesday, Sept. 18 –Butte

- Tuesday, Oct. 8 – SanJoaquin

- Thursday, Oct. 10 –Alameda

- Tuesday, Oct. 15 – Shasta(tentative)

- Wednesday, Oct. 16 –Mendocino

- Thursday, Oct. 24 –Merced

- Tuesday, Oct. 29 –Tulare

- Wednesday, Nov. 13 –Napa

- Friday, Nov. 15 –Monterey

- Wednesday, Nov. 20 – SanBernardino

- Thursday, Nov. 21 – SantaBarbara

DWR is Recruiting for Its 2024-25 Apprenticeship Program

DWR is now recruiting for the 2024-25 Apprenticeship Program. The exams and job vacancies open June 26, 2024, for a limited time. Applicants must have a high school diploma, be 18 years of age, and have a desire to learn skills to succeed in the program.

DWR offers a paid apprenticeship program that can lead to a fulfilling and lucrative career in the hydroelectric industry. The program combines hands-on-learning, classroom instruction, and home study with supervised on-the-job training.

The program takes three to four years to complete, depending on the trade specialization. Participants progress through the program upon successfully completing each six-month period and advancing to a range increase in pay. After participants have successfully completed the program, they become certified as a journey person and guaranteed full time employment with DWR.

More information

Questions?

Nikki Blomquist, Advisor

California Department of Water Resources

Nikki.Blomquist@water.ca.gov (916) 820-7749

Salomon Miranda, Advisor California Department of Water Resources Salomon.Miranda@water.ca.gov (818) 549-2347

STATE NEWS (Continued)

Hawaii

See the latest news stories relating to Hawaii’s floodplain management issues. For the transformed flood information platform from Hawaii visit their exciting weekly blog at https://waihalana.hawaii.gov/

Some of the latest articles relate to the DLNR Listening Sessions, the new NFIP Coordinator, and various Hawaii floodplain topics, provided by the DLNR Engineering Division.

For archived Wai Halana Newsletters (prior to 2018) https://dlnreng.hawaii.gov/nfip/wai-halana/

Nevada

The state of Nevada has a myriad of programs and outreach events for keeping people informed. The Division Of Water Resources has a Community Assistance Program, provides Flood Mitigation Assistance and Flood Hazard Mapping Assistance through their Floodplain Management website: https://water.nv.gov/programs/floodplainmanagement

The Division Of Water Resources also sponsors the following information website to assist its citizens to become more flood resilient. Check out their website at: https://nevadafloods.org/

WRITING ARTICLES FOR THE HIGH WATER MARK

Mike Nowlan

Submitting content for our FMA Newsletter has always been strongly encouraged but it has become apparent that some clearer guidance of what is publishable content should be provided to all of you would-be authors, so misunderstandings moving forward are minimized. As the current editor, I have been bestowed the honor of being the arbiter of the newsletter article philosophy, but I certainly can be overridden by the Board of Directors if someone makes their case and convinces them as such. Hopefully it never comes to that point.

There are two major issues relating to “technical” content that I feel require clarification, and seem to be where most of the questionable content arises. They do not encompass all of the potential content that is unacceptable, as that could be a lengthy list. Most of that list should be obvious to most everyone, but I will reserve the right to make it clear in a direct one-on-one conversation in the future if such obvious instances arise. For instance, need I mention that profanity and character assassination are not publishable by FMA?

The first major issue revolves around the request for including floodplain management issues somehow in the article. Our newsletter is for the Floodplain Management Association and should publish information that is related to floodplain management issues. I believe there are enough important things to talk about relating to floodplain management (even peripherally) that we need not publish articles that focus entirely on water supply policies, or transportation issues, or any other topic that has no direct or tangential bearing on how to manage floodplains, in our region, or any region for that matter. If I am being too serious, or out of line, please correct me. Our association was founded for the purposes of furthering floodplain management conversations. If we run out of things to say (not likely) we should stop existing as an association, or we should repurpose/rename ourselves and redefine our mission statement. I don’t go to In’N’Out to get sushi (I love both by the way). If you have a great article that is about something other than floodplain management, I will personally help you find a forum for you to publish in, as much as I am able. I have developed contacts with other groups relating to other engineering issues and I will advocate for you. I want you to espouse your wonderful ideas in front of the best audience for your issue. I do not want you to waste your time, or the time of our readers. Most of our readers can’t spend more than 10-20 minutes reading through the

newsletter and most will not find value in knowing about other topics. Of course, a few people may, but some people are easier to please. Unfortunately, the line has to be drawn somewhere, or else we should include cat videos and scone recipes in the next issue. Please don’t take the opportunity to send me the cat videos, but I would personally appreciate a good scone recipe.

The second issue relates to private/individual promotions. FMA has several venues for private companies and/ or individuals to promote themselves. They can pay for advertising space in the newsletter, and provide a formatted ad. They can submit an abstract for delivering a technical presentation touting their accomplishments at the conference. They can secure an exhibit booth at the conference. They can submit their accomplishments for an award. We want to recognize people for great work. However, with respect to writing articles in the newsletter, I request that the article be issue driven, without making the author/company the focus of the article. What will make an article worthwhile will be measured by how you help others better understand how to deal with their projects or stakeholders. Listing installed facilities, collaborating with agencies, and coming in under budget and within schedule are all note-worthy, but not article-worthy. I challenge you to try to win people over through your cogent arguments and helpful knowledge and leave the resumes out.

To be clear, self-promotion could be something attempted by a public official as well, though it is less likely. It will be met with the same level of scrutiny. However, there is a fuzzy line when it comes to highlighting projects from a public agency perspective. When a public agency, using public funds, gets something done, and wants to show it off, this can fall into the public information category and not the “pat yourself on the back” category. There is a fine line, and I will push back if it’s a little too “gushing”. If all of these guardrails are too harsh, please modify them by going to the Board of Directors with your ideas. I’ll even offer up a compromise on the first issue (the second issue is less negotiable). If you all want to have content in our newsletter relating to subjects other than floodplain management, we could place such articles into a separate section of the newsletter and come up with a cool name for that section. This would allow others to choose to read it or ignore it accordingly. See, I’m flexible!

CALL FOR ARTICLES!

The FMA Newsletter welcomes the input of its members and now our extended family of readership to contribute to the conversation! Keep the great articles coming! We need to hear from all of you. There’s always room for more to join the ranks of published authors. Showcase your programs, projects, tools, policies, regulations or ideas to hundreds of floodplain management professionals throughout the U.S.! Articles must be submitted in Word format to fmaed@floodplain. org and may contain 2-3 small pictures. Preferred length is less than 850 words.

For more details, call (916) 847-3778.

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR COMPLEX WATER ISSUES

Floodplain Studies

Hydrology

Hydraulics

Dam Safety

Sediment & Scour

Flood Forecasting/ Warning

CELEBRATING CEPSYM AND ITS FOUNDER

The California Extreme Precipitation Symposium (CEPSYM) is the brainchild of our beloved Gary Estes. This year, on July 11, we celebrated 30 years of CEPSYM and honored Gary for his great contributions and service to our community. If you have been involved with CEPSYM you will understand Gary’s love of a thoroughly descriptive recognition statement, and so we used his tactics. The following testimonial was read by Tim Washburn at the symposium this year, in honor of Gary, and it will be made into a beautiful plaque to give to Gary.

Special Recognition Award Presented To Gary Estes

Gary Estes and his wife Dorene Matney moved to the town of Auburn 35 years ago and developed a deep appreciation of the natural beauty and solitude of the nearby canyons of the American River. They hated the idea of building a dam there and thought there had to be a better way to make Sacramento safe from flooding.

This was not a new issue. Since the 1970’s dam opponents had argued “we don’t need another dam at Auburn, we just need to change the operating rules at Folsom Dam to allow water releases sooner in a flood event when you know it’s going to rain.”

But this argument hadn’t gotten much traction among the federal and state engineers responsible for flood control along the American River. Gary thought he could change that. Not by letter writing and lobbying, but by direct engagement of the water management community on the technical issues.

He had only a limited understanding of meteorology and the practicalities of weather forecasting and reservoir operations. But he was “data driven” and free with Dorene’s support to devote himself virtually full time to the science and engineering of managing extreme precipitation.

He started by reaching out to the Sierra College Natural History Museum which was then hosting weekly science lectures. The museum agreed to sponsor a symposium on predicting heavy rainfall events in California. Then he recruited the Floodplain Management Association (FMA) to support the symposium as a way of offering an educational opportunity to FMA members. This was to be a one-time event. But the 55 attendees who showed up on June 25, 1994, agreed it should happen again.

The FMA’s commitment to Gary was simple – as long as you do all the work, we’re with you.

Over the next thirty years, under Gary’s leadership, the California Extreme Precipitation Symposium (CEPSYM) became a mainstay for professionals from diverse disciplines to share information and knowledge about the processes that produce precipitation extremes in California and to consider policies and practices that improve our capacity to manage these weather patterns. During this period, CEPSYM contributed to a

revolution in reservoir management. Meteorologists now understand that extreme wintertime rainfall in California is produced by narrow bands of moist air transported across the Pacific Ocean in the form of atmospheric rivers (ARs). Significant improvements in AR observational technology, the scale and resolution of predictive AR precipitation models, and the processing and dissemination of model data have opened the door to a new era of forecast informed reservoir operations (FIRO) in California, including at Folsom Dam.

This was Gary’s goal. As he now prepares to step back and hand over his CEPSYM leadership duties to FMA, it is time to recognize Gary’s extraordinary dedication to understanding and advancing the science and engineering of managing extreme precipitation in a way that has profoundly affected public policy. This award expresses our deep appreciation of this service, vision, contributions, and leadership.

California Extreme Precipitation Symposium July 11th, 2024

Gary was also presented with a beautiful rain gage, as a special recognition gift from all of us, as you can see him proudly holding his gift in the photo. As we read in the testimonial, Gary plans to step away from running/ organizing CEPSYM. For now, two individuals have stepped up to try and carry on Gary’s legacy, honoring him and his work into the future. Tim Washburn and Ben Tustison have agreed that CEPSYM is too important and must continue. They cannot do it alone, so all of us should find a way to help Tim and Ben make next year’s CEPSYM a success. Are you in? If so, please contact our Executive Director George Booth and we will get you connected to the Extreme Team!

CHANGES TO FLOOD THRESHOLD COLOR SCHEME

Alan Haynes, Hydrologist In Charge, California Nevada River Forecast Center

The California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) is changing the color scheme tied to flood-related thresholds on its website this fall. This change is expected to be implemented in October. Official flood forecast points for California and Nevada are represented by colored dots on the CNRFC’s front-facing webpage. These dots change color based on river stages exceeding certain thresholds during the five-day forecast window. Flood forecast points that remain below any thresholds of concern are colored green. Currently, when the river stage exceeds “Monitor Stage” during the forecast window, but below “Flood Stage”, the dot turns orange. Monitor stage is a river level where either the National Weather Service (NWS) or a partner needs to take some type of mitigation action in preparation for potentially significant hydrologic activity. When an official forecast point is forecast to exceed “Flood Stage” during the five-day forecast window, the associated dot turns red. Flood stage is where a river is expected to exceed its banks and begin to cause minor property damage or flooding of low-lying roads. Another threshold that triggers a color change to purple on some forecast points is associated with forecast river levels reaching a stage of concern from a levee design perspective, often defined to be somewhat below the top of the levee. This stage is called “Danger Stage” and is only used on select forecast points for rivers that have levees.

The National Weather Service recently rolled out a new national webpage for displaying river forecasts and it uses a slightly different color scheme to represent current or forecast river stages that exceed thresholds. The color scheme used on the national page has been around for a long time, but the NWS has also been making an effort to improve consistency in its products and it is time to change the CNRFC threshold colors to match the national page. The thresholds on the national page are: “Action/Monitor Stage”, “Minor Flood Stage”, “Moderate Flood Stage”, and “Major Flood Stage”. Although these thresholds are also defined for flood forecast points on the CNRFC website, the CNRFC has only represented exceedance of “Minor Flood Stage”, which is simply termed “Flood Stage” on its website. Both the CNRFC and the national page represent official forecast points which are expected to remain below any critical thresholds during the forecast window as

green dots. On the national page, when the stage at a river forecast point is expected to exceed “Monitor Stage” (a term only used in California), or “Action Stage” (a term used nationally, but similar to “Monitor Stage”), the associated dot turns yellow. On the national page, when a river forecast point is expected to exceed “Minor Flood Stage”, the dot turns orange. This threshold maps to “Flood Stage” on the CNRFC webpage where it is represented by the color red. The national page represents exceedance of “Moderate Flood Stage” as a red dot. Moderate Flood Stage is associated with some inundation of structures and roads, with potential evacuations. The highest category on the national page is “Major Flood Stage”, represented by a purple dot. Major Flood Stage is associated with extensive inundation of structures and roads, potentially significant evacuations and/or overtopping of levees. Given potential conflict and confusion between the CNRFC webpage and the national page when river stages at forecast points exceed critical thresholds, the CNRFC is aligning its color scheme to match the national page. Given that “Danger Stage” is unique, but meaningful in California, it will be retained likely as a dashed gray line on location-specific river forecast plots, but a forecast above “Danger Stage” will no longer turn a dot purple on the map, since that color will be associated with “Major Flood Stage”. The images below will be used in an educational flier for the color threshold changes and illustrate how the colors will change on the CNRFC page starting in October.

CURRENT THRESHOLDS NEW THRESHOLDS

PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF OWENS VALLEY COLLABORATIVE

FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS

Kristyne Van Skike

Effective communication and engagement within the floodplain community require an understanding that “the Path is on the Ground.” Collaborative efforts in floodplain management for Owens Valley in the Eastern Sierras are essential. Ongoing engagement not only preserves this beautiful region but also restores a crucial connection between the land and its original stewards. This article explores how effective floodplain management, through cooperation and community involvement, has safeguarded the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Owens Valley.

I was born and raised in Ridgecrest, California, a very dry and groundwater-dependent area of the Mojave Desert, near Death Valley. Ridgecrest is located directly on the 395 corridor, which is also the route of the Los Angeles Aqueduct. This aqueduct was constructed in the early 1900s by the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) following a significant land purchase in the Eastern Sierras and Owens Valley.

During my childhood growing up in the region in the 1970s, I witnessed the degradation and dilapidation of the Mono Lake and Owens Valley areas. This was an environmental disaster caused by the incredible and irresponsible diversion of water. I’ve had a passion for water since I was a child. I understood the environmental conflicts of managing water for both the growing population and the beautiful landscape of California. This state is rich in biodiversity and agriculture, hosting a wide variety of plants and animals in an environment steeped in history.

Growing up in a desert in Southern California, we experienced firsthand the impacts of climate change and increasing occurrences of drought with winds blowing dust and dirt from the north, a direct result of the drained environment. This was a man-made problem.

In 1976, to save Mono Lake from ecological collapse due to excessive water diversions, a young group of scientists formed the Mono Lake Committee. These students from UC Davis and Stanford conducted the first comprehensive ecological study of Mono Lake. The primary landforms of this ecoregion are moderately sloping alluvial fans and level basin floors, terraces,

and floodplains. Elevations range from about 3,800 feet (1,200 m) along the Owens River in the south to more than 6,000 feet (1,800 m) where the higher fans descend from the Eastern Sierras. They found that the lake supported abundant life, from brine shrimp to birds, but also that if the water diversions continued, its ecological collapse seemed inevitable. They pursued legal, legislative, and grassroots advocacy strategies for the valley. Their efforts were instrumental in raising awareness and initiating changes to restore the lake and surrounding floodplain.

In 1984, Congress established the first Scenic Area designation in the country—the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area. Over the next 40 years, Mono Lake dropped by 45 vertical feet, lost half its volume, and doubled in salinity. A land bridge formed to islands that had previously been a safe nesting area for thousands of California Gulls, allowing predators to reach eggs and chicks. Air quality degraded as toxic dust blew off the dry lakebed exposed by the falling lake levels.

In 2017, winter storms prompted the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) to declare an emergency, as the snowpack in the Eastern Sierras was 241% of normal. An article by Anna Hohag, published on April 27, 2017, highlights that historical flooding has occurred in this region on record for thousands of years. The native inhabitants of the valley, the Nüümü (Paiute) and Newe (Shoshone), practiced traditional water management techniques, such as flood irrigation and the manipulation and spreading of water across the valley. Evidence of these historical methods can still be seen in ancient Paiute irrigation ditches, as shown in a photo by Clarissa Wei (page 19).

Anna Hohag emphasizes that these floodplains and wetlands provide valuable functions no other ecosystem can, including the ability to naturally purify and improve water quality, provide flood protection and maintain surface water flow during dry periods, recharge groundwater, and provide habitats for fish and wildlife.

“What our people need is a restoration — of our voice, lands, waters, and sacred sites. We ask for access to the places that we, and our ancestors before us, have been stewards of for centuries. Our role as stewards comes from knowledge that has been handed down from generation to generation. What we ask for is simple: access to the waters and lands that we have watched over since time immemorial. This is vital not only for our cultural identity, but also for the survival of our people.” (Hohag, 2017, as cited in Scoda, 2017).

These poignant words capture the essence of a struggle that has defined Owens Valley for decades. The story of Owens Valley is one of resilience, collaboration, and the enduring bond between people and their environment. She writes: “My advice to the Mayor and LADWP is this: slow down, listen, and rethink your strategy. The indigenous people of the valley have managed the water systems for centuries; perhaps it’s time to look to them for some solutions” (Hohag, 2017, as cited in Scoda, 2017).

Since 2017, drought plagued the valley yet again. The effects of climate change causing these extreme drought and flood events further weaken this fragile ecosystem. Balancing the resiliency of the water supply during drought conditions with the needs of the people and the environment remains difficult.

In 2023, once again, heavy storms swept across California and filled vast portions of the dry bed of Owens Lake, causing stress and damage to the cracked and dry floodplain. Later in the year, Tropical Storm Hillary inflicted damage and caused a major breach of the aqueduct.

Early 2024 saw another series of storms and Louis Sahagún, a staff writer for the LA Times, wrote that these storms damaged infrastructure and impacted the ability of LADWP to manage Owens Valley operations. A preliminary assessment of the increasing costs was more than 100 million dollars. These costs can be passed along to over four million ratepayers of which nearly half live in disadvantaged communities (Sahagún, 2024).

Continued on next page

PRESERVING THE LEGACY OF OWENS VALLEY COLLABORATIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE EASTERN SIERRAS (Continued)

Mono Lake Valley has seen significant improvements thanks to the dedication of many individuals and years of persistent effort. Water is once again flowing down the streams and into Mono Lake, helping to restore its natural balance. However, the work is far from over, and efforts to save Mono Lake continue to this day.

The efforts to manage the floodplains of Owens Valley have been a testament to the power of collaboration and dedication. Inyo County Water Department’s historical insights, local Tribal leaders, nonprofit organizations like Friends of Inyo and Mono Lake Committee’s advocacy, landowners, farmers, and LADWP must continue to work together to find nature-based solutions at the local level to preserve the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Owens Valley and restore the connection between the land and its original stewards, ensuring that this vital ecosystem continues to thrive for future generations.

The local community understands the value of this region and its critical habitats. Collaborative efforts have been essential in protecting the system’s ability to manage floods, ensure water supply, and promote natural surface flows. Ongoing communication and engagement at the community level are crucial, as those on the ground are key to navigating the path forward.

References:

1. Inyo County Water Department. (n.d.). Owens Valley water history chronology https://www. inyowater.org/documents/reports/owens-valleywater-history-chronology/

2. Mono Lake Committee. (n.d.). Saving Mono Lake. https://www.monolake.org/learn/ aboutmonolake/savingmonolake/#waterdiversions-almost-destroyed-mono-lake

3. PBS SoCal. (n.d.). LADWP’s Owens Valley flood emergency is an answered prayer for the Paiute and Shoshone. https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/ tending-the-wild/ladwps-owens-valley-floodemergency-is-an-answered-prayer-for-the-paiuteand-shoshone

4. Sahagún, L. (2024, February 18). Cost of Owens Valley storm damage continues to mount for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/ environment/story/2024-02-18/cost-of-owensvalley-storm-damage-continues-to-mount-for-losangeles-department-of-water-and-power

5. Scoda, S. (2017, May 7). Photo essay: The lost lake of Owens Valley. Avoiding Regret. https://www. avoidingregret.com/2017/05/photo-essay-lostlake-of-owens-valley.html#google_vignette

Pictured here, a photo by Gary Coronado of the Los Angeles Times, workers make repairs in 2023 to a drain that feeds into Big Pine Canal after a series of atmospheric rivers.

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ELIMINATING THE GENERATION GAP

Michael Nowlan

What generation hasn’t said the following at some point, “Kids these days!”? Commercials jokingly play with this issue with us becoming our parents, or 10-year old kids telling their younger siblings how good they have it now with better internet access than “back in their day”. It is inevitable that our parents and people from our parents’ generation will seem a few steps behind in the “race”, if you consider it a race. I run the risk myself of preaching to the choir on this one, because many of the younger floodplain professionals may not even be reading something as antiquated as a NEWSLETTER. The only ones who may be reading this may be those of us who still read newspapers! Gasp! Or watch TV!

I grew up without a computer (man that sounds old), so my once voracious appetite for information and news and entertainment had to be satisfied by something other than Google®! Or is Google® like Facebook® now, and old school? But that’s not my point. There is information. And then there is the media through which that information is shared. (It has always been this way, and information is meant to be shared.) It is important to differentiate between the two, and to not get caught up in the waves on the surface in order to understand and navigate the ocean currents beneath. I know that the winds at the surface affect the currents beneath, but it sounded like such a great metaphor! The ocean seems a lot calmer below the surface, but there is that pesky air/breathing thing to contend with, as well as the pressure.

As much as my introverted engineering mind hates to admit it, there is a social aspect to floodplain management, which involves the interactions of “different” generations. Navigating the landscape of people’s feelings and agendas has always been a potential minefield for those who are just trying to get something done. Generally, there are two ways that things get done. Dictatorially, or democratically. When an agency or entity simply steamrolls their agenda (this happens even in a democracy), the disadvantaged can

suffer, but that is changing. Usually, the steamroller is the one in charge of the purse strings. Dare I say it, but sometimes the steamroller can be our ideologies. Democratically, the only way things can usually get done is through compromise. There is still pain, but it is usually shared by everyone involved, as long as everyone involved has a voice and is recognized. Compromise has been accomplished when nobody gets “their way”. In a perfect world (is there such a thing?!) the pain would be proportionally shared, but who gets to decide what is proportionate? Humans, with their agendas! Someone is always going to be unhappy, no matter what happens, or doesn’t happen. The trick is to keep the unhappy number to a minimum, or at least convince them to accept whatever happens.

Where am I going with this? The generations need to find ways to cooperate to get things done. So, how do we share knowledge? Through a remote screen? Or, face to face? Before my generation thinks we had it better, just remember, our “remote screen” was books and reports and letters and emails! We all need to find ways to reach out to others and stop sitting in our comfy chairs. I know what information sharing used to be, and we all think we know what it’s becoming. Take heart if you are an optimist, AI is just another manifestation of the human psyche. But, I sense that the tide may be turning a bit. I have heard some younger folks actually say they want more face-to-face exchanges. Perhaps it is a consequence of swinging the pendulum during the pandemic isolation extreme, but people are realizing that we need each other. Even the introverts felt the pain of isolation. We should realize that no one can get anything of substance accomplished without someone else being involved, pooling our resources. Cooperation requires communication and interaction. We are social creatures, who must be connected to our environment, even when we don’t want to be.

What is my point? FMA is and should be about everyone in floodplain management having a voice, and having

a forum in which to speak, from every generation. We should be sharing information, hopefully that ties back to floodplain management in some way, shape, or form. We are an association, so let’s associate (that was for George). Everyone can have something important to say, or have a great idea, regardless of your age/ generation. Yes, those darn Milllenials and Gen Z’ers can actually know something! And those Boomers and Gen X’ers can still have a new innovative idea once in a while! We can also recognize the follies of certain behaviors by our past failures. I know I’ve had my share. Remember, being “new” doesn’t automatically make it better, and being “proven” doesn’t make it unchangeable. We have to test every nugget to see if it’s gold. Be patient with each other as the testing takes time. We all need to learn from each other, through screens, and face-to-face meetings/conferences. AI is a tool for us to use, not the Terminator created by Cyberdyne Systems. Technology has to be harnessed, not feared, but we have to be mindful that behind every technology are people with their sometimes-competing agendas, and sometimes those agendas are to the detriment of others. Perfect justice cannot be meted out by imperfect humans, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying. Some believe this is the way it has always been. Some believe

it didn’t start out that way. Some believe that we can make it better if we just try hard enough. Some don’t know what to believe. Either way, GAME ON!

Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do without money being involved in the equation. We volunteer for things we believe have value, beyond the monetary, but we ourselves need money to survive in this world. But, if you are only doing something because you are getting paid for it, where’s the passion? You are human! We can contribute money to allow others to thrive, through scholarships and investments, with the hope there is a payoff to society, playing the long game. We all do it, private and public, but it is never enough, and it is sometimes discovered to be misguided later. If we hoard our resources, then we isolate ourselves. If we spend money based on emotion, then we run the risk of feeling good but having minimal lasting consequence. We need to find the balance, and move forward and backward, together, recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of everyone, and having some humility, because none of us can know everything, not even collectively. We find common ground when we build it together. In the spirit of the Olympics, pass the torch and keep the cauldron lit!

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Since 2006, WES has committed to restoring sensitive and degraded ecosystems, including floodplains. California’s floodplains are essential for controlling large inundation events and fight climate change protecting communities and species habitats.

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THE HIGH WATER MARK

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