Georgia Flood Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (MAP) Program

1. Georgia Flood Risk Mapping Assessment and Planning (MAP) Program Southwest Georgia Regional Commission March 28, 2019 Haydn Blaize, Manager, Floodplain Unit

2. Role of State • The State of Georgia entered into a Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) agreement with FEMA’s Region IV in August 1999. • State of Georgia now develops and updates the flood hazard maps for communities in all 159 counties https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home

3. Role of State Cont’d The Floodplain Unit provides community outreach and assistance through a structured Community Assistance Program State Support Services Element (CAP SSSE)

4. Regulatory Products • DIGITAL FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAP (DFIRM) • Delineates the Special Flood Hazard Area (area inundated by the 1% annual chance flood often referred to as the 100-year flood) • Food Risk Zones • Base Flood Elevations for Detailed Studies – water surface elevation during passage of the 1% annual chance flood

5. Map Update Process3-5 Years for Watershed • PDCC Meetings & • Open Houses • Resolve Appeals & Protests • Letter of Final Determination • Resilience Meeting • Six Month Compliance Period • Effective FIRMS & FIS PRELIMINARY PROCESSING POST PRELIMINARY PROCESSING Formal 90-day Appeal Period COMMUNITY MEETINGS

6. Non Regulatory Flood Risk Products Changes Since Last FIRM Depth & Probability Grids HAZUS Loss Estimates Areas of Mitigation Interest (AOMI) • Ranking infrastructure, critical facilities, homes, or parcels based on frequency and/or depth of flooding • Identification of mitigation strategies & potential actions • Identification of properties at risk to dam inundation • Ranking repetitive loss properties based on frequency of flooding • Identification of technical & funding resources • Levees, dams, other flood control structures • Stream flow constrictions • Past Claims Hotspots • Key Emergency Routes overtopped • At Risk Critical Facilities • Areas of significant erosion • Significant Land Use Changes • Level 1 Analysis • Average Annualized Loss Estimates • Level 2 Analysis • Standard • 10%, 4%, 2%, 1%, and 0.2% annual chance flood frequencies • Percent Annual Chance Grid • Percent Chance over 30 yrs • Water surface elevation grids (multi-frequency) • 20% Annual Chance Flood Frequency • Freeboard Grid • Velocity Grids • Horizontal Changes in Flood Hazard Areas • Affected structures and/or population Standard Products More accurate loss estimates are produced by including detailed information on local hazard conditions and/or by replacing the national default inventories with more accurate local inventories of buildings, essential facilities and other infrastructure.  Enhanced Products

7. Role of Community • State and local governments are required to enforce floodplain management ordinances • Residents and business owners with buildings in SFHAs required to purchase flood insurance • Not in the SFHA ? – ALL can purchase flood insurance • Close to 35% of claims are from properties NOT in a SFHA

8. Role of Community (Cont’d) • A community that does not participate in the NFIP faces the following challenges: • Flood insurance not available through the NFIP • No federal flood related grants or loans available • No federal flood related disaster assistance available • No federal mortgage insurance or loan guarantees provided

9. Regional Information Percentage of SWGRC Structures in the SFHA Percentage of SWGRC Area in the SFHA

10. Community Information- Percentage of Jurisdictional Area in the SFHA

11. Community Information- Percentage of Jurisdiction’s Structures in the SFHA

12. Regional Information

13. Regional Information

14. Regional Information

15. Regional Information

16. JOINING THE NFIP Participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is voluntary. To join, the community must: • Complete an application; • Adopt a resolution of intent to participate and cooperate with FEMA; • Adopt and submit a floodplain management ordinance that meets or exceeds the minimum NFIP criteria. The floodplain management ordinance must also adopt any FIRM or FHBM for the community.

17. Community Rating System • Voluntary incentive program • Encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. • Will reduce flood insurance premium rates

18. Joining Community Rating System

19. Disaster UpdatesHurricane Irma Individual Assistance Applications Approved: 9,398 Total Individual & Households ProgramDollars Approved: $13,644,630.64 Total Public Assistance GrantsDollars Obligated: $109,308,033.91

20. Disaster UpdatesHurricane Michael Individual Assistance ApplicationsApproved: 5,007 Total Individual & Households ProgramDollars Approved: $11,919,302.16 Total Public Assistance GrantsDollars Obligated: $49,693.68

21. Flood Risk Made Available via Website

22. Flood Risk Snapshot

23. Flood Risk Snapshot

24. Georgia Flood MAP Program Projects Completed Pre-Risk MAP Counties (Map Mod.) Upper Chattahoochee River Basin: Effective 2013 & 2018 Etowah Watershed: Effective 2018 Georgia Coastal: Effective 2014 (Riverine) & 2017/18 Upper Ocmulgee Watershed: Effective 2016/2017 Middle Chattahoochee-Lake Harding: Effective 2017 Apalachicola: Discovery Upper Suwanee: Discovery Apalachee Bay-St. Marks: Discovery Etowah: Post Preliminary Northern DeKalb County (PMR): Post-Preliminary Middle Savannah: Post-Preliminary Upper Savannah:Post-Preliminary Upper Oconee: Hydraulic Analysis Withlacoochee\Little:Hydrologic Analysis FY12 –FY18 Lower Savannah: Early Study Phase Lower Flint: Early Study Phase Hiawassee: Discovery Upper Little Tennessee: Discovery

25. Base Level Engineering (BLE) is an approach that combines high resolution ground elevation data and automated modeling technology advancements to create engineering models and flood hazard data typically at a large scale, like a watershed. • GAEPD proposes to undertake BLE studies on 11,150 stream miles in 47 watersheds (Subject to FEMA Approval and Funding). Base Level Engineering (BLE)

26. Areas of Cooperation • GIS SERVICES • DFIRM Databases • Flood Risk Products • NFIP PARTICIPATION • Federal Disaster Relief • Manage Development in Special Flood Hazard Areas • Flood Insurance Available to Enhance Community Resilience • CRS PARTCIPATION • Mitigation Strategy • Reduction in Flood Insurance Premiums • FLOOD ORDINANCE REVISIONS • Resilience through Higher Regulatory Standards

27. Thank You Haydn Blaize, Manager, Floodplain Unit haydn.blaize@dnr.ga.gov (404) 463-4935