Developing a National Levee Safety Program

Mike Stankiewicz - NCLS

Arizona Floodplain Management Association November 3, 2011

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Update on the National Committee on Levee Safety

Susan Gilson & Dusty Williams NCLS

Association of State Floodplain ManagersMay, 2012

Presentation Overview

• NCLS Introduction• Overview of Recommendations for a

National Levee Safety Program• Levee Safety & Flood Risk

Management• Way Forward

History

• National Committee on Levee Safety (NCLS) created by Congress in response to an event – Hurricane Katrina

• Tasked to develop recommendations and a strategic implementation plan for a National Levee Safety Program (January 2009)

Today

• Last year’s flooding serves as reminder that we will continue to experience major floods with significant national, regional, and local impacts

Committee Members

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Rod Mayer

Les Harder

Steve Verigin

Marilyn Thomas

Don Basham

Dusty Williams

Karin Jacoby Mike Stankiewicz

Jon Sweeney

Robert Turner

David Garcia

Sam Riley Medlock

Steve StocktonEric Halpin

Bill Blanton

Susan Gilson

Committee Members

Levees Are in Every State

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Source: ASCE / FEMA

Levees Are in Every State

Levees Today• Many levees designed for one

purpose now serving another.• Built in uncoordinated

fashion, by different entities, not as a systems.

• Varying levels of responsibility and maintenance – federal, state, local, special districts, private.

• No national standards for construction, maintenance or inspection of levees.

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Levees Today

• Many levees designed for one purpose now serving another.

• Built in uncoordinated fashion, by different entities, not as a systems.

• Varying levels of responsibility and maintenance – federal, state, local, special districts, private.

• No national standards for construction, maintenance or inspection of levees.

Flooding: A High Cost to Communities and the Nation

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2008 = $5.6B 2009 = $1.1B 2010 = $5.1B

2011 = $??B

Source: National Weather Service

Flooding: A High Cost to Communities and the Nation

Recommendations for a National Levee Safety Program

Key Activities of National Levee Safety Program

1. One-time comprehensive inventory and inspection of levees and maintain a comprehensive National Levee Database

2. Understand and communicate risks associated with levees

3. Develop model state levee safety program and incentives to adopt it

4. Establish Levee Rehabilitation, Improvement, & Flood Mitigation Fund so qualified states and communities can reduce significant flood risk and improve public safety

Key Activities of National Levee Safety Program

5. Develop model national levee safety standards and encourage federal agencies, states, and communities to adopt standards appropriate to their region and needs

6. Align federal programs for incentivizing state programs and appropriate investments in levees and leveed areas

7. Understand and address liability concerns

Context for a National Levee Safety Program

• Part of a larger flood risk management approach

• Shared responsibility from individuals and all levels of government required for success

• Education and communication are key to success

• Primary focus on existing levees and leveed areas– However, future levees should be built to

national standards, reduce risk, etc.

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Context for a National Levee Safety Program

• Part of a larger flood risk management approach

• Shared responsibility from individuals and all levels of government required for success

• Education and communication are key to success

• Primary focus on existing levees and leveed areas– However, future levees should be built to

national standards, reduce risk, etc.

National Levee Safety Program &

Flood Risk Management• Improve understanding of role

levees play in overall flood risk management

• Better communicate role and limitations

• Recognize role of nonstructural approaches in improving levee safety

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National Levee Safety Program & Flood Risk Management

• Improve understanding of role levees play in overall flood risk management

• Better communicate role and

limitations

• Recognize role of nonstructural approaches in improving levee safety

Intersection of Levee Safety & Flood Risk Management

Levee Safety Program Activities

InspectionsInventoryLevee Research & DevelopmentAssessmentsTrainingAssistanceStandardsOperations & MaintenanceProgram Oversight

Shared Activities

Risk CommunicationCommunity InvolvementMappingLevee RehabilitationNon-Structural MeasuresEnvironmental-Safety CollaborationIncentives/DisincentivesFlood InsuranceEvacuation PlansHazard Mitigation Plans

Flood Risk Management

Activities

Land Use PlanningLevee CertificationBuilding CodesEmergency ManagementSystems Planning

Status of a National Levee Safety Program

• Submitted Report to Congress in January 2009 (completed in 3 months)

• Continuing to engage stakeholders for feedback

• National Committee on Levee Safety is working to raise awareness of levee situation and need for national program

• 12 recommendations need new legal authorities

• Ongoing coordination with Army Corps of Engineers and Federal Emergency Management Agency

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Status of a National Levee Safety Program

• Submitted Report to Congress in January 2009 (completed in 3 months)

• Engaged stakeholders until November 2011 in gathering feedback about the implementation of the program and raising awareness of the levee situation and need for a national program

• Since March 2012, NCLS has been on a “strategic pause” due to a legal opinion of the legislation from USACE

• 12 recommendations need new legal authorities

• Non-federal partners on the NCLS have been coordinating and discussing next steps

Until there is a National Levee Safety Program…

• Expanding the National Levee Database (USACE)

• Study to align federal programs with the Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force (NCLS)

• NFIP Reform (FEMA)• Developing standards via the

International Levee Handbook (USACE)

• Developing Tolerable Risk Guidelines (USACE)

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Until there is a National Levee Safety Program…

Activities ongoing in the agencies that supports a National Levee Safety Program

• Expanding the National Levee Database (USACE)

• NFIP Reform (FEMA)• Developing standards via the International

Levee Handbook (USACE)• Developing Tolerable Risk Guidelines

(USACE)

Thank You

• For more information:

• www.leveesafety.org

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Thank You

For more information visit:

www.leveesafety.org