FROM “YOU’RE DOING WHAT?” TO “OH, I SEE”

Lessons from a Northern Indiana Community

Roger Gage, CFM Rodney Renkenberger, PLS, CFM Trevor Timberlake, PE, CFM

An Overview

The Game Plan

The Flood they Won’t Forget Outreach is not an event… it’s an ongoing

conversation The Local Perspective: 9 “Lessons Learned”

Community Education Grants Standing Your Ground

The Engineer’s Perspective: 3 “Lessons Learned” Stakeholder Meetings Site Visits Delivering the Message

July 2003

The Flood They Won’t Forget

July 2003 Flood

Very close to the “100-year” flood

Relief Efforts

On a Positive Note

Sandbagging machine

Collected good information

Led to buy-outs of floodprone properties

The Maumee River Basin Commission

Maumee River Basin Commission

Quasi-State / Local Agency Charged with Mitigating Flood Damages in northeast Indiana

Lesson 1: Be FIRM!; Educate, Educate, Educate

Be Firm!; Educate, Educate, Educate

City of Decatur encouraged to adopt and implement NAI concepts

Bring City and Local Officials on Board Speak plain English Flood Safety Awareness Week

Public Safety Announcements

Lesson 2: Collect High Water Marks

Collect High Water Marks

Local Surveyor hired to collect high water marks during record July 2003 Firecracker

Flood

Certified High Water Marks Critical to: Calibrating HEC-RAS Model Risk Map Updates FEMA Acquisition Grant Application Retrofitting Projects – Elevation & Floodproofing Planning, Permitting, & Zoning

Lesson 3: Evaluate River Gage Network

Evaluate River Gage Network

MRBC Leads Coordinated Effort to Replace Discontinued River Gage

Early Flood Warning Detection is Critical to Effective Response;

Interstate Cooperation – IN USGS / OH USGS Multi-Agency Funding Agreement Critical to Task of Recalibrating Hydraulic

Model

Lesson 4: Local Input Critical to Map Accuracy

Local Input Critical to Map Accuracy

Record Flood Tests 2003 DFIRM-95 Map Accuracy; Locals rely on earlier more accurate

FIRMs

Accuracy of DFIRMs is proportional to Local Input; DEM

Don’t be afraid to challenge Preliminary DFIRMs Aerial reconnaissance is critical – capture crest High water mark data – crucial Update FIRMs when better available data is

captured

Lesson 5: Plan, Prepare, Protect

Plan, Prepare, & Protect

MRBC Flood Mitigation Master Plan – key to timely FEMA HMGP Grant

Application

Prioritize structures identified for acquisitionDamage Assessment Protocol; Historical DataPopulate data in advanceIdentify local funding sourceAdopt Higher Standards – NAI Principles

Lesson 6: Acquisition Program Pays Dividends

Acquisition Program Pays Dividends

1998-1999 Acquisitions – pay big dividends; Decatur’s pre-emptive approach a huge

success

63 residential structures acquired Flood response reduced by +95% Sandbagging need virtually eliminated Floods in 2005, 2008, 2009 – No Damage Open space preservation – Acquired area

incorporated into city park

Lesson 7: Educate Early & Often

Educate Early; Educate OftenEducate City Officials, Insurance Agents, and

Homeowners about ICC Funding

Educate Local Insurance Agents ICC Grant Program Useful Tool for:

Acquisition Program – Funds Demolition Costs Relocation Program – Funds Portion of Relocation Costs Retrofitting Program – Funds Elevation Project

Note: $30,000.00 maximum benefit

ICC Grant Funds Elevation Project

Three losses within a ten-year period…….. ICC Grant Mitigates Recurring Losses

Lesson 8: Higher Standards Benefit Decatur

Higher Standards Benefit Decatur

MRBC & Decatur Take Firm Stand; Require INDOT to Perform Unsteady-state Hydraulic

Modeling

IDHS backs MRBC & Decatur FEMA Mitigation Project Protected

Unsteady-State Model more accurate- Accounts for backwater storage; split-flow conditions

NAI compliant project Highway to be elevated to maintain traffic flow;

chronic road closings to be mitigated

Lesson 9: “Two Ears and One Mouth”

“Two Ears and One Mouth”

Why Stakeholder Meetings are Important

Ask: If they are opposed… why? Document it!

This project Coordinate with local officials Take a more detailed look Compliance with NAI

“Two Ears and One Mouth”

Ask - What is their experience? What did they observe in the project

area during the flood of record? Who do they know who would be able to

provide good information?Be Real – Think from their Perspective How would I respond? What would I want

to know? As an engineer – how can I communicate to those concerns?

Lesson 10: Scoping the Scene

Scoping the Scene

Why Site Visits are Important

But I can do it all from the office! Survey data Aerial photography, Site photography Digital elevation models Birds eye view Street view …what more do I need?

Scoping the Scene

Technical benefits of a site visit “Ah-hah!” Moments Get intuitive sense for the answer

What obvious conclusions can be drawn about flooding areas, flow patterns, etc.?

Document areas of interest with photographs, notes

The Link – Outreach and Site Visits

Learn local landmarks What public buildings are in the project area or

nearby? What businesses are in the project area or

nearby? What are the names/characteristics of features

that are a key part of the analysis (road crossings, railroads, underdrains)

When in town, touch base with stakeholders Let them know you are in town

Lesson 11: Caring What You Know and Knowing That You Care

Caring What You Know and Knowing That You Care

Crafting the Message

Re-State their concerns and how you have addressed them

The Message

Remember what you are being judged against… the last big flood How do your design floods compare to

the flood of record in the project area? How can you use this to help them

understand the proposed project?

The Message

Say what you know Engineers have a tendency to qualify

their answers to the point that they bring confusion and – in some instances – distrust (“he/she won’t give us a straight answer”)

The Mayor’s favorite part

Conclusions

Success is not by accident Prepare Remember what you can gain from a disaster

Opinions can change If you invest time If you communicate the message

Thank You!

IN Department of Transportation Fort Wayne District Funding source for unsteady-state modeling

Actively involved throughout the process

IN Department of Homeland Security

?Questions?