High ground, Vol. 9, no. 3 (Summer 2004)

Summer Term 2004 (July 2004 through September 2004)

To enroll in courses that will be conducted during July 2004 through September 2004, applications (FEMA Form 75-5) must be received in the National Emergency training Center (NETC) Admission's office 90 days prior to the date of the course.

Course #

Course Description

Date

E234 Digital Hazard Data Course (formerly Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map)

September 27-30, 2004

E278 National Flood Insurance Program/Community Rating System (NFIP/CRS)

September 20-23, 2004

IS-386

Independent Study Course
"Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction" FEMA introduced this new independent study course September 26, 2001. This course introduces you to basic information about residential coastal construction. Course content is presented in nine units. Units include Historical Perspective; Coastal Environmental; Fundamentals; Identifying and Evaluating Site lternatives; Investigating Regulatory Requirements; Identifying Hazards Parts 1& 2; Sitting; and Financial and Insurance implications.

For additional information on the following courses, or to obtain an application, please contact Georgia Floodplain Management Office at (404) 656-6382. You may also contact EMI at 1-800-238-3358.

H I G H Ground
Georgia Floodplain Management Office
Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Floodplain Management Office 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
Suite 440 Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.656.6382 (Ph)

Inside HIGHGround
TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO

A

NATURAL FUNCTIONS OF THE FLOODPLAINS COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT (City of Montezuma) UPCOMING TRAINING

a

H I G H Ground SUMMER 2004

A PUBLICATION OF THE GEORGIA FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT OFFICE :: DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Progress in Floodplain Management After

Tropical Storm Alberto

Only ten years ago, residents of Georgia learned that

a storm does not need to be a hurricane to do immense

destruction. The flooding from the torrential rains of

Tropical Storm Alberto in July 1994 devastated parts

of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia. The excessive

rainfall produced by Tropical Storm Alberto over four

days from July 3 to 7 was due to the slow, forward

motion and the meandering, looping (retrogressive)

nature of the system (Figure 1). It was this meandering

loop, which resulted in record-breaking rainfall includ-

ing more than 21 inches during 24-hours and total

rainfall of 27.6 inches in Americus and total rainfall

of 23.63 inches in Butler, 23.87 inches in Cuthbert and 25.08 inches in Plains3. Antecedent conditions from heavy rainfalls during June 1994 also con-

Figure 1. Composite showing Alberto's inland track (dashed line), the 8-inch pre-

tributed to the flooding conditions.

cipitation limit, the 78 counties declared

Presidential Disaster Areas were declared for 78 counties in Georgia, Alabama, and Florida including

Federal disaster areas (shaded), and the major river systems.3

55 counties in Georgia along 3 river basins in

Georgia: the Flint River Basin in western Georgia, the Ocmulgee River Basin in central

Georgia, and the Chattahoochee River Basin along the Georgia-Alabama state line.

More than 18,000 dwellings were damaged or destroyed and an estimated $750 million property were damaged1. Additionally, 50,000 people were forced from their homes

due to flooding. Agricultural losses accounted for approximately $100 millions including livestock and poultry losses and the summer crops of peanuts, pecans, and cotton1.

Infrastructure repairs cost over $300 million to repair roads, bridges, water control facilities, water treatment plant (Macon), public utility plants, and 7 recreational parks2.

Public Education: Dangers of Driving in Floodwaters

The worst tragedy associated with the storm was the loss of 34 persons, 31 in Georgia. Many of the fatalities occurred as a result of flash flooding and most occurred in vehicles. The lesson to be learned from this tragedy is that education is important before and during heavy rainfalls. It only takes 24 inches of floodwater to float a car, 12 inches of moving water to sweep an automobile off the road, and 6 inches of moving water to sweep an average person off their feet. This public announcement can never be heard enough.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Participation

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a voluntary Federal benefits program for states and local governments that have designated special flood hazard areas. To participate in the NFIP, a community (city or county) must adopt and enforce a local Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance to regulate development in flood hazard areas. In exchange for the community's commitment to implement flood damage mitigation measures, subsidized flood insurance coverage is made available to the community's residents by the Federal Government.

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IN THIS ISSUE G TROPICAL STORM ALBERTO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1 G COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT (City of Montezuma) . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5 G GEORGIA'S LATEST CFMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 G UPCOMING TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8

The National Flood Insurance Program
Your community likely participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. If it is in the NFIP, it has agreed to enforce floodplain management regulations. In exchange, residents are eligible to purchase flood insurance, which is not normally available through private insurance companies. Disaster assistance and many types of grants and loans are also made available. If your community is in the NFIP, it has one or more maps that show local flood hazard areas (usually the land that would be covered with water during a 1% annual chance ["100-year] flood).
There are four major floodplain regulatory requirement, and others, which can be set by state or local law.
D All development in the floodplain must have a
local permit. "Development" includes new buildings, improvements to buildings, filling, grading, or any other human-caused change to the land.
D New buildings in the floodplain must be built or
located to resist flood damage.
D Additions, improvements, or repairs to a dam-
aged building that exceed 50% of the original building's values also must be made flood-resistant.
D Only certain types of development are allowed
in the floodway portion of the floodplain. It is the most hazardous area and includes the stream channel and the adjacent land necessary flood waters to pass safely.
For further guidance on these regulatory requirements, contact Georgia Floodplain Management
Office at (404) 656-6382.

H I G H Ground
A publication of Georgia Department of
Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division Floodplain Management Office 7 Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive
Suite 440 Atlanta, Georgia 30334
404.656.6382 (Ph) 404.656.6383 (Fax)
Personnel: Collis O. Brown, State Coordinator Email: Collis_Brown@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
Mindy Crean, Environmental Specialist Email: Mindy_Crean@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
Sonya Isreal, Receptionist Email: Sonya_Isreal@mail.dnr.state.ga.us
Community Spotlight If your community is protecting the natural and beneficial function of floodplains, conducting innovative floodplain management projects,
or producing public information programs or materials, LET US HEAR FROM YOU! Your activity could be featured in a future edition
of HIGH GROUND.
Funding from FEMA's Community Assistance Program-State
Support Services Element Grant of the National Flood Insurance
Program supports this newsletter. The Contents do not necessarily
reflect the views of the Federal Government.

Progress in Floodplain Management After Tropical
Storm Alberto (...Continued from Page 1)
Of the 55 counties with federal disaster declarations from the 1994 Flood, over half (27) were not participants in the NFIP. However, ten years later, 23 additional impacted counties became NFIP participants with only 4 counties (Marion, Quitman, Schley, and Webster Counties) not participating. The State is close to reaching its goal of 100% county government participation.
There are 186 municipalities in the 1994 presidential declared disaster counties, of which 57.5% (107) were not participating in the NFIP in 1994. By 2004, approximately 69% of the 186 municipalities are participating (21 additional communities joined including 20 communities that joined within the first year following the flooding.) Participation is often a direct result of mapping of the community. Currently, approximately 66 municipalities are unmapped. Today, many citizens are not able to purchase the federally subsidized flood insurance. If a similar flood occurred today in the same 1994-impacted communities, a considerable number of people would not have insurance and would be relying on a loan to rebuild. Remember a flood map is not necessary for a community to participate in the NFIP and to have flood insurance available to its citizens.
Higher Regulatory Standards
After the 1994 Flood, the Georgia model Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance was revised to set higher regulatory standards. Minimum NFIP standards require the lowest floor of a structure located in the floodplains be elevated to Base Flood Elevation (BFE), the mean sea level elevation of floodwaters of a 100-year event. The revised Georgia model ordinance requires the lowest floor of a structure in a floodplain be elevated one foot above BFE. Additionally, commercial structures in the floodplains were required to be elevated or flood-proofed one foot above BFE. Higher regulatory standards are recommended and encouraged by the State. For example, the City of Macon adopted regulations that the lowest floor be elevated two feet above BFE; College Park: three feet above BFE; Roswell: four feet above BFE for residential structures and two feet above BFE for non-residential structures. Additionally, in Roswell, no residential structure shall be constructed within a dam break flood zone.
Community Rating System (CRS)
The NFIP's Community Rating System was started in 1990 as a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions meeting the three goals of the CRS: (1) reduce flood losses; (2) facilitate accurate insurance rating; and (3) promote the awareness of flood insurance. In 1994, five communities in the federally declared disaster counties were CRS members (Albany, College Park, Dougherty County, Peachtree City, and Roswell). Ten years later, those same communities in addition to Fulton County and Worth County are in the CRS. Citizens in the CRS communities enjoy flood premium reductions of 5% to 20% due to the work of their local floodplain administrator.
Flood Maps
The quality of floodplain management is directly related to an improvement of flood maps. Local governments are better able to impose more restrictions with more detailed flood maps. A major part of the problem of communities not participating in the NFIP is that no flood studies have been funded in those areas. In fact, 21 of the declared counties had no delineated floodplains1. Of the 89 non-participating communities (4 counties & 85 municipalities) 72 communities are still unmapped. After Tropical Storm Alberto Flood, 32 county flood maps have been updated with 13 counties in the countywide format, which includes the unincorporated and incorporated municipalities. The countywide flood maps have updated the flood maps for approximately 39 municipalities and directly encouraged 3 municipalities to participate. Additionally, 5 municipalities have re-studied flood maps since 1994.
FEMA has established a broad and ambitious goal of modernizing flood maps nationwide. As a partner with FEMA under a Cooperating Technical Partner Agreement (CTP), the Department of Natural Resources has accepted the responsibility for the map modernization program for the State of Georgia. This includes developing countywide Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRM) for all 159 counties and their municipalities.
Safe Dam Act
During the Flood of 1994, more than two hundred non-regulated dams failed, which intensified flooding conditions. It has been consistently proposed to include dam break zones on flood maps.
(Continue on Page 6...)

Nation's Floodplain Managers Met at Central
Gulf Coast
The Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) convened the nation's flood protection experts at their 28th annual national conference in Biloxi, Mississippi, May 16-21, 2004, at the Beau Rivage Hotel. The ASFPM represents 6,500 floodplain management practitioners, including the leading experts in flood hazard management throughout the U.S. and beyond. Nearly every state in the U.S. was represented, as well as a number of internationals. (Collis Brown and Mindy Crean represented Georgia's Floodplain Management Program.)
This year's theme "Lighting the Way to Floodplain Management", inspired over 800 government and private professionals with techniques to mitigate against the effects of flooding before floodwaters rise, the surest and most effective option for reducing the effects of future flooding. This premiere flood management training event in the country draws floodplain and stormwater managers from local/state/regional/federal government as well as engineers, consultants, researchers, insurance and nonprofit organization experts involved in floodplain mapping, mitigation, response and recovery, and related disciplines. Important discussions this year included reflections on the 35th anniversary of the deadly Hurricane Camille that ravaged that segment of the Gulf Coast and how the recovery process from that disaster has had an influence on national flood programs and policies.
ASFPM Chair Chad Berginnis, Ohio, notes that annual flood damages in the nation continue to increase, despite billions of dollars spent on flood control projects and numerous advances in non-structural floodplain management. ASFPM believes flood damages are increasing unnecessarily, thus the Association continues to advance the No Adverse Impact (NAI) strategy for community development. The NAI approach, introduced in June 2000, is premised on balancing management approaches to flood loss reduction throughout the watershed in a manner that will not cause additional flood damage on other properties. ASFPM's NAI Community Status Report (available on the ASFPM website) outlines how communities can implement No Adverse Impact approaches and details how some communities have incorporated NAI approaches that support sustainable community initiatives to reduce the devastation caused by natural disasters.
A key activity at the ASFPM national conference is to recognize national excellence in flood hazard management; there are ten award categories at state, local, and individual levels. Check the AFPM website, as below, for the categories and past recipients. This year's winners were announced at the annual Awards Luncheon on Thursday, May 20.
The ASFPM website at www.floods.org contains more information about the conference, awards, NAI and ASFPM.
FYI: NEW LOWER COST FLOOD INSURANCE AVAILABLE
The National Flood Insurance Program's Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) provides low-cost protection to commercial properties located in areas of low to moderate flood risk. These are shown as zones B, C, or X zones on a current Flood Insurance Rate Map.
Save up to 30 Percent
Many businesses located in a low to moderate risk area are eligible for PRP rates, as long as the building doesn't have a history of flooding. Eligible properties can include business structures, farm buildings, churches, and schools. The savings can be significant compared to standard rates.
Ask your agent or check the current Flood Insurance Rate Maps at www.fema.gov/nfip to determine your property's flood risk.
act To be protected, now!

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VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3, SUMMER ISSUE 2004

Page 7

Community Associations
An estimated 47 million Americans are members of community associations (CAs) of various kinds-condominium associations (primarily high-rise, garden, and townhouse), homeowner associations, and cooperative associations. Today there are more than 231,000 CAs in the U.S., and, in metropolitan areas, about one-half of all new residential construction embraces the CA model. In the past, lack of information about the applicability of flood insurance to community associations has left many CAs and their members underinsured, or uninsured, against flood losses. That information gap began to narrow last year with publication of the NFIP's Flood Insurance Guide for Community Associations. The eightpage brochure emphasizes the importance of preparing for floods and purchasing flood insurance for CAs and property owners who belong to CAs. It also briefly describes the NFIP's origins and mission. In the middle of the brochure, a two-page Flood Insurance Selection Chart shows, in a facts-at-a glance format, how the NFIP's Standard Flood Insurance Policy can provide affordable coverage for a variety of CA ownership methods, building types, and insurance needs. The brochure was developed for use, not only by community associations and members but also by insurance agents, real estate agents, lenders, and other professionals who handle CA business. Additional copies are available from the FEMA Distribution Center at 800-480-2520. Ask for document number F-660.
Tropical Storm Alberto...10 Years Later*
This July marks the 10th anniversary of the most devastating weather event to hit Georgia in modern history. Tropical Storm Alberto lumbered ashore over the Florida panhandle, and then stalled over central Georgia during the 4th of July weekend, dumping overwhelming rain, and bringing death and destruction in the Flint, Ocmulgee, and Chattahoochee River basins over the next two weeks.
The loss of 34 lives was attributed to the storm. Records set in Georgia during a 1925 flood toppled as the rivers exploded from their banks and inunaded surrounding areas. The Flint River at Albany, for example, crested at 43-feet, more than 20 feet above flood stage. And its flow was measured at a swift 120,000 cubic-feet-per-second. Similar records were set at other checkpoints across the state.
Damages from the flooding approached $1 billion, including $319 million in public assistance payments for infrastructure damage to 231 city and county governments, utilities, schools boards, water authorities, and other entities. More than 50,000 Georgians were left homeless, at least 100 dams were breached, and over 400,000 acres of farmland were flooded. Agricultural losses exceeded $100 million. Fifty-five counties were included in the Presidential Disaster Declaration.
Much has changed over the past decade. Damaged infrastructure has been rebuilt, including Macon Water Authority facilities and buildings at Albany State College. The National Weather Service Southeast River Forecast Center has updated hydrological models that show the relationship between the height and flow of rivers to better predict the scope and impact of flooding. And extensive "buy-outs" of flood-prone properties have been conducted in southwest and central Georgia, which quickly proved their value when flooding occurred again in 1998. According to FEMA, the "buy-outs" and removal of structures from flood-prone areas averted $1.9 million in damages in Newton and $3 million in damages in Albany in the wake of the '98 floods.
DR-1033, Alberto's official FEMA disaster designation number still remains open. And final funding details continue to be worked out with a dozen local jurisdictions.
*Article submiited by Buzz Weiss, Public Information Coordinator, Georgia Emergency Management Agency

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Community Spotlight - MONTEZUMA, GEORGIA
Montezuma is celebrating its 150-year anniversary this year. Additionally, the city was one of five cities featured on Georgia Municipal Association's Heart and Soul of Georgia tour. The rebuilt commercial district including the Montezuma Depot, the headquarters of the Macon County Historical Society, the Phoenix Fountain and the Town Clock, a four-sided Victorian-style timekeeper, celebrates Montezuma's heroic efforts of rebirth after the 1994 flood.
Ten years ago this July, 20 inches of rain fell in 24 hours in Montezuma. Nearby Beaver Creek poured 6 feet of water onto downtown. When the Flint River on the west side of town crested at 35 feet-6 feet above the levee constructed in 1956-the low-lying town was almost completely under water1. The 1994 Flood of Flint River at Montezuma was deemed a 286-year flood event. The Flint River 100-year flood stage was exceeded by 3.7 feet2.
Montezuma Mayor Willie J. Larry said "The damages caused by the flood of 1994 brought the community together." David Peaster, former City Manager during 1994 Tropical Storm Alberto Flood, stated Montezuma was a rural community, struggling economically before the flood. The damages from the flood put Montezuma on the map. Numerous federal and state officials, including former Georgia Governor Zell Miller and Senator Paul Coverdale, came to the city and offered assistance. Teamwork from Mom and Pop-owned businesses and others in the community, State, and federal agencies put a tremendous amount of sweat into rebuilding the community and were responsible for re-vitalizing the city. The floods associated with Tropical Storm Alberto in 1994 were a blessing in disguise according to Mr. Peaster.
Following the 1994 Flood, a strong leadership team headed by former Mayor Preston Williams and former City Manager, David Peaster, who many considered was instrumental in Montezuma's resurgence, turned adversity to advantage. All the buildings downtown were privately owned commercial buildings with no flood insurance. Residents and businesses of Montezuma did not have adequate flood insurance before the 1994 Flood. In fact, only one claim for flood damages had been paid for damages of $1,005. Today, there are only 18 flood policies in effect including over $1,360,000 of coverage. Unfortunately, Montezuma's residents may still be under-insured for flood damages.
Montezuma was a good example of how historic preservation and disaster recovery worked together. The merchants' first step was to apply for Small Business Administration loans so they could re-open their businesses. Next, they sought grant money from the Georgia Historic Preservation Division, which came in the form of a block grant for faade repair providing a comprehensive improvement to the entire downtown. During the recovery period, about 45 buildings in downtown Montezuma were nominated as part of a National Register District. Prior to the 1994 Flood, little survey work or National Register listings were completed particularly in the rural areas of Georgia. The city also took advantage of aid from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Georgia Trust, which offered to help the city with economic development, heritage tourism, and other incentives3. The former City Manager knew Montezuma had recovered economically when McDonalds, the fast food hamburger restaurant, was built and opened in the city. Additionally, several new businesses have opened since the flood.
Additional recovery work included the restoration of the levee along Beaver Creek to its former height by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Studies by the USACE indicated additional levee height was unfavorable economically. Through state funds provided to the Middle Flint RDC, a building inspector was hired for the city to aid in construction compliance. A drainage improvement program in the Duncans Bottom neighborhood was pursued through the Community Development Block Grant funding. Of the 51 flooded homes in Montezuma, the majority was located along a segment of East Railroad Street, a road that ran parallel to Beaver Creek on the city side of the overtopped levee4. The purpose of the buyout was to purchase and demolish all the structures that were beyond rehabilitation and to use part of the land for a large park facility. The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program allowed for buyouts, re-locations, or re-construction of homes and 4 or 5 businesses from the lowest-lying downtown areas. This area became well-landscaped open space and a much needed parking area for downtown businesses and is the site of a yearly fall festival, formerly called the Flood Festival and currently the Beaver Creek and Duck Race Festival. Today, everyone is more aware of Montezuma's flooding potential.
1 Wooten, Jim, Downtowns on Rebound, Atlanta Journal Constitution, April 25, 2004. 2Stamey, Timothy C., Summary of Data-Collection Activities and Effects of Flooding from Tropical Storm Alberto in Parts of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, July 1994, U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 96-228, 1996, pp. 12, 15. 3Barksdale, Daryl, Case Studies: Floods, Disaster Recovery Response to Tropical Storm Alberto, httwp://life.csu.edu.au/~dspennem/Disaster_SFO/SFO_Barksdale.html. 4Mittler, Elliott, An Assessment of Floodplain Management in Georgia's Flint River Basin, University of Colorado, 1997, pp. 98-103.

VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3, SUMMER ISSUE 2004

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CONGRATULATIONS! Georgia's Latest CFMs
The Association of Floodplain Managers (ASFPM), which is the largest and most respected organization of floodplain professionals, created in 1999 the Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) Program because of the ever-expanding role of the local Floodplain Manager due to increases in disaster losses. The primary goal of the Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) Program is to promote wise use of the nation's floodplains, help reduce the nation's flood losses, and protect and enhance the natural resources and functions of floodplains by improving knowledge and abilities of Floodplain Managers in the United States. A secondary goal is to increase the prominence of floodplain management in decision-making by local officials and the public. Because of their successful completion of the exam process on March 26, 2004 the following local officials have been granted the distinction of CFM (Certified Floodplain Manager). These individuals are now one of more than 1,880 CFMs nationwide and one of 30 in Georgia:

Name Todd Baldwin, CFM James Harvey, CFM Ronald Haynie, CFM Steven Larson, CFM Gregory Williams, CFM

Local Community City of Harlem Bryan County Formerly of Gilmer County Gwinnett County City of Dalton

Progress in Floodplain Management After Tropical Storm Alberto
(...Continued from Page 2)
Local Building Codes and Inspection
Minimum construction standards were enacted by the state in 1991 through the Uniform Codes Act but without state constitutional power to mandate enforcement by municipalities and counties; the local government was left with the option of enforcing none, some, or all of these codes1. Following the 1994 floods, the state employed an innovative technique of providing building inspectors directly to communities or regional development centers1. This was a funded mandate that overcame any reluctance of local governments to devote their limited resources to the code enforcement task. This program is no longer State funded and the requirement of building inspection has shifted back to the local governments.
A major topic during a Community Assistance Visit or Contact by the State or FEMA is the building permit review and inspection process. It is necessary that a floodplain administrator determine if the building site is located in a floodplain and provide guidance of the local building requirements. Additionally, building inspections are necessary to verify compliance.
Other Mitigation Measures
With development in the State's floodplains, there are two fundamental strategies, protection or removal, which can be employed to minimize vulnerability and to control losses from floods1. Protection or structural mitigation measures include dams, reservoirs, levees, floodwalls, channel alterations, and other land-treatment endeavors to modify or protect against floods. Levee reconstruction was completed in Montezuma and Albany after the 1994 Flood.
On the other hand, non-structural mitigation measures include land-use planning, zoning, watershed management, and floodplain acquisition. These non-structural measures are intended to reduce susceptibility to flooding. Following the 1994 Flood, several homes and business in Montezuma, Albany, and other areas were removed in the most hazardous floodplains with the assistance of hazard mitigation funding. These areas have been preserved from future development and set aside as open space.
Summary
The Flood of 1994 brought the talents and energies of local, state, and federal agencies and citizens together to rebuild the 55 counties impacted by the floodwaters. It was a tremendous job and accomplishment. The lesson learned after ten years was reflected in a statement by the City of Albany's floodplain administrator, Elizabeth Dean, "We will never be done with dealing with the flood." It is important to be diligent in our jobs to continue to protect people and property from future floods.
1Mittler, Elliott, An Assessment of Floodplain Management in Georgia's Flint River Basin, 1997, University of Colorado, pp 1-179.
2FEMA Region IV, Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team, Interagency Hazard Mitigation Team Report, in Response to the 7 July 1994 Federal Disaster Declaration for 54 Counties in Georgia Torrential Rain and Flooding, FEMA-1033-DR-GA, pp 1-57.
3U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Alberto Floods of July 1994 Disaster Survey Report, http://www. nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/surveys/alberto/chaper1.htm.

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Floodplain Management Goes to College

At the invitation of Donna Fisher, Ph.D., of the School of Economic Development at

Georgia Southern University, State Floodplain Management staff was asked to speak to

an Introduction to Regional Economic Development class on March 22, regarding the eco-

nomic impact of floodplain development. Collis Brown, Georgia Floodplain Management

Coordinator, began the presentation with an overview of the National Flood Insurance

Program (NFIP) and explanation of the roles of Federal, State, and Local Governments in

floodplain management. Though the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Mindy Crean, Georgia Floodplain Management, explains to the class the
dynamics of a floodplain and how development could increase flood levels.

has established minimum standards for developing in a floodplain, it is the responsibility of State and Local Governments that participate in the NFIP to make decisions about whether floodplains are to be developed and the extent and type of development that is to

take place. Floodplain management is not a one-time action but a continuous planning and

decision-making process about development in flood hazard areas. Mr. Brown empha-

sized that the goals of floodplain management are to protect against the loss of life and

property, reduce the impact of flooding on structures and protect the natural and benefi-

cial function of floodplains

Accompanying Collis Brown were Mindy Crean, Environmental Specialist - Georgia Floodplain Management Office and Susan Wilson, Hazard Mitigation Specialist - FEMA Region IV Office, who also contributed to the class presentation.

Susan Wilson, FEMA Region IV Office, provides the class some statistical information about flood insurance.

Natural Functions of Floodplains
Natural or relatively undisturbed floodplains:
* Limit flooding naturally, by temporarily
storing flood waters.
* Maintain water quality by filtering
sediments, nutrients, and impurities.
* Preserve and recharge groundwater
supply.
* Support natural vegetation. * Provide fish and wildlife habitat. * Provide many kinds of recreational
opportunities.
* Provide places for outdoor education
and scientific study.
VOLUME 4, NUMBER 3, SUMMER ISSUE 2004

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