1. N AVIGATING THE T URN : F LOOD R ISK A SSOCIATED WITH L EVEES Sam Riley Medlock, J.D., CFM Association of State Floodplain Managers May 2011

2. Briefing Overview

4. Floods, Disasters & Risk "Floods are acts of God, but flood losses are largely acts of man.” -Gilbert F. White, Human Adjustments to Floods, 1945 Floodplain Managers are Flood Risk Managers Risk = Probability x Consequences

5. Floods, Levees & Human Settlement Early Anglo-American settlements followed water courses Levees were viewed as a key defense 5

6. Major flood disasters 1849 – 1936 spurred national leadership in Congress 6 Floods, Levees & Human Settlement

7. Floods, Levees & the 100-Year Problem 1981, FEMA FIA “[T]he 100-year standard [is] encouraging construction of levees to the 100-year design level for the sole purpose of removing an area from the special flood hazard designation.” Crediting a levee system with protection against the 100-year flood could violate the spirit of the National Flood Insurance Act.

8. Key Recommendations of Reports: 1970s - 2010 “100-year” standard inadequate for flood damage reduction structures, especially for urbanized areas Structural measures – as a single risk reduction measure - are incomplete and require consideration of land use policies Greater emphasis & support needed on nonstructural approaches

9. Policies Contribute to Risk

10. The Levee Problem Today

11. Nation’s Levee Problem Scope of Nation’s Vulnerability = Unknown –How many miles of levees? –Condition of existing levees? Increasing Development Behind Levees New Levees Being Sought to Protect Undeveloped Land

12. National Levee Inventory Levees proliferate the American Landscape Relied upon to Protect People, Property, and other Infrastructure Estimated that tens of millions of people live and work in leveed areas No National Standards or Approaches Designed for one purpose now serving another Systems based approaches were most often not used, but are needed Risk: A Dynamic that We Can Keep Up With? Average age of 50 years, Climate Change, Infrastructure Degradation, & Increasing Population Growth USACE Program LeveesAddl FederalNon-Federal

13. Briefing Overview

14. Equity –Geographic –Intergenerational Sustainability –Environmental –Economic Resiliency –Existing hazards –Foreseeable 14 Principles of Success

15. Visions of Success National Flood Risk Management Program –Levee Safety Complete inventory of all levees in the Nation Robust Levee Programs in All States Incentives / Disincentives Drive Smart Action Public Understanding of Residual Risk Improved Levels of Protection & Strength Nonstructural Measures Fully Integrated National Standards and Codes Clear Roles in Risk Reduction

16. Briefing Overview

17. Future Remedies: Reduce Risk Hazard –Increasing design standards –Improving structural performance Lower the Consequence –Gradually relocate families and businesses from leveed areas (restore floodplain function) –Steer new development from flood-prone areas –Adjustments for SLR and changing precip patterns

18. Navigating the Turn Existing Investment At Risk –Strategic Investment –Nonstructural –O&M Future Development –Land Use/Zoning –Siting –Design –Resiliency 18

19. National Committee on Levee Safety ASFPM supports much of the Report: Expand & Complete National Levee Inventory including nonfederal levees Robust safety programs in every state Require flood insurance behind all levees Levee Hazard Classification System National standards & codes Public Engagement & Risk Communication

20. Levee Safety Policy –Full Integration with Flood Risk Management –Land Use Requirements –Integrate Climate Adaptation –Alternatives to structural approaches NCLS Review Team Comments Immediate Action to Curtail Federal activities and investments that contribute to risk

21. Nonfederal Action Challenges –Funding –Prioritization –Competition among all classes of aging infrastructure States & Local Opportunities –No Adverse Impact –Adopt standards, enforce equitably –Identify and reduce legal liability

22. Manage resources and plan on a watershed basis; Integrate plans and activities to reflect all hazards, to identify actions with multiple benefit; Permanently restore and preserve flood-prone areas as open space, through land acquisition; and Anticipate future development and site critical facilities out of harm’s way. States, Regions & Local Actions

23. Briefing Overview

24. Community Resiliency Extreme events are on the rise Extreme events are disruptive Resilience is built at the community level Resilience requires participation of all sectors Common interests & goals

25. Summary & Conclusion Nation cannot afford to “hit the snooze” Federal Leadership, Data & Standards States, Regions & Local Governments Are Leading the Way Get Involved With ASFPM Policy Committees!!