FLOOD MITIGATION FOR NEW JERSEY’S RIVERINE

COMMUNITIES

Mark N. MaurielloDirector of Environmental Affairs and Planning

Edgewood Properties

FLOOD HAZARD VULNERABILITY

• TROPICAL AND EXTRATROPICAL STORMS• FLASH FLOODS• EXPANDING FLOOD HAZARD AREAS AND

INCREASING BASE FLOOD ELEVATIONS• EROSION AND SEDIMENTATION• ATIQUATED STORMWATER MANAGEMENT• RISK COMMUNICATION• EMERGENCY EVACUATION

EXACERBATED BY…

• INCREASING URBANIZATION AND IMPERVIOUS COVER

• EXPANDING FLOOD HAZARD AREAS AND INCREASING BASE FLOOD ELEVATIONS

• INCREASING POPULATION AT RISK• INCREASING VALUE AT RISK• OUTDATED FLOOD STUDIES/MAPPING• FAILURE TO CONSIDER FUTURE CONDITIONS• LOW BAR: MINIMUM STANDARDS• EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS…CHANGING

CLIMATE!

AND TRENDING…

• Despite billions of dollars spent to "control"floods or reduce risk, statistics show that eachdecade since 1900 has witnessed more floodlosses than the previous decade

• Flood damages and associated costs continue toincrease, despite minimum Federal standards

• Other large-scale factors like demographicshifts toward the nation's coasts and extremeweather events suggest that this pattern islikely to continue

Newly built structure elevated to base flood elevation then heavily damaged during Katrina

Level of Flooding during Katrina

Existing Base Flood Elevation

ATTITUDE

HURRICANE IRENE, 2011

HURRICANE BOB, 1991

HURRICANE FLOYD, 1999

RIVERINE FLOODING

WAYNE BOUND BROOK

RIVERINE FLOODING

MANVILLE NEW BRUNSWICK

RIVERINE FLOODING

LINCOLN PARK POMPTON LAKES

RIVERINE FLOODING

HIGHTSTOWN TRENTON

WIND DAMAGE/DEBRIS

INFRASTRUCTURE DAMAGE

RT 23 PEQUANNOCK RT 287 ROCKAWAY

MASS TRANSIT IMPACTS

NE CORRIDOR, TRENTON NJT, MIDDLETOWN

ROADWAY CLOSURES

NJTP, EXIT 12 RT 1, LAWRENCE

WATER QUALITY IMPACTS

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

LengthOf Period

10 – YearEvent

25 – YearEvent

50 – YearEvent

100 – YearEvent

500 – YearEvent

1 Year 10% 4% 2% 1% 0.2%

10 Years 65% 34% 18% 10% 2%

20 Years 88% 56% 33% 18% 5%

25 Years 93% 64% 40% 22% 5%

30 Years 96% 71% 45% 26% 6%

50 Years 99+% 87% 64% 39% 10%

70 Years 99.94+% 94% 76% 50% 13%

100 Years 99.99+% 98% 87% 63% 18%

Frequency – Recurrence IntervalNatural Hazard Probabilities During Periods of Various Lengths

(FEMA, 2001)(The percentages shown represent the probabilities of one or more occurrences ofan event of a given magnitude or larger within the specified period. As the lengthof the period increases, so does the probability that floods of a given magnitude orgreater will occur.)

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: NFIP

• Katrina and other 2005 hurricanes left $18.75billion in debt to the U.S. Treasury

• Nationally: 5.6 million policies with an insuredexposure of $1.3 trillion

• NJ policies in force: 230,024 (8/31/11)• NJ insurance in force: $52,154,433,900 (8/31/11)• NJ significant flood events (1/78 - 9/11): 28• NJ losses (1/78 - 9/11): 102,983• NJ claim payments (1/78 - 9/11): $1,009,197,764• 11,000 RL/2,000 SRL

WHAT - ME WORRY?

GOAL: DISASTER RESILIENCE

The capacity of a community that is exposed to hazards toadapt, by resisting or changing, in order to reach andmaintain an acceptable level of functioning and structure.Resilience is determined by the degree to which thecommunity is capable of organizing itself to increase itscapacity for learning from past disasters.

Disaster resilience means that communities can withstandthe impacts of floods and storms and readily recover,which in turn, contributes to long-term sustainability ofcommunities for the enjoyment of all, both now and forfuture generations.

(Subcommittee on Disaster Reduction, 2005)

TOOLS: HAZARD MITIGATION

• LAND USE CONTROLS *• HIGHER REGULATORY STANDARDS *• LAND ACQUISITION• HABITAT RESTORATION AND

ENHANCEMENT (WETLANDS, STREAMS, BUFFERS)

• ELEVATION AND FLOODPROOFING• SOFT/HARD ENGINEERING• COMPREHENSIVE MULTI-HAZARDS

PLANNING• EDUCATION, AWARENESS, TRAINING

WHY HAZARD MITIGATION?

• PROTECT PEOPLE AND PROPERTY FROMFLOOD AND STORM DAMAGES

• PRESERVE AND ENHANCE THE NATURAL AND BENEFICIAL FUNCTIONS OF FLOODPLAINS

• PROMOTE RATIONAL PLANNING AND ZONING

• SUPPORT REGULATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES THAT EXCEED MINIMUM STANDARDS

• INCREASE THE CAPABILITY OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND DECISION MAKERS

TRENTON ACQUISITION

1995 2007

HOFFMAN GROVE ACQUISITIONS

2007 2010

TEANECK CREEK WETLANDS RESTORATION

HABITAT RESTORATION

HOME ELEVATIONS

FRESHWATER WETLANDS PROTECTION ACT LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND DECLARATIONS

The Legislature finds and declares that freshwaterwetlands provide a natural means of flood and stormdamage protection, and thereby prevent the loss of life andproperty through the absorption and storage of waterduring high runoff periods and the reduction of floodcrests. The Legislature therefore determines that in thisState, where pressures for commercial and residentialdevelopment define the pace and pattern of land use, it isin the public interest to establish a program for thesystematic review of activities in and around freshwaterwetland areas…and it is important that the Stateexpeditiously assume the freshwater wetlands permitjurisdiction currently exercised by the United States ArmyCorps of Engineers pursuant to the Federal Act andimplementing regulations.

FWPA RULES EXCEEDING FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

• Wetlands jurisdiction based on 1989 Federal Manual

• All wetlands protected, including isolated wetlands

• All development is regulated (including pile supported)

• Wetland transition areas protected!

FLOOD HAZARD AREA CONTROL ACT DECLARATION OF POLICY

It is in the interest of the safety, health, and general welfareof the people of the State that legislative action be taken toempower the Department of Environmental Protection todelineate and mark flood hazard areas, to authorize theDEP to adopt land use regulations for the flood hazardarea, to control stream encroachments….which rules andregulations shall be designed to preserve the flood carryingcapacity of the stream to minimize the threat to the publicsafety, health and general welfare. Any municipal or otherentity vested with authority to adopt rules and regulationsconcerning the development and use of land may adoptrequirements more restrictive than those contained in therules and regulations adopted by the Department for thefloodway and than those contained in the minimumstandards promulgated by the Department.

FHACA RULES EXCEEDING FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS

• Zero net fill in floodplain• Riparian zone protection (50, 150 and 300 feet)• Development prohibited in floodway• Higher elevation requirement for structures in floodplain

(freeboard…for a new building, the lowest floor shall be constructed atleast 1 foot above the FHA design flood elevation)

• Broad scope of regulated activities in the floodplain• Floodway calculated by FHA design flood elevation using 125% of 100-

year flow and assuming a maximum rise of 0.2 feet in 100-year floodelevation

• Stormwater management: Low Impact Design (LID)• Development setbacks required from top of bank• Roads & parking areas required to be elevated 1 foot above FHA

design flood elevation

NFIP REGULATIONS44 CFR 60.1 PURPOSE OF SUBPART(d) The criteria set forth in this subpart are minimumstandards for the adoption of flood plain managementregulations by flood-prone, mudslide, and flood-relatederosion-prone communities. Any community may exceedthe minimum criteria under this part by adopting morecomprehensive flood plain management regulationsutilizing the standards such as contained in subpart C ofthis part. In some instances, community officials may haveaccess to information or knowledge of conditions thatrequire, particularly for human safety, higher standardsthan the minimum criteria set forth in subpart A.Therefore, any flood plain management regulationsadopted by a State or a community which are morerestrictive than the criteria set forth in this part areencouraged and shall take precedence.

44 CFR 60.22 PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS FOR FLOODPRONE AREAS

(c) In formulating community development goals and in adoptingflood plain management regulations, each community shallconsider at least the following factors:

(2) Diversion of development to areas safe from flooding in light ofthe need to reduce flood damages and in light of the need to preventenvironmentally incompatible flood plain use;

(15) Requirement of additional elevation above the base flood levelfor all new construction and substantial improvements withinZones A1–30, AE, V1–30, and VE on the community’s FIRM toprotect against such occurrences as wave wash and floating debris,to provide an added margin of safety against floods having amagnitude greater than the base flood, or to compensate for futureurban development;

NFIP STAKEHOLDER LISTENING SESSIONPhase I Report (FEMA, December 2009)

Develop/Encourage Stricter Floodplain Management Criteria

• Prohibit the use of fill in floodplains• Prohibit development in certain areas of the floodplain• Incorporate Low Impact Development (LID) measures into

minimum criteria• Establish no-build high hazard areas (erosion zones and

floodways)• Add freeboard of 1-3 feet• Incorporate considerations for future development/future

conditions and sea level rise• V Zone standards in coastal A Zones

HIGHER STANDARDS

• Reduce damage to public and private property and loss of life: Betterplanned and designed development and public infrastructure are lesslikely to cause and suffer damage

• Increase a community’s capacity to bounce back after a storm:Reduced storm damage means less downtime for local businesses andmunicipalities

• Save money: Less damage means less costly post-storm communitycleanup, fewer demands on limited public officials’ time, and reducedstrain on public resources

• Lower flood insurance rates: The Community Rating System (CRS)decreases flood insurance rates for residents in communities witheffective hazard mitigation strategies, including higher standards

• Preserve quality of life: With higher standards, communities willbecome safer, while preserving quality of life for its citizens now and inthe future, and reducing the misery of the flood experience

SUMMARY

• SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING WITHOUT THIS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO REPEAT PAST MISTAKES

• DEMONSTRATE LONG-TERM BENEFITS ILLUSTRATE SUCCESS AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF HAZARD MITIGATION

• LEVERAGE RESOURCES FIND WAYS TO COMBINE FUNDING, SHARE DATA AND OTHER RESOURCES

• PRIORITIZE ACQUISITIONS FOCUS ON MULTIPLE OBJECTIVES

SUMMARY

• COMMUNICATE PROMOTE AWARENESS AMONG RESIDENTS, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DECISION MAKERS

• EVOLVE OVER TIME UPDATE RISK ASSESSMENTS, PLANS AND PROGRAMS OVER TIME AND AFTER SIGNIFICANT EVENTS

• EMPLOY A RANGE OF STRATEGIES PROBLEMS ARE NOT SINGULAR AND NEITHER ARE SOLUTIONS

• SUPPORT HIGHER STANDARDS IN THE BEST LONG-TERM INTEREST OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE TAXPAYER

FOR MORE INFO

ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS (ASFPM)

www.floods.org

• MITIGATION SUCCESS STORIES• FLOODPLAIN POLICY PAPERS• NO ADVERSE IMPACT (NAI) HANDBOOK• LEGAL ISSUES, LIABILITY, PROPERTY

RIGHTS GUIDANCE• AGENCY CONTACTS

PRAYER MAY NOT BE ENOUGH