A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR

Michael Nowlan

Cheers everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and are ready to get back to business! I trust you are all aware of our new Executive Director, Brittany Jimenez, starting at the beginning of 2023. For those of you who want to know more, she has written an introduction that can be found later in this newsletter. That means, of course, that our beloved Mary Seits has closed out her tenure with FMA, but we hope to see her in the future on occasion, as she still has many close ties with many of us in FMA. Brittany will be your point of contact for FMA moving forward and she is ready to field your questions/issues as we prepare for upcoming events, not the least of which is our next conference in Los Angeles at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites. We have begun our planning process for shaping the character of our 2023 conference with the selection of our three co-chairs (Alan Haynes (NOAA), MD Haque (CA DWR) and Patricia Wood (LA DPW)) and holding bi-weekly meetings (online/virtually). We can always use more help if you haven’t already joined the meetings so far, so contact Brittany if you’re interested. Everything, from the conference theme, to the different ideas for panels and field trips, needs to be discussed and refined as we approach September. While much of the conference and panel discussions can be planned collaboratively, a large part of our conference also allows for the opportunity to deliver or attend technical presentations. We want to make sure we provide meaningful content and exciting opportunities for all of our conference attendees, whether they are more policydriven or tech-driven individuals. We will be sending out a call for abstracts in the near future, so keeps your eyes open and think about how you can contribute to the conversation.

As your chair, I have mentioned several times that it is my desire to bring clarity as it relates to all of duties of the board positions, and the process for becoming nominated and serving on the Board of Directors. I plan on presenting more detailed “job” descriptions at our next Board Meeting (in March) and communicating about this process in great detail in the next newsletter (in May). I may provide links to the job descriptions so there isn’t too much detail for those who prefer a more overview level of discussion in the newsletter. It is all in hopes of being transparent and inclusive on the whole issue, so you can see what is involved and hopefully be encouraged to contribute. This is strategically placed before nominations and voting!

We have made great progress on several other fronts, but I don’t want to steal anyone’s thunder. This newsletter contains some great information on our new scholarship program and our Emerging Professionals committee. We are also working on the issue of diversity/equity/inclusion and infusing our conference with this important topic. As many of you probably know, this issue can often involve some level of sponsorship to overcome any inequities. As it has been pointed out to me by others, most people attending the conference are getting paid to do so. So, with respect to inclusion and access, the financial hurdle can be one of the biggest ones. To that end I look forward to hearing your input on how to fly past this hurdle and all other hurdles to get the voices of our disadvantaged communities heard and valued as we plan for the future and work towards the goal of equity.

Save The Date

California Extreme Precipitation Symposium

June 27, 2023 - Virtual (Location/theme TBD)

FMA Annual Conference

September 5-8, 2023

Westin Bonaventure Hotel – Los Angeles, CA

Our luncheons continue to thrive in Sacramento, and we have many great speakers, thanks to Carl Walker and George Booth! I encourage any of you to take up the challenge in other major cities within our region. I will personally help you get your ideas off the ground. More collaborative discussion should be rewarding, with better results for everyone.

Last, but not least, I hope you are all staying safe and dry during the remainder of this wet season. Some of us have been hit harder than others. No doubt there will be much to talk about, and share, come September!

Thanks for supporting FMA!

Mike Nowlan

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:

• Flood damage in January 2023 with nine back-to-back atmospheric rivers has resulted in a major disaster declaration including 29 California counties (DA-4683-CA, map below shows designated areas). Public assistance helps state and local governments with emergency response, recovery, and mitigation costs. Residents in more counties may become eligible for federal disaster assistance to support recovery efforts as officials finish assessing damages. Unfortunately, the lack of insurance coverage will worsen disaster suffering.

• The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has been extended until September 30, 2023, without legislative reform the past five years. All flood insurance policies and renewals under the NFIP continue to transition to updated Risk Rating 2.0 rates. Previously grandfathered rates are on a glidepath to a full-risk premium. New flood insurance under the NFIP is written at full-risk rates since October 2021.

• Funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program more than doubled to nearly $2.3 billion this year while Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) sees an increase to $800 million. This year’s application period closed on January 27, 2023.

• A notice of funding opportunity, or NOFO, for the new Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) revolving loan fund program describes $50 million being available from FEMA this first year. The application period is open February through April.

• FEMA published updated standards and guidance for the Risk MAP program online

California

Changing Climate, Shift to More Extreme Weather Intensify Risk of Flooding in California

California’s shift to a hotter and drier climate is intensifying flood risk across the state and demands action, even during ongoing drought.

https://water.ca.gov/News/News-Releases/2022/ Dec-22/Changing-Climate-Shift-to-More-ExtremeWeather-Intensify-Risk-of-Flooding-in-California

Second Snow Survey Reflects Boost from Atmospheric Rivers

The Department of Water Resources (DWR) today conducted the second snow survey of the season at Phillips Station.

https://water.ca.gov/News/News-Releases/2023/ Feb-23/Second-Snow-Survey-Reflects-Boost-fromAtmospheric-Rivers

Challenges of Forecasting Water Supply During Extreme Weather Events

The series of devastating storms in January 2023 demonstrated how quick California can move between extreme conditions as the looming threat of worsening drought conditions gave way to flooding impacts across the state and one of the largest snowpacks in 30 years.

https://water.ca.gov/News/Blog/2023/Feb-23/ Challenges-of-Forecasting-Water-Supply-DuringExtreme-Weather-Events

Video: Capturing Water from Storms to Replenish Groundwater

DWR is committed to expediting groundwater recharge; like this project in Dunnigan, Yolo County, which is providing multiple benefits, including capturing excess water from recent storms, recharging the groundwater basin and providing habitat for migrating birds.

https://water.ca.gov/News/Blog/2023/Jan-23/ Capturing-Water-from-Storms-to-Replenish-Groundwater

DWR’s Innovative Underground Aquifer Mapping Project Reaches Major Milestone: Data Now Available for Entire Central Valley https://water.ca.gov/News/Blog/2023/Feb-23/ DWRs-Innovative-Underground-Aquifer-MappingProject-Reaches-Major-Milestone

DWR's innovative Statewide Airborne Electromagnetic (AEM) Survey Project has now released AEM data for the entire Central Valley of California, marking a major milestone for the program.

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 postings relate to hurricane preparedness, stewarding our environment, and Flood Insurance. For archived Wai Halana Newsletters (prior to 2018) https://dlnreng.hawaii.gov/nfip/wai-halana/

Nevada

The Nevada Floodplain Management Program held our 9th annual Nevada Flood Awareness Week in November 13th-19th, 2022. We participated in person outreach events in Northern Nevada at locations including Carson City, Douglas County and Storey County. We shared lots of great information via social media on Nevada Floods on Facebook- follow us if you’re not already! We had an ad featured in Northern Nevada’s free quarterly magazine Growing Up Reno Tahoe. Governor Sisolak officially Proclaimed Nevada Flood Awareness Week and some of our local communities including Carson City and Storey County officially proclaimed Nevada Flood Awareness Week as well. We provided an article about Flood Awareness for Lander County’s local newsletter, which is something we are happy to do anytime for our communities to help extend outreach efforts.

Nevada Silver Jackets projects (interagency efforts between the US Army Corp and State Floodplain Management partners) are still underway along with some newly awarded projects and drafting the FY24 Project Proposals. In September we hosted an in person Nevada Flood Mitigation and Funding Opportunities Workshop in Washoe County. Then in October we hosted a condensed version virtually. We will be offering the final workshop of this specific series on February 23, 2023 from 1:00pm-5:00pm in person at the Clark County Regional Flood Control office in Las Vegas, Nevada. If you would like to attend the upcoming Flood Mitigation and Funding Opportunities Workshop please email Nvsilverjackets@usace.army. mil to register. In November we hosted a virtual Nevada Watershed University Summit which had a focus on Floodplain Management in Arid Regions. This was a very informational and well attended event so we decided to propose something similar for a future project. Additionally, ongoing Silver Jackets projects have included the development of an informational pamphlet for teachers that summarize all of the standard classroom curriculum we have created to go hand in hand with our virtual outreach materials. This pamphlet and all other materials will then be accessible on our website; Nevadafloods.org. Lastly the Nevada Silver Jackets have prepared a draft Floodplain Management Plan for South Fork dam in Elko County with the goal of this being an example for applicants applying for funding from FEMA’s the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams (HHPD) grant program. Newly awarded projects include a Comprehensive High Watermark Campaign that entails working with communities to create high watermark signage that also ties back to more in depth information on our website Nevadafloods.org with hopefully an interactive map that will continue to grow with high watermark locations and information. The other latest project is the Nevada Arid Region EAP which will kick-off during out semi-annual Nevada Silver Jackets meeting on February 7, 2023.

MEET THE BOARD - Roger Leventhal

FMA would like to introduce you to one of our newer members of the Board.

I am currently working as a Senior Engineer with Marin County Flood Control District, a small local agency. I came to this job after approximately 25 years working as a private consultant, 12 years running my own firm focusing primarily on the analysis, design and implementation of creek and wetlands restoration and multi-benefit flood control projects. At the County, I currently lead technical studies related to sea level rise and climate change adaptation and focus on the challenges of improving flood protection to low lying communities under current and future conditions. I know firsthand the difficulties of working engineers to design and permit flood control projects in a regulatory world where habitat concerns are first and foremost, and finally to try and find funding for what are typically expensive projects. I am also working on several nature-based design projects including constructed beaches as an alternative to rip-rap for shoreline erosion and thin-lift dredge sediment placement for wetlands restoration, as well as new approaches to both the design and construction of dredging of tidal channels.

My BS is in Geology (geomorphology) from UCSB and I got a Masters in Hydraulic and Coastal Engineering from UC Berkeley. I am also serving as appointed as a member of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) sea level rise adaptation planning work being conducted by their Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) project.

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 bjimenez@floodplain.org and may contain 2-3 small pictures. Preferred length is less than 850 words.

For more details call (323)347-1207.