The High Water Mark - Volume 33, Issue 3 (draft)

THE HIGH WATER MARK

THE NEWSLETTER OF THE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION

August 2023 - Volume 33, Issue 3

THE HIGH WATER MARK

The Newsletter of the Floodplain Management Association

August 2023 - Volume 33, Issue 3

Mission: To promote the common interest in reducing flood losses and to encourage the protection and enhancement of natural floodplain values.

Chair Mike Nowlan Wood Rodgers, Inc. 916.326.5277

Vice Chair

Brent Siemer City of Simi Valley 805.583.6805

Treasurer

Connie Perkins-Gutowsky California DWR 916.973.3008

Secretary Vince Geronimo Geronimo Engineering 415.652.6667

Past Chair

Alex Yescas HDR, Inc. 858-712-8283

Director

Abigail Mayrena Clark County RFCD 702-685-0000

Director

John Moynier Parsons Corporation

Director

Wendy Wang

Central Valley Flood Protection Board

Director

Brian Brown California DWR

Director

Darren Suen Central Valley Flood Protection Board 916.574.0609

Director

Millicent Cowley-Crawford Woodard & Curran 415.321.3421

Director

Hilal ElHaddad

Riverside County Flood Control and Water

Director

Pat Wood Los Angeles County DPW 626.458-6131

Director

Roger Leventhal Marin County DPW 415.473.3249

Director

Megan LeRoy California DWR

Director

David Smith

WEST Consultants, Inc. 858.487.9378

Advisor

Kelly Soule California DWR 916.574.1205

Advisor

Victoria LaMar-Haas

CA Governor’s Office of Emergency Services

Advisor

Stefani Lukashov

California Geological Survey 916.445.1825

Advisor

Salomon Miranda California DWR 818.549.2347

Advisor

Jayme Laber

NOAA

Advisor

Eric Simmons

FEMA Region IX 510.627.7029

Advisor

Erin Warnock Nevada DWR 775.684.2890

Advisor

Jeanne Ruefer HWC, Inc. 775.722.7395

Advisor

Carol Tyau-Beam Hawaii DLNR 808.587.0267

Executive Director

George Booth, CFM FMA 916.847.3778

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR

Michael Nowlan

Have you ever heard the saying “You can never step in the same river twice”? I can’t remember whether I heard that from one of my professors in college or read it somewhere, but it always struck me. It is one of those sayings that requires one to think about the subtle details underlying what we see. In the floodplain management world we should all recognize that everything is in a state of flux. New sediments are being moved downstream with old ones being washed away. Rivers change their courses over time with a completely new mixture of water molecules. And sometimes rivers come out of their banks and cut new flow paths. If you’ve ever white water rafted and chatted with your guide you will hear how dynamic the river can be from day to day and even hour to hour in some rivers when snow melt is present. As perilous as rivers are sometimes, we still are drawn to them, and love to live near them. And because we live near them, we need to understand them better.

I like to think that the Floodplain Management Association is like a confluence of rivers, with many sources of “flow”. Most people who join our association know their river in some way, and want to share what they know with others, especially at our annual conference. Some want to focus on the river’s past influence in people’s lives and livelihoods. Some want to understand how the river rises and falls in order to predict its conditions and alert people to its changing

perils. Some people want to do things to the river to keep it from hurting people again. And, we need to recognize that sometimes the things we do are incomplete, not accounting for all of the impacts of our decisions, or, have consequences that are deemed unacceptable. We learn as much from our mistakes as we do from our successes. We still come to the river, because its important. Your contribution is important. Your attendance is important. I hope that you will choose to spend time with us in Los Angeles this year at our annual conference. There will be a lot of interesting and new information to share, with a lot of networking opportunities. A new mixture that is entirely different than last year. If you haven’t already signed up, there’s still time!

I thank you all for the privilege of serving as the chair of FMA these past two years. My tenure is coming to a close and I hope that the association is a little bit stronger, with more potential perils identified and avoided. We’ve successfully transitioned through three different executive directors and are still learning as we go. But the bottom line is that the association is still strong because you all make it strong through your contributions. I can’t take much credit for the success of FMA, and hope that you all will continue to make FMA a great association to be a part of. There are many opportunities to get involved with FMA, so please consider finding a way to join the conversation, and associate with us. We are trying to have something for

everyone, and your “something” is just the something we need. Contact our wonderful executive director George Booth about joining a committee or talk to one of the Board of Directors. Our names are listed in the beginning of this newsletter.

To quote one of my favorite songs from the ‘80s, “Let the River Run!”

culture and at the forefront of every project.

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:

• FEMA continues to provide disaster assistance in California (DR-4699-CA and DR-4683-CA) and Nevada (DR-4708-NV) to help State and local governments with emergency response, recovery, and mitigation costs. Residents in many declared counties are eligible for federal disaster assistance to support recovery efforts.

• Unprecedented funding levels are available for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grants. FEMA received a record number of subapplications from state, local, tribal, and territorial applicants this year. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $7 billion for FEMA to help community resilience and reduce disaster loss, including $900 million in the last funding cycle.

• Revised Elevation Certificate and Dry Floodproofing Certificate forms were released July 7, 2023, and they should be used going forward. Expanded form sections, more detailed instruction pages, and a new Section H highlight the updates to the Elevation Certificate form. The expiration date of these forms is June 30, 2026.

• FEMA is to complete its biological evaluation of the potential effects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) on southern steelhead in six, southern California counties in 2024. A biological assessment on the administration of the NFIP on all species in California listed under the Endangered Species Act is also coming. As reported last quarter, to provide interim protection for species while these activities are taking place, FEMA stopped initiation of Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-Fs) and Conditional Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (CLOMR-Fs) in 38 California counties, and the cities and towns within them. The impacted area is graphically shown below with communities having a CLOMR-F or LOMR-F determination in the past seven years colored in green. One can email nfip-esaconsultation-2020@fema.dhs.gov with a question on the temporary suspension or FEMA’s consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on implementation of the NFIP.

• FEMA Region 9 recently announced the launch of the Level Up audio project Season 3. Tune into these podcasts produced in partnership with the Georgetown Climate Center to learn about local resilience, setback policy, and sea level rise zoning districts.

Other Updates for the FMA Board

• The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) published updated, risk-informed flood design standards for buildings and other structures. ASCE 7-22 ties floodplain management to higher minimum return periods [0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood for new Category II structures], expanded areas impacted by flooding, sea level rise, and coastal erosion when adopted locally.

• The California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) has prepared a 2023 update to the State Hazard Mitigation Plan, which is being adopted by the State for publication by the end of September 2023. Similarly, Cal OES released the 2023 State Emergency Plan (SEP) for comment through September 15, 2023. The SEP is a strategic document describing California’s overall emergency management system.

California General Updates Governor Newsom Signs Executive Order to Prepare for the Next Wet Season

On Friday, August 4, Governor Newsom signed an executive order to streamline levee repairs and debris removal to help local communities recover from flooding and prepare for the next wet season.  It will expedite critical work like levee repairs and debris removal to help protect and prepare communities. This year’s historic winter storms damaged levees and left debris in river channels that exacerbate the risk of flooding next winter – damaged levees provide less protection from high water flows, and debris and vegetation within river channels reduce capacity to move high water flows. By streamlining action now, the executive order allows affected communities to accelerate work to restore levee function and river channel capacity degraded by last winter’s storms and floods.

• Executive order

Roadmap for a Climate Resilient Forecasting Framework

Adapting to climate change requires changing the way we observe and forecast weather and hydrologic conditions. Historical patterns and relationships between precipitation, snowpack, and streamflow that have been used to anticipate how much water will run off for beneficial use have already shown vulnerabilities, as illustrated in water year 2021. While DWR’s observation and forecasting programs have a long history of partnerships with the research community to bring relevant advances into program operation, the pace and scale of changes necessitate acceleration of recent and ongoing advances to ensure a forecasting framework that can adapt at the pace of a changing climate. The “Roadmap for a Climate Resilient Forecasting Framework” provides a path forward for climate resilient forecasting to adapt to changing conditions.

• Read the Roadmap

Grants

California Launches Grant Program to Support California Native American Tribes on Ancestral Land Return, Nature-Based Solutions that Help Combat Climate Change

Developed with tribal input and backed with funding approved by Governor Newsom and the Legislature, the new Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant Program will support tribes to reacquire ancestral land, address impacts of climate change on their communities, and conserve and protect biodiversity. Funding can be used by tribes to purchase land, train workforce, expand and communicate traditional knowledge, build tribal capacity, and build projects and programs to protect culturally important natural resources and protect climate change. Grant applications for shovel-ready projects are due August 28. Preliminary project proposals for standard grants are due September 29.

• Read more

DWR Awards $9.2 Million in Grants to Protect Communities from Floods, Support Fish Populations and Restore Streams

On July 7, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) announced $9.2 million in grants to five projects that will restore streams and creeks to more natural environmental conditions and reduce flood risk across multiple communities in California. The projects are funded by DWR’s Riverine Stewardship Program and Urban Stream Restoration Program, which deliver technical and financial assistance for the protection of listed fish species in combination with flood risk reduction and ecosystem enhancement of urban streams.

• Read more

Continued on next page

Training: L0273 Managing Floodplain Development Through the NFIP

The purpose of this free four-day course is to prepare participants to understand and perform the roles and responsibilities of the local floodplain administrator. Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Use a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to determine the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) and the flood zone.

• Describe and facilitate local jurisdictional compliance with the minimum requirements to participate in the NFIP.

• Describe the components of an effective floodplain management program to reduce the loss of life and property and identify and remedy violations and deficiencies.

• Prepare for post-event activities including implementing an effective Substantial Improvement/ Substantial Damage (SI/SD) process.

• Explain basic concepts of flood insurance rating and how floodplain management decisions affect the cost of flood insurance.

The target audience for this course includes floodplain administrators and others who need basic instruction in floodplain management, including newly hired or newly assigned floodplain managers, current floodplain managers seeking refresher training, building inspectors and code officials, permit officials, city and county engineers, state NFIP coordinators, and Community Rating System (CRS) coordinators.

• Dates: October 10-13, 2023

• Cost: Free

• Location: 630 Sequoia Pacific Boulevard

Sacramento, CA 95811

• Register: Click Here

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

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 supports in-person outreach throughout the year by attending events as requested, and by selecting appropriate events to participate in, with community, federal, and tribal partners. Recent in-person outreach efforts include the Water Palooza event for school age children in Northern Nevada.

Nevada Silver Jackets projects (interagency efforts between the US Army Corp and State Floodplain Management partners) are beginning to wrap up some ongoing projects and prepare to begin new projects. Ongoing Silver Jackets projects have included the development of an informational pamphlet for teachers that summarizes 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. 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 and is awaiting final comment from FEMA Headquarters. We are beginning to wrap up our Comprehensive High Watermark Campaign in which we are working with Douglas County and Carson City to create high watermark signage that will link back to more in-depth information on our website Nevadafloods.org featuring an interactive map that will continue to grow with high watermark locations and information. The

Nevada Arid Region EAP. All projects and project proposals will be shared at our upcoming semi-annual Nevada Silver Jackets meeting on June 20, 2023 at 9:30am where all interested stakeholders are welcomed.

Nevada Floodplain Management Program hosted our second Nevada Local Floodplain Managers Quarterly Meeting on July 13th. This meeting featured a presentation from guest speaker Antoinette Stein, FEMA R9 CRS Coordinator along with Floodplain Management updates, outreach opportunities, and general Flood Awareness.

Natomas Levee

Folsom Dam

San Vicente Dam

Vista Narrows

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.

500-YEAR FLOOD PROTECTION ADDED TO ASCE STANDARD

Michael Nowlan

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) updated its standard to better protect new buildings from damage. ASCE/SEI 7: Minimum Design Loads and Associated Criteria for Buildings and Other Structures (ASCE 7-22) marks a milestone in advancing floodresilient design. It focuses on flood load provisions and introduces significant improvements to enhance the resilience of buildings against floods. This update surpasses the previous edition, which primarily focused on the 1% annual chance hazard, or 100-year flood, by implementing minimum recurrence intervals of 500-, 750-, and 1000-years to improve structure reliability throughout its life.

ASCE 7 currently divides new buildings into four categories. The supplement adopts these risk-based categories and aligns new building standards with the prevailing trend of using higher minimum recurrence intervals to enhance resilience. The supplement ensures flood load calculations are consist with other hazards addressed in ASCE standards, such as wind and seismic.

John Ingargiola, lead physical scientist at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said the updated standard “is consistent with observations made over decades of post-disaster building performance studies.” It also aligns with federal initiatives to improve building performance and climate resilience. “The supplement moves flood design into closer alignment with the probabilistic approach used for other loading conditions in today’s consensus standard,” he added. Technical updates within the ASCE standard include revised minimum design requirements, which incorporate ocean level change and adjustments to the calculations of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads (such as velocity and scour), wave loads, debris loads, flood load cases, load combinations, and stability checks. These updates reflect a departure from previous versions of ASCE 7 and signify a commitment to safer development.

The International Code Council codes, or I-Codes, are developed every three years adopting updates using ASCE standards. Similarly, the California Building Standards Code is updated every three years with the 2022 edition being the newest, effective on January 1, 2023, and incorporating the latest I-Codes. It's worth adding that many development projects take years to formulate and get permitted. Therefore, knowing future requirements now is often needed by communities and designers.

Eric Simmons, with FEMA Region 9, adds “the needed changes to ensure new homes are safe to a 0.2% annual chance (500-year) flood is a critical step to reducing the misery of flood loss most recently experienced in California this past winter. Having seen flood disasters for decades, even when the flood isn’t extreme, and concerns with flood insurance affordability, this standard from ASCE starts to address both.”

In conclusion, the new ASCE standard represents a significant advancement in flood-resilient building design. By embracing the 500-year flood hazard and incorporating risk-based approaches, the standard will enhance the safety and reliability of new structures when adopted locally. ASCE’s release of this standard as a free download also reflects their commitment to disseminating vital engineering knowledge. A designers guide to ASCE 7-22 is planned for release this Fall.

RECENT ACTIVITIES AT NOAA’S CALIFORNIA NEVADA RIVER FORECAST CENTER

Alan Haynes, Hydrologist in Charge, NOAA/NWS/CNRFC

Wet Winter and Big Snowpack Resulted in Above Average Water Supply Storage

A series of atmospheric rivers hit California this past winter resulting in above average precipitation over much of the central and southern portions of California, up to 200 percent of normal in some areas, and a tremendous snowpack in the Sierra Nevada, especially in the Central and Southern Sierra where it set a record. The runoff from the Sierra snowpack caused enhanced operations and the activation of the State Flood Center well into the summer, mainly dealing with the San Joaquin and Tulare basins. A relatively cool spring allowed a more gradual runoff, which helped minimize stresses to the flood control structures including dams, levees and canals throughout the San Joaquin and Tulare basins. Almost every major reservoir in the state was able to be filled either through winter rains or a combination of winter rain and spring and summer snowmelt runoff. The exception was Trinity Lake in Northern California, where seasonal precipitation was near to a little below average. As of early August, most reservoirs are well above historical average for this time of year, with many of them above 80 percent of capacity and some above 90 percent of capacity. The historic Tulare Lake re-emerged due to excess runoff for the first time since the 1980s, flooding prime agricultural land with the water expected to persist into next year.

Figure 1 shows statewide reservoir storage levels as of August 6th, 2023 and figure 2 shows current streamflow levels relative to normal for this time of year from the USGS.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Summer 2023 Recalibration Efforts Focused on the Central and Southern CA Coast

The California Nevada River Forecast Center (CNRFC) re-calibrates its watersheds on a six-year rotating basis. The focus for the summer of 2023 is on the Central California Coast and Southern California, including major watersheds that were hard hit this past season such as the Salinas and Pajaro basins, but including the watersheds in Southern California such as the Ventura, Santa Clara and San Diego among others.

New Capabilities and Services from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law

The passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) last year is funding efforts to the tune of nearly $500 million over five years for coastal and inland flood inundation mapping and forecasting, and next generation water modeling activities, including modernized precipitation frequency and probable maximum studies. Figure 3 below shows a map of the first phase of flood inundation mapping rolling out this fall. You can learn more about these efforts at the 2023 Floodplain Management Association (FMA) Annual Conference in Los Angeles. Here’s an excerpt from NOAA’s website on the efforts funded by the BIL:

“Our nation faces many water-related challenges that affect infrastructure including floods, water availability, safe and efficient navigation, and water quality. These challenges affect economic and national security, and the impacts are escalating, exacerbated by a changing climate. In response to these challenges, NOAA will transform water prediction within five years by delivering the first-ever, coupled, continental-scale, operational coastal and inland flood forecasting and inundation mapping services. These include critically needed, user-friendly, actionable decision support services, including flood and inundation information equitably delivered to communities nationwide. To support the design, development, and operation of our nation’s built infrastructure, from new power plants to transportation systems, NOAA will update and revise precipitation frequency atlases for the United States that account for climate change, develop 21st century modernized probable maximum precipitation (PMP) studies, and develop the capability to provide total water prediction at the coast on sub seasonal to annual timescales.”

HOW IS THE NFIP RESPONSIBLE? - PART2

Mike Nowlan

I didn’t intend to have this be a multi-part article, but hopefully it will help in understanding the issue that has been brewing for some time, and continues to brew. I was encouraged to have another article on the issue, by an anonymous encourager. I am looking forward to having many discussions on this topic in September in Los Angeles. The first installment of this article series focused more as an overview and introduction to the topic for those who were not aware and were interested. If you did not read the first installment, it can be viewed through our newsletter archive on our FMA website. Did you know that FMA has an archive? I could give you the link, but hmmm, I think it might better to have you explore the FMA website yourself.

The suspension of the CLOMR-F and LOMR-F processes, indefinitely in 38 counties in California, is one of the consequences of the issue, but it is not the issue itself. As far as I understand, the decision to institute the suspension was entirely FEMA’s, though it was certainly prompted by the lawsuit that is underway. So, the lawsuit is the facet of the story I wanted to explore with you all. Arguably, if the lawsuit had never occurred, the suspension of the CLOMR-F and LOMR-F application process would not have occurred.

I will freely admit that I am more confident I understand the FEMA side of the story. I have been working on map amendments/revisions for most of my career. The Endangered Species Act (ESA), however, is a much more complex and nuanced subject. The NFIP’s responsibility when it comes to the ESA is even more complex and nuanced.

To explore the issue at hand I thought it would beneficial for you all to read some of the arguments being put forward in the lawsuit, and hear “both” sides, as we may tend to hear more one side of the argument than the other. One organization at the forefront of the current lawsuit is the Ecological Rights Foundation, called “EcoRights” online. It might be helpful to read their perspective on this issue under their webpage. I have emailed the point person for EcoRights to contribute an article for our newsletter, but have not gotten a response yet. I did not feel this issue could wait, and besides, this is a slow news day and we needed content.

FEMA did issue a webpage summary of the initial suspension in six counties in 2020 here.

In case you have even further interest, the lawsuit itself can be viewed here

I am confident that all of you are going to read all of these thoroughly. But, just in case, I will offer an opinion which is not necessarily the opinion of FMA or anyone else. Maybe I’m just a dumb engineer, but this lawsuit seems to hinge on the quantification of impacts to endangered species that directly result from the NFIP being in place. In order to quantify these impacts, one would need to estimate what wouldn’t have happened in the past, as if the NFIP were never available to influence people’s development decisions, and compare it to the total quantified impacts now. And, you would have to limit it to the projects that came under the purview of FEMA for flood insurance. That seems like a pretty difficult task. The question also arises that, if each individual project achieves compliance with ESA on a project-byproject basis, then how is there any cumulative impact?

Certainly, if there are bad actors that do not comply with ESA on an individual basis, then there will be impacts. None of us are naïve enough to believe there haven’t been any bad actors. But does the institution of an insurance program for flood damages encourage the bad actions of the insured on an environmental level, or at least make them possible to occur?

It’s kind of like holding car insurance companies responsible for DUI’s. But wait! Insurance companies do pay for the illegal acts of their insureds! Any internet search will show that your insurance would pay to cover the medical bills of someone you injure if you are intoxicated while driving and cause an accident. So, this issue is not so cut and dried.

This lawsuit will likely take years to sort out. This may end up being about identifying past unquantifiable wrongs that occurred under the watch of the NFIP and seeking recompense decades later, for individuals who were “developing under the influence”. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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.

ADVICE TO EMERGING PROFESSIONALS IN FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

“What advice would you give to an Emerging Professional in Floodplain Management?” This is the question the Emerging Professionals Committee asked experienced mentors, supervisors, and colleagues for this quarter’s newsletter. A big thank you to everyone who responded and below are the responses we received.

“Floodplain management is a synthesis of a lot of different topics (engineering, climate, public policy, economics, etc.). Do a wide variety of reading, learning, and training, as it all comes together in floodplain management.  Make sure to foster relationships with not just your mentors and supervisors but your peers as well. Your peers may become your client or your boss so it is good to foster those relationships as you are excelling through your career.”

Rhonda Robins, HDR

“Don’t assume that a model is always right. Use your engineering judgment to assess whether the results that a model produces make sense. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if something in a model doesn’t look right, regardless of who put together the model. For example, is your hydrologic model computing flow rates that are reasonable for a given design storm? Or, is your hydraulic model computing channel velocities that are within a reasonable range given the channel bed material?  Asking questions is a win/win scenario for you and your organization. If the model is correct, you’ll learn something new and strengthen your modeling skills. If the model is incorrect, you may save your organization additional time, effort, and cost by speaking up.”

A. Jake Gusman, River Focus

“Find your niche. While I was an active part of FMA, as an economist, I was venturing into how to monetize different types of benefits and decided to focus on ecosystems. This garnered a lot of attention and propelled me through new opportunities.” Stephen

Cowdin, HDR

“Participate in as many industry/flood management related events, training, and meetings as possible early on; to gain a better overall understanding of flood management. Also, try to relate what you learn to your organization or place of employment to create value in that organization.”

Ajala Ali, DWR

“Keep an open mind about what you want to do in floodplain management since there are so many unique and interesting paths you can take, i.e., floodplain administration; floodplain manager; flood control design and engineering; project manager; operations and maintenance specialist; regulatory permitting; environmental consulting, permitting and/or mitigation work; cultural/ tribal consultant; construction manager; H&H; surveying; emergency planning and operations; etc.”

Tom Engler, MBK Engineers

“There is no such thing as a stupid question, ask questions of your supervisors, peers, and clients. This is best way to learn because you will get so much more out of your experience if you are not afraid to ask.”

Joanna Leu, HDR

“Make sure that whatever projects you’re involved in, you’re a person who gets things done. Being able to see a problem is not unique. Bringing a solution to the table to address it takes some courage, but sets you apart. It’s helpful to get insight from a range of potential stakeholders in formulating a potential solution, but at the end of the day, taking a first step may be the one thing that makes the difference.”

Millicent Cowley-Crawford, Woodard & Curran

“Seek out a mentor, mentorship is incredibly helpful for passing down knowledge in a field. That person can be someone that’s an advocate for you or a teacher. Not necessarily someone in your organization but someone that you can work with closely and be your sounding board. This is a valuable relationship in your career, it is something that I seek out and really value.”

Megan Murray, HDR

Holly Callahan

“Attend professional events (such as ASCE and FMA lunches).  At the lunches, volunteer to be part of the team that checks folks in.  That way you meet each and every person who attends the lunch and you have a build in excuse to talk to them.

Join the leadership of the Younger Member Forum (YMF) of your ASCE chapter which provides another opportunity to meet and interact with folks in the industry that are in a similar stage of their career (see above, work the door). Some of the folks I met in YMF are still friends and colleagues many years after I ‘graduated’ from being a Younger Member.”

Catherine Avila, Avila & Associates Consulting Engineers, Inc.

“Be open to anything and take on the various opportunities presented to you, whether it’s technical work, client development, or project management. It’s important to be open. Actively participate in an organization to broaden your network. Try to do some fieldwork, whether it is a part of your job or a fieldtrip to get experience besides from behind a computer.”

Jafar Faghih, HDR

“Whatever happens in your career, you are more than your job. Remember that no matter where you work, if you are always authentic, positive, focused on quality, and approach things from the perspective of the greater good, your relationships will build over time in the industry and you will have many options for how your future career shapes up.”

Millicent Cowley-Crawford, Woodard & Curran

“As a restless, bright-eyed, enthusiastic young engineer, I worked in many different jobs.  I started in construction estimating, moving to structural design for large construction projects all over the globe, then to freeway construction management in the Bay Area, then to land development construction management, then resident engineer on wastewater projects, then in the mid-1990s I found my home in drainage engineering and floodplain management.  I have been associated with FMA and ASFPM since the late 1990s.  At first, it was exciting to meet others in this field, later I realized the real value.  To me, associating means to make a friend before you need a friend. Finding myself in the county emergency operations center for numerous flood events, and many more flood exercises, these associations have been enormously important. Finding myself meeting with flood victims and needing mitigation advice, these floodplain management friends have been very helpful. Navigating the complexity of state and federal environmental permitting, I have enjoyed working with friends I met at FMA.

Advice I would offer, love your job and stick with it. Stay active in FMA and make friends.  Complex projects are more fun when we are working with friends we meet as we associate. Today, I am blessed to serve as the executive director of FMA, where I will continue encouraging associating.”

George Booth, Floodplain Management Association

Thank you again to everyone who contributed advice! For more information on how to become involved with or support FMA Emerging Professionals programs like mentorship, Lunch-and-Learns, community service, and more, please visit the Emerging Professionals website

THE HIGH WATER MARK