THE HIGH
WATER MARK
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION 2020 - Volume 30, Issue 4
THE HIGH
WATER MARK The Newsletter of the Floodplain Management Association November 2020 - Volume 30, Issue 4 Mission: To promote the common interest in reducing flood losses and to encourage the protection and enhancement of natural floodplain values.
Alex Yescas - Chair HDR Engineering, Inc. 858-712-8283
Darren Suen - Director Central Valley Flood Protection Board 916-574-0609
Jeremy Lancaster - Advisor California Geological Survey 916-445-1825
Mike Nowlan - Vice Chair Wood Rodgers, Inc. 916-326-5277
Millicent Cowley-Crawford - Director West Yost Associates 415-321-3421
Salomon Miranda - Advisor California DWR 818-549-2347
Connie Perkins - Gutkowsky - Secretary DWR 916-973-3008
Brian Walker - Director City of Roseville 916- 746-1349
Cindy Matthews - Advisor NOAA 916-979-3041
Brent Siemer - Treasurer City of Simi Valley, DPW 805-583-6805
Kyle Gallup - Director Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 951-955-1265
Eric Simmons - Advisor FEMA Region IX 510-627-7029
Abigail Mayrena - Director Clark County RFCD 702-685-0000 John Moynier - Director Vince Geronimo - Director Mead and Hunt 916-993-4606 Brian Brown - Director City of West Sacramento 916-617-4559
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Ann Bechtel - Director CDM Smith 760-710-4663 George Booth - Past Chair Sacramento County 916-874-6484 Kelly Soule - Advisor California DWR 916-574-1205 Jose Lara - Advisor California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) 916-845-8883
Carol Tyau-Beam - Advisor Hawaii DLNR 808-587-0267 Erin Warnock - Advisor Nevada DWR 775-684-2890 Jeanne Ruefer - Advisor HWC INC 775-722-7395 Mary Seits - Executive Director Floodplain Management Association 760-936-3676
CONTENT
3
A Note From The Chair
4
Federal/National News
6
State News
7
It’s Not Your Grandmother’s Floodplain Management World
12
Flood Control Agencies Adjust to Reality of COVID-19
14
Meet the CFM – Kayla Kelly-Slatten
18
Reflection on FMA Keynote: A History of Partnerships is Key to Success
20
2020 FMA Virtual Conference Highlights
22
The Goddard Award
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Folsom Dam
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A NOTE FROM THE CHAIR By Alex Yescas Hello Fellow Floodplain Managers, I hope you and your families are doing well as we approach the end of the year. It has been an unusual few months on so many levels, including the inability to meet face-to-face to work together due to COVID-19. However, like so many other companies and organizations across the world, we have been creative as we navigate this unique episode in history. I thank all of you who attended our virtual conference in September; we had 474 registrants, which was in line with our past in-person conference numbers. These virtual registrations and sponsorships have really helped FMA move forward without disruptions and allow us to continue providing floodplain management support to you. Our final event of 2020, 2D HEC-RAS Advanced Virtual Workshop, is an intensive five-day event for consulting engineers, water resource planners, and engineers with experience in floodplain hydrology and hydraulics, and sound experience in HEC-RAS steady and unsteady flow computer modeling.
SAVE THE DATE Floodplain Management Association Annual Conference September 7-10, 2021 Los Angeles, CA
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We are hoping that next year will be a prosperous time for all of us and we will eventually be able to meet and greet each other in person. In the meantime, we will kick off 2021 on January 20-21 with our first training of the year on Post-Fire Hydrology and Runoff Management. An especially relevant topic given the unprecedented devastation caused by fires throughout the West in 2020, this virtual event is designed for planners, engineers, and emergency planners employed by local, state, and federal government agencies, as well as private consultants that seek to increase risk awareness and planning that work in watersheds prone to wildfires. Attendees will leave the training with greater knowledge on how to: • Assess post fire soil and vegetation conditions; • Perform post-fire hydrologic modeling; • Understand the accuracy and limitation of postfire hydrology models; • Select appropriate mitigation measures to address increased runoff and erosion conditions due to post-fire conditions; • Understand planning considerations for public officials; and • Provide resources to identify funding for recovery and mitigation efforts. We are also anticipating hosting several luncheons across our regions during 2021, including additional training webinars; please stay tuned as our Training and Professional Development committee is organizing and finalizing these courses. If you are interested in joining one our committees (Emerging Professionals, Coastal, Mapping and Modeling, etc.), please reach out to Mary Seits or to me to join. For those coming up in the floodplain management field, these committees are a great opportunity to achieve professional growth, expand your network, and build your technical skillset.
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As any year closes, it is normal to look ahead and think about what is in store for the future. For many of us, 2020 has been an intensely challenging year, both personally and professionally. We have all missed family vacations, altered the way we live our everyday lives, and faced the challenges of remote working and learning. But I always remind myself that challenges are not unique to this, or any generation: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.�– Martin Luther King FMA will continue to provide the support and education you need and we look forward to a great 2021!
FMA NEWS
FEDERAL/NATIONAL NEWS For an Update of the latest disaster declarations visit: CLICK HERE
For information on Flood Insurance Reform – Rates and Refunds CLICK HERE
Advisor Update Hurricanes, wildfire disasters, evacuations, and smoky air all during a pandemic. The term ‘emergency’ is being redefined in 2020. Half the counties in California have been federally declared; a wildfire disaster status map as of early November is below. Five of the twenty largest wildfires in California history are part of 2020 with over four million acres and 10,000 buildings burned. Federal flood after fire outreach material is ONLINE. FEMA continues work to TRANSFORM the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) including updating the way flood insurance premiums are determined. The goal is to more accurately reflect future damages, better inform all on their flood risk, and encourage actions that will reduce future losses. This effort is named “Risk Rating 2.0” with implementation starting October 1, 2021. The NFIP’s authority to sell and renew flood insurance was extended until the end of the federal fiscal year (September 30, 2021). This marks the 16th – and longest – short term program extension since September 2017. While not the multi-year reauthorization desired it does lessen uncertainties and allows for continued discussion on improvements to the program. NFIP premium changes as of April 1, 2021, include an average premium increase of 9% (from an annual average of $990 to $1,080).
FMA NEWS
2020 FEDERAL DECLARATIONS FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR WILDFIRE DISASTERS
Policyholders already paying “full-risk rates” are not impacted by a large increase. Rate changes coming January 1, 2022, include a 15% annual increase for preferred risk, newly mapped, and A99 policies. Updated POLICY was released in September removing the cost-effectiveness requirement that a mitigation project must first have at least a 0.75 benefit-cost ratio before ecosystem services benefits are considered. This makes it easier to include natural-based solutions to FEMA-funded flood loss reduction projects.
STATE NEWS California 1. DWR Releases Oroville Dam Comprehensive Needs Assessment Summary Report The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has published a summary report on the Oroville Dam Safety Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA), initiated in January 2018 to identify dam safety and operational needs following reconstruction of the spillways damaged in February 2017.
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Hawaii For archived Wai Halana Newsletters CLICK HERE
For the new transformed flood information platform from Hawaii visit their exciting new weekly blog HERE
FULL STORY
2. DWR Partners with the Social Bridging Project to Help Californians Prepare for Natural Disasters To help Californians prepare for natural disasters and to advance family and community disaster planning, DWR has launched a new partnership with Listos California – a campaign anchored at the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services – as part of the Social Bridging Project. FULL STORY
3. Water Year 2020 Demonstrates California’s Weather Variability California’s Water Year 2020 has come to a close and while Northern California was mostly dry, parts of Southern California experienced above average precipitation. The water year ended below average and further demonstrated the impact of climate change on the state’s water supply. FULL STORY
4. DWR Announces $37 Million in Awards for Water Resilience Projects within the Los Angeles Area
Nevada Nevada Outreach: The seventh annual Nevada Flood Awareness Week is from November 14 – 20, 2020. The goal of Nevada Flood Awareness Week is to create flood resilient communities in Nevada and increase flood awareness throughout the state. Flood awareness and preparedness is raised through the coordination of local virtual outreach events, a media campaign, the NEVADAFLOODS.ORG website and the Nevada Floods Facebook. The highlight this year will be the airing of the newly created Nevada Floods PSA that on TV and Radio all throughout the state in both English and Spanish.
As part of an ongoing effort to address California’s critical water needs and build regional self-reliance in the face of a changing climate, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today announced nearly $37 million in grant awards for water resilience projects in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. FULL STORY FMA NEWS
IT’S NOT YOUR GRANDMOTHER’S FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT WORLD Kathleen Schaefer
The world of floodplain management is changing. There is a growing awareness that strengthening and extending conventional flood defenses is unsustainable economically, environmentally, and in terms of social equity. This awareness is prompting calls to replace existing flood control policies and flood hazard management with more modern flood risk management concepts and, most recently, flood resilience management. Pressing for policies thaat are "based on an understanding of flood risk in all its dimensions of vulnerability, capacity, exposure of persons and assets, hazard characteristics, and the environment.1" Fortunately, advancements in computing power, big data, statistics theory, low-cost sensors, artificial intelligence, high-resolution data sets, the emergence of global insurance and finance markets, and social media's ability to tell the flood disaster story are giving disaster professionals new tools to meet these demands.
In 1968, Congress enacted the National Flood Insurance Program, tasking HUD (now FEMA) with the responsibility to manage the program. The new law mandated that HUD provide detailed flood maps to every US community. The fledgling agency turned to its sister federal agency, the Corps, to establish the necessary mapping guides and standards. The Corps used its flood control knowledge to guide the development of the first Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Over time FIRMs, evolved to be the principal tool used for flood hazard management--making FEMA the "guarantor" of flood hazard knowledge. Today there is a new "guarantor" of flood knowledge. Advances in computing power in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to the development of catastrophe (cat) models that quantified flood risk. The insurance and risk management industries have increasingly embraced cat models. FEMA is no exception. In 2018, FEMA used catastrophe models to buy $1.46 billion in reinsurance.
States and communities willing to embrace flood risk and flood resilience management have the potential to simultaneously reduce flood insurance premiums and build more flood-resilient communities. States and cities unwilling or unable to embrace change may find their bond ratings and tax bases at risk. It will not be easy. City officials and consultants that advise them will need to adopt an entirely new way of thinking-focusing less on flood control, more on flood risk and flood resilience. It also means that practitioners will need to embrace new partnerships and new sources of flood knowledge. For decades the US Army Corps of Engineers(Corps) and FEMA have led our Nation's flood response. Since 1938, the Corps has been responsible for overseeing the design and construction of the Nation's flood control structures. The wide use and adoption of Corps design guides and standards led to the Corps becoming the Nation's "guarantor" of flood control knowledge.
1 The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2050. https://www.undrr.org/ publication/sendai-framework-disaster-riskreduction-2015-2030 (p.10). FMA NEWS
Source: air-worldwide.com
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In 2013, Congress passed the Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act (HFIAA), increasing NFIP premium rates. The combination of increased confidence in catastrophe models and increased NFIP rates has opened the door for the private flood insurance market. Private flood insurance relies on the expertise of actuaries and catastrophe modelers, making them the "guarantor" of flood risk knowledge.
Lastly, the lengthy bureaucratic review and due process requirements make producing new maps a costly endeavor. A study by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), funded by FEMA, found that implementing the Risk MAP process in California alone would cost $445 million and concluded that much of California would never again see a new FIRM2.
Actuaries and catastrophe modelers take a very different view of flood modeling than FEMA and the Corps.
So how do we embrace the change? We start by recognizing it will not be easy. We will need to build new alliances with the insurance community and those most affected by floods. We need to embrace catastrophe modeling as a new tool in the toolbox. We need to work with initiatives like First Street to make the catastrophe models better. We need to complete the floodplain inventory3. Or maybe, we encourage communities to create their own maps with initiatives like FloodRise and ARkStorm 2.0. Perhaps it simply starts with new conversations.
One of the key differences lies in the concept of precision and accuracy. The missions of the Corps and FEMA led them to develop standards that often focused on precision over accuracy. The issue of precision versus accuracy is a particularly vexing problem for FEMA. Digital FIRMs make it easy to see the precise boundary location of a Special Flood Hazard Area, ignoring the fact there is less than a 25% chance the line location, by FEMA's own assessment, is accurate. In contrast, catastrophe models focus on accuracy over precision and embrace uncertainty. When billions of dollars are invested based on a catastrophe model's output, the risk quantification needs to be accurate. It does not have to be precise as uncertainty is accounted for with an uncertainty factor. Another difference lies in which end of the probability curve they focus on. FEMA maps focus on events having a probability of occurring at least as frequent as the 500-year. Rarer events, no matter how catastrophic are generally ignored. In contrast, catastrophe modelers consider the full spectrum of events, focusing on the rare but financially catastrophic events.
Source:FloodRISE
2 Draft FEMA Mapping Master Plan, unpublished. 3 A Unified National Program for Floodplain Management, 1994, called for a baseline inventory of human live, property, and natural resources of floodplains to be completed by 2000. FMA NEWS
FLOOD CONTROL AGENCIES ADJUST TO REALITY OF COVID-19 Andrea Clark In March 2020, California began to face the reality of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the basis of a global pandemic that has defined the year 2020 and significantly impacted the globe. Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency, schools closed, and shelter-in-place orders were imposed by many counties and eventually the State on March 19. Public agencies, including agencies responsible for flood control improvement projects and flood control facility operation and maintenance, had to quickly learn to navigate a changing set of regulations at the local and state level. This article summarizes how public agencies had to pivot starting in March 2020 (and through today) to keep projects and operations going, for public meetings, ongoing projects and contractual arrangements. The article includes some lessons learned that can help flood control agencies stay flexible as local and state policies change in response to the ongoing pandemic. California Executive Orders Facilitating Public Agency Meetings On March 12, 2020, when few counties had issued shelter-in-place orders but the State of California had banned mass gatherings over 250 people, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-25-20. This Executive Order declared a state of emergency, and in a nod to the need of state and local government to continue functioning, authorized public meetings via teleconference. This fundamentally changed the Brown Act requirements for teleconference meetings in order to allow public agency meetings to move forward with little or no in-person gathering. This first executive order did still require that the agency provide one physical location where members of the public (or members and staff of the agency’s legislative body) could listen and participate in a public meeting.
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Less than a week later, Newsom issued Executive Order N-29-20, superseding the prior order, and allowing for teleconferencing as the exclusive means of holding a public meeting, with no inperson requirement. The order required that for teleconferenced meetings, all votes be carried out by roll call vote, that members of the public be offered an opportunity (by phone or video) to participate and make comments during the meeting, and that every agenda provide information to the public about how to watch or listen to the meeting and how to participate. Challenging Areas and Best Practices In hindsight, the early issuance of these executive orders was instrumental in allowing public agencies, including flood control agencies, to continue regular business. That said, there remain challenges associated with carrying out public meetings, and some best practices have emerged. 1. Closed sessions: Where boards are permitted to discuss matters in closed session, the task of removing the board members from the phone call or video and into a separate virtual space for that confidential discussion is complicated. Boards that are successful in this area have utilized Zoom break-out rooms, a separate video meeting link, or a separate conference call, after which the board must return to an open session format for the remainder of the meeting. Agencies need to consider the level of technological knowledge of its board members in determining how best to accomplish closed sessions, including how to maintain confidentiality of such discussions. 2. Public comments: A fundamental requirement of the Brown Act is facilitating participation by the public, which in some cases has increased with the ease of participation through the internet or telephone. Agencies need to carefully plan, and convey to the public, how the public will participate in an organized manner. Once again, the level of technology utilized for a meeting will dictate the options for public participation, and in many cases agency staff will need to dedicate someone to managing this process in order to ensure an orderly and fair process.
11 3. Returning to in-person meetings: While some agencies are settling in to a virtual format (and there are efforts to allow for this format even post-pandemic), others are anxious to get back to in-person meetings. The Executive Order is effective “during the period in which state or local public health officials have imposed or recommended social distancing measures.” In other words, a virtual or telephonic format will be permitted at least until the end of the pandemic. In some cases, in-person meetings can be carried out consistent with State and county guidelines on social distancing and other safety precautions. However, agencies must still allow for public participation telephonically or virtually, and should consider whether having the meeting either partially or fully in-person will actually make it more difficult for members of the public to participate meaningfully by phone or video. Moreover, agencies could face liability where board members or staff come together physically, and even consistently with safety guidelines, and an attendee ends up contracting the virus.
In the initial shelter-in-place order issued by Governor Newsom on March 19, Newsom ordered all individuals to stay home “except as needed to maintain continuity of operations of the federal critical infrastructure sectors,” as outlined by the Federal government. Newsom also left the door open to the State determining different or additional “critical infrastructure” sectors or “essential services.” Shortly thereafter, counties also passed shelter-inplace orders that defined “essential services,” and for the first few weeks of the pandemic these orders were not consistent with each other. There was some overlap between “critical infrastructure” as defined at the Federal level, and “essential services” at the local level, but flood control infrastructure was rarely mentioned specifically. Some counties required a determination by a county official that a certain activity constituted an “essential service,” while some left it to each special district to make that determination. For example, Yuba County’s order defined “essential government services” as those services necessary to continue the operation of government and provide for the safety and welfare of the public, and it exempted “public works projects” from the requirement that individuals stay home. It would reasonably clear that levee rehabilitation projects, and operation and maintenance of flood facilities, fall under one or both of those categories. But the order also required the County administrator to decide which government services are “necessary for the safety and welfare of the public,” so local districts arguably had to check in with the county for such a determination before work could continue.
To learn more about GEI’s multi-objective flood management projects, contact:
Jeffrey Twitchell, P.E. 916.631.4555
jtwitchell@geiconsultants.com
Cindy Davis 916.631.4515
cdavis@geiconsultants.com
www.geiconsultants.com
County and State Guidance on Essential Services
Soutport Levee Improvement Project
Hydrology & Hydraulics
Geotechnical Engineering
Seepage, Stability & Seismic Evaluations
Emergency Action Planning
Embankment/Slurry Wall Design & Construction
Construction Management
Biological Monitoring
Over the summer, the State and county approaches became more streamlined and the State is now the primary determinant of what sorts of activities may occur under what circumstances as the pandemic progresses. Specifically, the State’s “Blueprint” spells out criteria for restrictions on certain activities, and assigns each county a tier based on virus-related
Restoration
NEPA/CEQA Compliance Cultural & Tribal Consultations Permitting & 408 Compliance
Grant Funding Assistance FEMA Accreditation
Continues on next page
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FLOOD CONTROL AGENCIES ADJUST TO REALITY OF COVID-19
criteria. The Blueprint states that “state and local government offices” can remain open with safetyrelated modifications, the details of which are spelled out in the Blueprint documents. Contracts and Consultants For flood control agencies whose functions are carried out in part or entirely by contractors and consultants, the onset of the pandemic presented unique challenges associated with contracting. Public works projects or operations were clearly critical infrastructure and permitted under State or local guidance. For work ancillary to the critical infrastructure work, however, such as environmental permitting and associated surveys, the calculation was a little different and more complicated. For example, surveys for species are typically conducted a few months prior to construction work, and require in-person and onsite visits. There is a valid question as to whether those activities are intended to come under the definition of critical or essential services, even where they can be performed consistent with guidance on safety protocols. Some agencies responded to this ambiguity by developing and sending to all consultants and contractors a letter asserting that all activities associated with a project, or on behalf of an agency, were considered “essential” for purposes of the shelter-in-place orders. This would in theory protect the individual contractors in the event they were pulled over and questioned about compliance with orders. Other agencies let consultants and contractors know that each of them was responsible for its own determination as to whether a certain activity was considered “essential” and, more importantly, whether that activity could be carried out consistent with State or local safety guidelines. This latter approach was more protective from a liability perspective for the local agency, particularly in cases where the consultant or contractor was requesting that the agency make a blanket determination that would cover contractors. Under the State’s Blueprint, all businesses and facilities must perform risk assessments and create worksite protection plans – training, screenings, disinfecting protocols – and these differ depending on the industry. Another contract issue that arose related to whether the pandemic constituted “force majeure” or an “act FMA NEWS
of God” under a construction contract. This could arise when a contractor was not willing or was uncomfortable performing the job for safety reasons, or if either party wanted to cancel the contract for any pandemic-related reason. This turned out to be rare, since most contractors were pleased to have the work during difficult economic times. From a legal perspective, contracts should spell out whether a pandemic qualifies as a trigger for contract cancellation, and going forward I am confident many construction contracts will address it specifically. It appears that the pandemic will be with us for at least a few more months. Because of the continuing uncertainty regarding activities ancillary to construction, in part because the Governor’s Blueprint does not clearly define construction activities, and the need for contracts to address the fate of work in the event of a pandemic, local agencies should consult with their counsel in analyzing the scope of the agency’s activities and how they are carried out.
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FMA NEWS
MEET THE CFM – KAYLA KELLY-SLATTEN Community is a broad term applicable to so many aspects of life. From ecological interactions to megacities, community takes on the shape of those within it. Often times, we look at communities as a way to organize, to structure, and to eliminate chaos. But community is more than a method of processing disorder. It is a sense of togetherness and belonging, civility and compassion. Individuals must collaborate to overcome life’s challenges, forming connections to better understand the world around them. As a CFM, I now belong to a specialized community, one in which compounded knowledge aims to fulfill the needs of neighborhoods, villages, boroughs, tribes, towns, and cities, all communities in their own right. A CFM designation highlights the strength in numbers and the resilience in well-built communities.
Certified Floodplain Manager. CFM. Many of you are quite familiar with this professional designation, its significance in the floodplain management community, and its lack of luster with the average layperson. As a relatively new CFM, I cannot be prouder to be a part of such an esteemed group of individuals. However, being a CFM is more than just reading flood maps and explaining the 100-year flood in its full statistical sense. To each of you, CFM is a part of your individual; whether you were required to become certified by your employer or chose to pursue certification for personal growth, the CFM at the end of your name indicates something more than your ability to sit for a test. For me, holding this designation highlights a commitment to community, an overcoming of selfdoubt, and a future full of opportunity.
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Becoming a CFM was not part of the career plan. Honestly, I did not know such a certification existed until law school, when it was casually mentioned by a potential employer. At the time, I was finishing up seven consecutive years of school and struggling with depression, my sister’s addiction, and the loss of self-awareness. Sitting for another exam was unthinkable, particularly because I did not know what I wanted. If you go into a science field, odds are you will go to graduate school, pursue research, and maybe work for a government agency. If you go into the legal realm, it is highly likely you will sit for the bar exam (more than once) and then litigate insurance claims or become a public defender. If you are like me, however, and go into both only to realize you do not fit into either, you feel lost, confused, and unsure of your decisions. Luckily, my research advisor introduced me to water law, water infrastructure, and floodplain management. Water’s complex management felt right. There was enough science in it to pacify my curiosity, but there were also enough legal boundaries at play to settle my need for some order. Obtaining my CFM was just the final hurdle to solidify my
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pathway. I taught myself the infamous FEMA 480, studying FIRMs and elevation certificates without having any previous experience. I am not a land use planner, an environmental engineer, or a hydrologist. I was the only female in the exam room. But I passed. To some of you, it may just be another checkmark on your to-do list. For me, it proved that I could have the best of both worlds by bridging the gap between science and law. Although I discovered floodplain management during law school, finding a career that would allow me to pursue my newly-triggered passion was no easy feat. I found opportunities to grow within conservation corps organizations. By managing restoration projects, writing grants, and advising on river committees, I gained substantive experience in the nonprofit world, spearheading new partnerships with amazing individuals and entities. I was also encouraged to push myself, which led me to finally sitting for the CFM Exam. The CFM designation allowed me to explore new opportunities, including the role in which I now hold with FEMA. As an Environmental Floodplain Specialist, I have the privilege to work with communities, utilize my science and legal skillset, and represent a mission I truly believe in. For something I had no knowledge about three years ago, the CFM title has brought more than additional letters to my already lengthy name; it has renewed my sense of marvel in the world and strengthened my resolve to serve the public for as long as possible.
THERE IS A RIGHT WAY TO DO THINGS. AND THERE IS A NEW WAY TO DO THINGS.
AND SOMETIMES THEY’RE EXACTLY THE
SAME THING.
Kayla Kelly-Slatten has her B.S. in Environmental Sciences from California State University, Fresno and her J.D. from Penn State Law.
WWW.WOODRODGERS.COM FMA NEWS
REFLECTION ON FMA KEYNOTE: A HISTORY OF PARTNERSHIPS IS KEY TO SUCCESS Hunter Merritt, 2020 FMA co-chair Colonel James Handura, district engineer and commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Sacramento District, highlighted a history of partnerships in a keynote address at the 2020 Virtual Floodplain Management Conference. These critical partnerships have most recently led to the largest CIVIL WORKS PROJECT west of the Mississippi River, the American River Watershed Common Features Project, which is reducing risk to the capital city of Sacramento and surrounding areas. Handura’s keynote also carried the message of adaptability as a critical organizational and personal skill for resilience in a rapidly changing environment, and a charge to the attendees to be innovative and creative in pivoting their risk communication to the virtual space. A recording of the keynote address, which also featured opening remarks from Sacramento’s Vice Mayor Jeff Harris, is currently available for registered FMA attendees HERE. To those of you who weren’t part of the conference, VIEW THIS YOUTUBE of the Common Features project, featuring Vice Mayor Harris and explaining the project. Colonel Handura, who took the helm in Sacramento in July 2019, previously served as the deputy commander for the USACE New Orleans District. He recalled when Hurricane Isaac battered New Orleans in 2012, and he praised the performance of the $14B flood risk reduction infrastructure constructed in that area after Hurricane Katrina. “It taught me the force of Mother Nature, and the power of the Mississippi River,” said Handura, “and it also taught me about the importance of resilient, adaptive communities.”
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Handura also relayed a history of partnerships and how partnership between local, state, federal, and tribal entities are the hallmark of success in flood risk management. In California, the partnership goes back to the gold mining era, when the first federal regulatory act, the 1893 Caminetti Act, formed the California Debris Commission, which was led by the military engineers of the USACE 2nd San Francisco District (the predecessor to the 90-year-old Sacramento District). The commission worked collaboratively with interests of mining, agriculture, and shipping to address debris management issues. The system-wide solutions to these problems – a combination of levees and bypasses that are now more than 100 years old – resulted in the persistent need for levee repair and maintenance, and also led to the current construction work in the capital city. Handura congratulated the California Department of Water Resources, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and the Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency as shining examples of this long-standing partnership with USACE and other agencies. Handura also discussed the balance of evolving needs, values, and interests that needs attention in the face of increasingly devastating climate-driven disasters and environmental degradation. One example of synergy through partnership in this massive project is the design of the Sacramento Weir alongside the state of California’s Lower Elkhorn Basin Levee Setback project. “Synergy is a force multiplier,” said Handura, noting that the alignment of the two projects will accomplish construction in a fraction of the time it might take to design and build the two projects separately.
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As many flood risk professionals already know, it costs nearly ten times as much money to respond to a disaster after the fact than it does to mitigate for that disaster ahead of time. The Common Features project is one of the “shovel-ready” projects that were federally funded for construction in the 2018 BIPARTISAN BUDGET ACT, and it sets the bar nationwide for addressing flood risk before a disaster strikes. The project includes several elements, to include erosion protection for levee reaches along the American River, upgrades for seepage, stability and overtopping along the east side of the Sacramento River, and a widening of the Sacramento Weir by nearly 1500 feet, approximately doubling its width. This work is scheduled for completion in 2024, which is approximately half the initial estimated schedule from the 2016 General Reevaluation Report. The NATOMAS LEVEE IMPROVEMENTS Project was already well under way when the 2018 Bipartisan Budget Act was passed, and Handura mentioned that alignment is critical on this billion-dollar project as well, noting that “resource agencies both at the state and federal level are as important to this partnership as our sponsors,” given the aggressive timeframe for all of these urban FRM projects, “and we appreciate their continued collaboration on these projects.” Handura commented on the limits of structural FRM solutions, and the need to augment these structural measures with a strong message of residual risk and individual preparedness. The efforts of California Silver Jackets, for example, have helped educate communities about California flooding, and also helped agencies and partners align at all levels to coordinate and build a team before disaster strikes. Unfortunately, he said, much of the flood risk outreach and education that traditionally take place each year have had to adjust to a new normal. “We have been determined to do everything in a COVID-compliant environment for
the past few months and found creative new ways to do our work – like the virtual keynote address that I am delivering today,” said Handura. “I challenge you all to find creative and innovative ways to communicate risk to your audiences, even at a distance, so they can be part of the solution.”
Imagine It. Delivered.
AECOM is proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the 2020 Floodplain Management Association Annual Conference. With offices throughout California, Hawaii, and Nevada, AECOM is ready to meet your floodplain management, mitigation, and resilience planning needs. aecom.com
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2020 FMA VIRTUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Theme: A New Decade of Resilience through Collaboration, Integration and Mitigation Mary Seits The Floodplain Management Association is pleased to report that its 2020 Virtual Conference was a success! While the learning curve was high for this event (for attendees, presenters and hosts), we were able to rise to the challenge. There were over 500 individual logins for the event with over 20 exhibitors and sponsors as well. Each day began with a plenary session, followed by panels, technical sessions, workshops, open forums and one-on-one meetings. The line-up included 20 panels, 15 tech sessions, 8 workshops, 2 open forums and numerous oneon-one meetings. Sessions on the NFIP, Grants, Post-Fire Watershed, Flood Forecasting, Covid Response, and Climate Change are just a few examples of the many topics covered during the week. The good news is that attendees also will be able to access the recordings of these sessions using the same login that was used during the conference! One of FMA’s goals was to emulate the in-person event as closely as possible, including networking opportunities. A networking lounge was available to all as were social event evenings. One such event as a Jeopardy style game panel on Headwaters to Floodplains that was enjoyed by all who attended. Additional opportunities to socialize included a Pub Trivia Night, a Scavenger Hunt Evening for the whole family and a Virtual Happy Hour. One of the surprises was how much we were able to associate with each other in a virtual environment via chat boxes, the event feed, networking lounge and Q&A. Another advantage of the virtual format was the ability to record sessions for attendees to view up to 3 months post-conference. If you attended, using your log in from the conference, simply go to the agenda and click “watch session”. You can view the plenaries, panels, workshops and tech sessions at your leisure.
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We have summaries of the plenaries included in this newsletter so don’t miss out on those! As always, our Annual Conferences could not happen without our valued sponsors. This year, our sponsor list includes: Gold Sponsors: HDR, Propex, Tetra Tech, GEI, AECOM, Wood Rodgers, Kleinfelder, Michael Baker. Silver Sponsors: ESA, WEST, Mead & Hunt, Schaaf & Wheeler, Jacobs. Bronze Exhibitors: Woodard & Curran, Quantum Spatial, NFIP, FloodBreak, Atkins, cbec eco engineering, Q3 Consulting, PACE and TUFLOW. Thank you to all for making our conference possible! We thank each and every one of you who attended and hope that we will see you in person in Los Angeles for the 2021 FMA Annual Conference. To those who were unable to attend this year, we hope to see you next year.
THE GODDARD AWARD
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Michael Nowlan James E. (Jim) Goddard (1906-1994) was a writer, and a very prolific one, within our humble floodplain management profession. He is the inspiration for our annual newsletter award within the Floodplain Management Association. At first it may appear a little self-serving, publishing a newsletter article about the award FMA gives out for the best newsletter article, but hopefully you will agree that this article is more about Jim Goddard and less about the award, or FMA. One or two pages within our newsletter is hardly enough to pay tribute to him. In fact, if you are interested in the history of this man and want to really learn about his life and accomplishments, James E. Wright wrote a book called “A Tribute to Jim Goddard,” which is available through the ASFPM library. You know someone is truly special when someone else (a friend) writes a lengthy tribute. Jim Goddard rose to “flood-dom” in the national scene from his work with the Tennessee Valley Authority. It seems rather appropriate to create a literary term for Jim’s prominent work, as he was a pioneer in modern floodplain management. While this author never met or knew him personally, it is clear that Jim placed a high priority on protecting people and the environment, not just structures and economics, throughout his career. No doubt he would have been a prominent individual, no matter what generation he served in.
To get a flavor of his thoughts on floodplain management, the titles of his writings include: “Beautification opportunities are inherent in flood damage prevention projects”, “Comprehensive flood plain management requires blending of technology and social factors”, “Environmental considerations in Preserving Reservoir Sites”, “Flood damage prevention in the Tennessee Valley”, “Flood plain management improves man’s environment”, and “Solving flood problems through cooperative action”, to name a few. Even from this smattering of titles it should be clear. He got it. Floodplain management is about the people, the people who are affected by the floods, and the people who are charged with the responsibilities of protecting those people. And how best do we work cooperatively for such a daunting purpose? We encourage open and honest communication. We encourage this by communicating openly and honestly ourselves. We share our ideas with others in as many ways as possible. We can only be heard by speaking up, and Jim spoke up. But, that’s only one side of the coin. Jim also listened to what others had to say, and sought out mutually beneficial solutions. He recognized that other people’s ideas counted as much as his. If that’s not exemplary communication skills, I don’t know what is. I wish I had met him. His legacy lives on in his writings and in the ways we honor him. Read his books. Write an article. Join the conversation. Whatever you do, I hope you agree that he is a great inspiration for continuing excellence in written communication.
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Leading with ScienceÂŽ Tetra Tech is pleased to be ranked #1 in Water by Engineering News-Record for 16 years in a row. We are proud to be home to leading technical experts in every sector and to use that expertise throughout the project life cycle. Our commitment to safety is ingrained in our culture and at the forefront of every project.
Have questions or comments about this month's articles? Participate in the discussion on the FMA facebook page! FMA NEWS
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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 Mary.Seits@Floodplain.org and may contain 2-3 small pictures. Preferred length is less than 850 words.
For more details call (760) 936-3676.
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THE HIGH
WATER MARK The Newsletter of the Floodplain Management Association