High ground, Vol. 4, no. 2 (Spring 1999)

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A Publication of the Georgia Floodplain Management Office Department of Natural Resources

National F1oodproofingConference

The First NationalFloodproofing Conference was held February I~5,1999 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Conference began Monday by offering several optional workshops; That evening was the first chance for the Conference participants to view the Exhibits offered. There were many exhibitors displaying their disaster assistance products. The products ranged from tools to aid infilling sandbags to inflatable devices that could serve as flood water barriers. There were al.so exhibitors from different government agencies, such as FEMA, US Army Corps of Engineers (COE), and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. Additionally, exhibitors included members of the private sector, which were either consultants and/or those with expertise in the field of flood .. proofing, such as the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
The meetings generally opened with the group attending a joint meeting to learn about topics such as: the Baton Rouge perspective of f1oodproofing, generalfloodproofing techniques, examples of FEMA districts implementing f1oodproofing, exploration of possible funding available from the federal government to accomplish floodproofing, etc.The seminars then broke into separate sessions and offered the option of three different tracks to learn more information about floodproofing techniques.
The first track was entitled Techniques. This track focused on the details involved in f1oodproofing.An especially interesting topic was software products that could be used in the presentation of f1oodproofing techniques to the general public. This information was provided by Rodney Greenup of the New

Orleans COE.They were able to use computer graphics to superimpose a f100dwall or levee onto an existing picture of a park or house. This technique is invaluable in showing a homeowner or community official that the f1oodproofing techniques that need to be implemented are not going to adversely affect his/her community.
The second track was entitled Programs. This track detailed different sources of support for expanding flood.. proofing initiatives. One session focused on the IncreasedCost of Compliance Coverage, which is used to help finance elevating structures for homeowners who have been substantially damaged in a disaster. Another session discussed using the extension agencies in each county to help with disaster education.
Finally, the third track was entitled Local Initiatives. As indicated by the tide, officials.who had initiatedfloodproofing techniques in their communities moderat~ ed this track and detailed their successes and failures. One s!Jch session focused on coastal areas and the measures that were necessary to ensure the safety of their citizens.
There was also a field trip for the Conference in which the participants were taken to see implemented f1oodproofing techniques.The trip was taken around the Baton Rouge area and Ollt towards Lake Ponchartrain in the Cityof Mandeville. The tour included seeing several examples of dry f1oodproofing, wet flood proofing, f1oodwalls, levees, and elevation. Some examples of the above techniquesare following. This was one of the best parts of the Conference.To be able to see some of the techniques discussed in the conference and at work in action was very exciting.

.Georgia Floodplain Management Office

HG VoJume4. Nuinber 2 Spring 1999

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Inside This Issue
Two Workshops Offered by the Georgia Floodplain Management
2 Office National Floodproofing Conference, cont
Severe Weather Awareness Week 1999
3 National Floodproofing Conference, cont
Frequent/yAsked Questions
4 Regarding The Effect That Revised Flood Hazards Have on Existing Structures
Upcoming Training Courses
6 Georgia Floodplain Management Office and FEMAAssist Local Community with Technical Workshop
New Toll Free Number to Addtess Questions Regarding Flood
7 Hazard Maps and Map Changes 1999 Governor's Severe Weather Conf.
23rd Annual Association of State
Floodpolain Managers Conf.
8 Interesting Internet Sites

Continued from pagel

The above picture was taken in the Baton Rouge

area. This is an example of Dry Floodproofing.ln this

instance, you can see the difference between the types

of brick and the gate across the door. The lower level

bricks are covering a sealant which keeps the water

from entering the house.

.

,

e a ove picture was taken in the City of Mandeville.As you can see, a stream runs directly in front ohhe house. This house was elevated in a manner that is very aesthetically pleasing.Thls is a good example of how elevation does n'ot have to be unattractive and bring down property:value.lf it is done well, it can even increase the property value fo'r an owner.,

The house above shows a levee that was l;>uiltentire-

This picture shows the f1oodwallaround a house. The

ly around the house in order to protect it from flood-

Gate is electric and will completely seal the house away

ing, There is a lake behind this house, which periodically if flooding starts.The property also has a sump pump

floods and inundates the house.Theowner in this

for residual water that falls inside the wall and localized

instance wishes that they had aCtually elevated, because. ponding. Keep in mind that this protectivemethocl

the levee blocks all the breeze from reaching the house. requires human intervention (Le., someone has to be at

During Louisiana summers, a breeze' is very important

home to close the gate). If the owner is ouf ohow!},

to keep things cool!

the wall could fall because the gate might be open.

.

Continued on page 3

Two Workshops To Be Offered By The Georgia Floodplain

Management Office

The Georgia Floodplain Management Office. will be offering two workshops following the Governor'sSevere Weather Conference in May.
Wednesday, May .12:A workshop' discussing recent changes to the Community Rating System (CRS) will be held from 2 - 4:30 p;m. at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. David VilnTroost,CRS Field Representative for .Georgia, will. be thefeatured speaker.
Thursday, May 13: A workshop for local offi-

cials will be conducted by the Georgia Floodplain

Management Office from 9 a.m. - 3:15 p.rn.at the

C93,stal Georgia Regional Development Ctr. in

Brunswick This workshop will focus on the

National Flood Insurance Program and issues related

to local administration of floodplain management

ordinantes.

.

.

Anyone planning to attend either of these

workshops should notify Collis Brown or Judy

Brock at (404) 656-6382 as soon as possible.

Georgia Floodplain Management Office

H G Volume 4, Number2 Spring 1999

o
The pictures above demonstrate the elevation of a house in progress. These pictures illustrate how federal money can help to elevate "slab on grade" foundations in order to protect the property and the owner. This was an exciting part of the tour. It was really interesting to go under a house and actually see how the house was being raised.

The Conference ended with an optional tour on Friday to visit the. Old River Control Structure. This was a structure that was designed in the 1960's to control the flow of waterfrom the Mississippi River to the Atchafalaya River. It was almost destroyed in the flood of 1973. Since then, part of the structure has been redesigned and an auxiliary structure was added for extra protection. These changes are shown in the second picture, which shows a picture of what the Control Structure looks like today.
Thanks to Laura Kennelly, GA DNR Environmental Engineer, for contributing this article. Laura provides technical assistance to the Georgia Floodplain Management Office on a part-time basis.

Severe Weather Awareness Week 1999

Governor Roy E. Barnes proclaimed the week of February 21-27, 1999, as Severe Weather Awareness Week in Georgia.
The goal of Severe Weather Awareness Week 1999 was to educate Georgians about safety, preparedness, and response procedures for a variety of severe weather events, such as floods, hurricanes, lightning, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and winter storms.
In addition to publicizing weather safety measures and severe weather events through the local news media, a statewide tornado drill, initiated by the National Weather Service, was conducted on Wednesday, February 24. Schools, churches, businesses, industries, and local governments were encouraged to participate. Local and state emergency response organizations, including emergency management directors and staff, emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, rescue

and fire personnel, were also encouraged to test emergency procedures during this week.
Designated as Family Protection Day, Monday, February 22, was set aside as a day for families to discuss, plan, prepare, and rehearse emergency measures that would be utilized during the first 72 hours of a local disaster.
For additional information about emergency preparedness measures during severe weather events, please visit the following web sites:
Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) www.state;ga.us/GEMAI Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.fema.gov National Weather Service (NWS) www.srh.noaa.gov/FTPROOT/FFC/

H G __Ge_o_rgc-ia_F_'o_o,-dp_'a_in_
Management" Office

Volume 4. Number 2 Spring, I ~99

Frequently. Asked Questions Regarding The Effect That
Revised Flood Hazards Have on Existing Structures

What factors determine flood insurance premiums?
A number of factors determine premiums for National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance coverage. Majorfactors include the amount of coverage purchased; the ,deductible; and the location, age, occupancy, and type of building. For newer buildings in floodplains, the eleva.tionof the lowest floor relative to the elevation ofthe 1% annual chance flood (i.e.; base flood elevation) can also be used to rate the policy.
My house is not in a floodplain according to the current map, butthe newmap will shQW it as being in a floodplain. WillI have to purchase flood insurance when the. new map o(ficiallytakes effect?
If yotJ have Federal or federally related financing for the property in, question and you do not ' already have flood insurance, your lender may con~ tact you once the new map takes effect and require, that you purchase flood insurance.. If you do notpurchasethe insurance within 45 days after being informed that flood insurance is required,the' lender can force place the insurance and charge you for the cost of it. If you dispute the lender's determination that your property, is locatediri a floodplain, you and your lender can jointly request a Letter of Determination Review from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) within 45 days of being informed by your lender that your property is located in a floodplain. If you have insurance before the new maps take effect, the basis for rating that policy remains unchanged (i.e., you can use the rate that was' charged to you when your property was located outside the floodplain).
to I have flood insurance, and my house is in a floodplain '
according the current map. The new map,however, will show my house as being outside the floodplain. Will.' .have to continue carrying flood insurance-when the. new mapo(ficially takes effect?
If you have Federal or federally related financing for the property in question, you will no longer have a Federal requirement to purchase flood insurance when the new maps take effect; however,

lenders retain the prerogative to require flood insurance, even for property ,that is not in a floodplain. If you wisb to continue coverage once the new maps take effect, you may be eligible for preferredrisk rates based on your property being outside the floodplain. You should have your policy re-rated using the new m~aps, which should lower your premium. Even if you are not required to purchase flood insurance,weencourage homeownersto continue coverage at the preferred risk rates, because you may be flooded by an event greater 'than the 1% annual chance event.
My house was built to. the flood elevation shown on the current map (ora previous map)., ,On the new map, my house will remain in the flOOdplain, but the flood elevation will increase. Whatwill happen to myinsurance premium when the new map officially takes effect?
If you can show that your house Was builtin compliance with local floodplain management regulations and the flood map in effect at the time of construction, the basis, for rating your policy does not change and your premium will be the same. If you cannot show that your house was builtin compliance at the time of construction, your policy will be re-nited using the new flood map, which may raise your premium;' However, if you' can show that your'home has been continuously insured since before the map change, your premium will not be affected. If you do not have Federal or federally related financing;you are not required by Federal regulations to have flood insurance, although it is, available to you.
My house was built to the flood elevation shown '. on the current map (ora previous map). On the new map, my house will remain in the floodplain, but the flood elevation will decrease. What will happen to my insurancepremium when the new map officiallpakes effect?
,You should contact your insurance agent to ensure that the policy is re-rated when the new map officiallytakeseffect. The lower flood elevationmay result in a lower premium.

Georgia Floodplain Management Office

HG Volume 4. Number 2 Spring 1999

Frequently Aslied Questions Regarding The Effect That

Revised Flood Hazards Have on Existing Structures
Continued from page 4

My house was built in ZoneAE to the flood elevation in

effect at the time of construction. On the new map; my

house will remain in the floodplain, but the zone desig-

nation will be changed to Zone VE. .What will happen to

my insurance premium when the new map officially

takes effect?

.

If you can show that your house was builtin compliance with local floodplain management regulations and the flood map in effect at the time of construction, the basis for rating your policy does not change and your premium will be the same when the new map officially takes effect. If you cannot show that your house was built in compliance at the time of construction, your policy will be re-rated when the new map takes effect using the new flood zone designation and flood elevations, which may raise your premium. However, if you can show thatyour home has been continuously insured since before the map change,your premium will not be affected.

My house is shown as being in Zone VE on the current map. On the .new map, my house will remain in the floodplain, but the zone designation will be changed to Zone AE. What will happen to my insurance premium when the new map. officially takes effect?

You should contact your insurance agent to ensl,lre that the policy is re-rated when the new map officially takes effect. The change to a Zone AE designation will likely lower your premium.

My house is in a floodplain according to the current map. On the new map, my house will remain in the floodplain, but the flood elevation will be increased. Will my house be considered to be in violation ofNFIP regulations when the new map officially takes effect?

Any house that can be shown to have been built in compliance with local floodplain management regulations and the flood map at the time of construction will continue to be considered compliant, even if the new map will show an increase in flood elevation or a change to a more restrictive zone designation. However, should your house be substantially dam'aged (damage is 50% or more of the pre-damage market value) and you wish to repair it, you will be required to bring the entire structure into compli~ ance with the zone designation and flood elevations in effect at the time the repairs take place. If the structure is less than substantially damaged, you do

not need to refer to the flood map when repairing damages. Please note, however, that there maybe more stringent state or local requirements that take precedence over those stated here. Regardless of whether your building is substantially damaged, you will likely need a building permit to make repairs and need to contact your local building official.
My house is in a floodplain. What do Ido if I want to build an addition or otherwise improve it?
If the value. of the addition or improvement to the house is less than 50% of the market value of the existing structure, you need only make sure that the improvement meets or exceeds the standards that were used in constructing the existing structure (assuming the existing structure was built incompliance at the time it was constructed).. Additions or other improvements valued at 50% or more of the market value of the existing structure are considered substantial improvements. In such cases, the entire structure must be brought into compliance with the elevations on the map in effect at the time the improvement begins. Under certain circumstances only the addition needs to be elevated to the flood elevations shown on that map. Please note, however, that there may be more stringent state or local requirements that take precedence over those stated here. Regardless of whether your building is substantially improved, you will likely need a building permit to make the improvement and need to contact.your local building official.
Taken from FEMA document MT-TS-HS 01106/99

How Can Georgia Floodplain Management OfflceAssistYour Community?

Technical Data and Assistance .'. Floodplain Management

Publications .. Flood Maps .. Guidance on the National

Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Regulations .. Floodplain

Management Workshop ... Technical Workshop for Local

Builders. Developers. Surveyors, Engineers &Appraisers ..

Extra Copies of our Quarterly Newsletter - HIGH

GROUND.

.

Contact either Collis Brown, State NFIP Coordinator or Judy Brock, Environmental Specialist at (404) 656-6382; fax (404) 656-6383

Georgia Floodplain Management Office

HG Volume :4, Number 2 Spring 1999

o

UPCOMING TRAINING COURSES

Emergency Management Institute (EM!): The Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), through its Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland, will be sponsoring the following resident courses. The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) serves as the national focal point for the development and delivery of emergency management training to enhance the capabilities of Federal, State, and Local government officials, volunteer organizations, and the private sector to minimize the impact of disasters on the American public. . There are no tuition fees for EMI on-campus courses. All instruction, books, and housing are provided at no cost, and FEMA reimburses air fare. Participants are responsible for the cost of the meals provided and for personal incidental expenses. All persons attending EMI courses are required to purchase a campus meal ticket for the period of their. course.
For additional information on the following courses, or to obtain an application, please contact Georgia~s Floodplain Management Office at (404) 656-6382, You may also contact EMlat 1-800-238~ 3358. It is suggested that applications for courses be submitted at least two months prior to the date of the course.

E234 Digit<!I Hazard Data Course (formerly Digital

Flood Insurance Rate Map)

.

Aug. 23-27, 1999.

E273 Managing Floodplain Deve!opment Through the National Flood Insurance Program(NFIP) June 14-18, I999;August 23-27, 1999

E278 National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)/Community Rating System (CRS)
August 2-6, J999

E279 Retrofitting Existing Floodprone Residential

Buildings

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May 3-7, 1999 (**see note)

**Prerequisite - Participa.nts must successfully complete the independent study course IS-279 before . applying for E279. There is no charge for enrollment. Individuals should submit an application form (FEMA Form. L173) to:
FEMA Independent Study Program Emergency Management Institute
16825 South Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727

Georgia Floodplain Management Office and FEMA Assist
Local Community with Technical Workshop

On February 16, Gilmer County's Courthouse in Ellijay was the site of the Floodplain Management Technical Workshop presented by staff of the. Floodplain Management Office and the Federal Emergency Management Agen.cy's(FEMA's) Region IV Office.
James Holloway, Gilmer County's Floodplain Administrator, coordinated the workshop. Local builders, contractors, surveyors and engineers were invited to attend. The purpose of the workshop was to increase public awareness and understanding of the regulatory aspects oftheNational Flood Insurance Program. Explanation of how the Federal regulations apply to local floodplain development hopefully will assist the county in the administration of its flood ordinance.
Collis Brown and Judy Brock of the Georgia Flood-plain Management Office presented information on the roles of the private and public sectors

in floodplain management, the effects of floodplain management on flood insurance rates, provided an overview of Gilmer County's flood map, arid reviewed the proper completion of the Elevation Certificate. Mark Vieira,P.E., with. the Region IV Office discussedFEMA's guidance document on determining Base Flood Elevations in Zone-A areas, and explained the procedures for submitting requests for Letterof Map Amendment and Letter of Map Revision. James Holloway discussed the new f1o~dplain management measures that have been incorporated into the county's newly adopted flood ordinance.
A responsive audience of 38 in attendance, the workshop was deemed a success. The Georgia Floodplain Management Office lOOKS forward to other ?pportunities to assist local communities.

Georgia Fklodplain Management Office

HG Volume 4, Number 2 Spring 1999

New Toll-Free Number to Address Questions Regarding Flood Hazard Maps and Map Changes
The following procedures have beenestabIished by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for changing and correcting the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Flood Hazard Maps. They are: Letters ofMap Amendment (LOMAs), Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs), Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-Fs), and Physical Map Revisions.
As a result of numerous requests for revisions or corrections to the NFIP Flood Hazard Maps, . FEMA has assigned a dedicated staff oftrained professionals to respond to the public's requests for information on the procedures to revise or correct the NFIP Flood Hazard Maps. By calling 1877-FEMA MAP, persons.canget current information and facts on FEMA mapping procedures, and responses to questions such. as the following:
How do I go about getting a Letter of Map Amendment (LaMA)? A Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F)? A Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)?
What is the status of my request for a LaMA? LOMR-F? Study?
How longdoesittake to get the map revised? Did FEMA receivemyrequest fora Letter of
Map Amendment? I was just told by my lender that my house is in
a floodplain and 1 need f1ood insurance, what are my options? Was a LaMA ever issued for my property? Has the Flood Hazard Map for my community been revised?
Other tol.l-free numbers regarding the NFIP and its products: For information about the NFIP's Preferred Risk
Policy, askyour insurance agent or company, or call the NFIP's toll-free number at 1-800-427"-9662. For any current FEMA publications, call FEMA's Publication Center at 1-800-480-2520. For answerS to flood insurance related questions, call the National Flood Insurance Telephone Response Center at 1-800-427-4661 .. For ordering printed copies of effective NFIP Flood Hazard Maps and related documents, call the FEMA Map Service Center at 1-800-358-9616.

Just A Reminder...
1999 Governor's Severe Weather Conference
The Governor's Severe Weather Conference, previously called the Governor's Hurricane Conference, is a three-day program that will be held at the Jekyll Island Convention Center on May 10-12, beginning at 1:00 p.m., Monday and ending at noon Wednesday.
..Participants in theconference are expected to include: emergency managers, law enforcement officers, fire service and EMS personnel and other health care practitioners, 91 I administrators, state agency personnel, public works officials, educators, meteorologists, representatives of the private and volunteer sectors, and local elected officials.
Workshops and speakers will focus .on issues relat"edto ernergency planning and preparedness, communication and warning, community initiatives on awareness and education, and mitigation. Conference planners are also designing the 1999 conference to be more visual and interactive than in previous years.
More than 50 exhibitors and vendors are expected to participate. In addition, GEMA will display a new mobile communicationsvehicle/command post and a mobile Animal Disaster Operations Clinic (ADOC), which are expected to be in service by early 1999.
Conference room rates are available at the Jekyll Island Inn, Comfort Inn, and Clarion. Buccaneer.
Additional information on the conference can be obtained by calling Buzz Weiss or Ken Davis at (404) 635-7000 or 1-800-TRY-GEMA.
23rd Annual Association of State Floodplain Managers Conference
The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) will hold its 23rd annual conference in Portland, Oregon on May 23-28,1999: The conference theme will be Planning Ahead: Flood Loss Reductionin the 21 st century.. As the major floodplain management conference in the country, this annual event attraetsa broad audience including/ocal, stateand federaloffi dals,engineers, consultants,plann~rs,related non-profit organizations, researchers, educators, and involved citizens. The General Membership meeting will be held on Monday, May 24. The technical program will run Tuesday, May 25 through Thursday, May 27, with additional training workshops on Monday and Friday. The C.ertified Floodplain Managers exam will also be held during the week. Please make your plans now to attend this important event. For more information, contact Clancy Philipsborn at (303) 494-4242; ASFPM99@aol.com.

Georgia Floodplain Man'~ement Office

H G Volume 4. Number 2 Spring 1999

o

- INTERESTING INTERNET SITES

www.dnr.state.ga.us/dnr/environ/ The web site of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources/ Environmental Protection Division utilizes a menu format allowing the online user access toinformation by topic. Using the left-hand menu, click on: -About EPD to access information about the Environmental Protection Division's branch programs. The Georgia Floodplain Management Office is located under Water Resources Branch, and then Water. Resources Manage~
ment Program. - Technical Guidance to access a hotlinkto the Georgia GIS Clearinghouse and download-
able FEMA Q3 Flood Data (digital maps). - Georgia's Environment to access an online
version of HIGH GROUND. - Hearing/Meeting to look for information on upcoming Floodplain Management workshops and events.
www.Colorado.EDU/hazards/. The Natural Hazards Research and Applications Inform~ ationCenter in Boulder, Colorildo is an excellent site for the latest information on natural hazards research. In addition, the.Center's news-letter The Natural Hazards Observer can be downloaded from this web site.

www.state.ga.us/GEMA/ The Georgia Emergency Management Agency's web site contains updates for Emergency Managers, training schedules, and news releases. Many hotlinks to other Emergency Management web sites are also included.
www.fema.gov/ The Federal Emergency Management Agency's web site has many online technical and informational documents including the Community Status Book which is updated daily.
www.f1oods.org/ The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) is now online! The website includes organizatiOnal and upcoming conference information, as well as hotlinks to other sites of interest to floodplain managers.
www:whitehouse.govIWH/New/htmllflood.pdf This site directly downloads a 93-page document entitled "Federal Programs Offering Non-structural Flood Recovery and Floodplain Management Alterna-. tives" in Adobe Acrobat format. This document contains a comprehensive list of federal programs, plus their descriptions, that offer funds for non-structural flood mitigation projects such as floodproofing,elevation,acquisition, wetlands. restoration, etc.

GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Environmental Protection Division

Floodplain Management Office

7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive

Suite 440

.

Atlanta, Georgia 30334

A Publication of the Georgia Floodplain Management Office
7 Martin Luther King,Jr. Dr. Suite 440
Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.656.6382 404.656.6383. fax
Personnel: Collis O. Brown, State Coordinator e-mail: Collis_Brown@mail.dnr.state.ga:us
Judy Brock, Environmental Specialist e-mail: Judy_Brock@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
This newsletter was supported by funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the Community Assistance Program - State Support Services Element of the National Flood. Insurance Program. The contents do not necessarily reflect the views of the Federal Government.