| Floods: Local Government |
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| Introduction |
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This section covers the basic responsibilities of local governments participating in the NFIP and provides resources for local floodplain management programs.
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| Local Government Responsibilities |
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Participation in the NFIP by local government ensures that individuals and businesses in your jurisdiction are able to purchase federally-backed flood insurance. This flood insurance would otherwise not be readily available to those in your jurisdiction nor to the local government for that matter.
In addition, participation on the NFIP addresses the requirements of statewide planning Goal 7 with respect to flood hazards.
Of course, participation in the NFIP means that your local government must adopt and enforce floodplain management measures that meet minimum FEMA standards. Specific duties of local governments include but are not limited to:
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Requiring permits for all floodplain development (any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate, including but not limited to buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations located within the area of special flood hazard)
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Reviewing building permit applications for new construction and substantial improvements within the floodplain and ensuring that specific measures (e.g., elevation, anchoring, floodproofing, installation of flood vents, breakaway walls, etc.) are taken to avoid or reduce flood damage.
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Obtaining Elevation and Flood-proofing Certifications for new development and substantial improvements to existing developments
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Ensuring that encroachments into the floodway portion of the 100-year floodplain are prohibited if there would be any increase in flood levels.
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Notifying permit applicants that other state and federal permits may be required (for example, wetland fill permits, permits for work in navigable waterways, etc.) and ensuring that the applicant obtains required state and federal permits.
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Maintaining permit records and related materials and ensuring that these documents are available for public, state, and FEMA inspection
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Educating local citizens about local flood hazards and local floodplain regulations
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| Resources for Local Floodplain Management Programs |
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The following links and documents are provided to assist local governments with implementation of their floodplain management programs:
If you cannot find what you are looking for, then please contact Chris Shirley.
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| Flood Map Modernization Program |
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Introduction
Oregon’s state agencies and local governments rely on flood hazard data and maps produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for floodplain management. The FEMA flood hazard maps establish floodplain boundaries and flood depths for regulatory purposes and provide information that helps state agencies, local governments, and citizens to mitigate for potential flood losses.
Of the 257 Oregon NFIP communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), more than 70 percent have FEMA maps that are outdated. Some of the more significant problems associated with using outdated flood maps are:
- Flood depths and impact areas shown on old maps are potentially inaccurate, particularly where Oregon has experienced population increases and resulting changes in development patterns;
- During major flood events in 1996 & 1997, some Oregon communities experienced flooding in areas not delineated on FEMA maps as floodplain;
- Older FEMA maps were prepared using manual cartographic techniques, which make the maps difficult for state and local customers to use and expensive to maintain;
- Difficulties with the use of older maps can result in inconsistencies, determining if properties are within or outside of floodplains, resulting in a lack of creditability with the public and challenges for providing good customer service; and
- The base data used to develop the flood hazard maps, where still accessible, are not in an easy-to-use format by today’s mapping standards and in some cases are inadequate or inaccurate.
The majority of Oregon’s flood maps are considerably out-of-date and not digitized.
So far, only two counties (Lane and Marion) and one city (Portland) have FEMA-approved digital flood hazard maps. Six counties (Clackamas, Clatsop, Deschutes, Morrow, Polk, and Washington) are scheduled to have them in 2006-07.
Other Oregon counties are scheduled by FEMA to start the map update and digitization process in fiscal years 2006-09.
DLCD not only wants all maps digitized, but wants the number of NFIP communities with updated maps increased. Updated maps would incorporate more accurate flood elevation data gathered from newer topographic maps or hydraulic/hydrologic studies.
The long-term goal will be to digitize (and update as necessary) all FEMA flood hazard maps in Oregon.
Map Modernization Initiative
FEMA has embarked on a nationwide program called the Map Modernization Initiative, which is designed to address mapping problems like those described above.
FEMA envisions completing the flood map updating and conversion to digital flood maps within five years. This goal is, of course, dependent on the future availability of federal funding and other federal support for state participation.
As part of the national initiative, FEMA provided state floodplain programs with the opportunity to develop business plans describing potential state involvement in the Map Modernization initiative. The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD), as the state’s lead agency for administration of the NFIP in Oregon, developed an Implementation Plan in 2002 and a Business Plan in 2004 to identify how Oregon could participate in and further the objectives of FEMA’s Map Modernization initiative. Updates to the 2004 plan were submitted to FEMA on Oct. 25, 2005 and Aug. 17, 2006.
Listed below are the Oct. 25, 2005 documents
- Business Plan update
- Flood Hazard Framework Report
- Flood Hazard Framework Report_Table A
- Flood Hazard Framework Report_Table C
- Four documents above combined in one PDF
Listed below is the Aug. 17, 2006 document
- Business Plan update
Oregon’s business plan outlines a state approach to support of Map Modernization while explaining why the state cannot take on map production. The plan describes potential state contributions to the FEMA mapping initiative and identifies the essentials of a funding and staffing package that is necessary for implementation of the business plan. The business plan will serve as a basis for any future state requests for FEMA map modernization funds and DLCD interactions with state and local partners in floodplain management.
DLCD is leading the state effort to implement the Map Modernization initiative. This will be accomplished through partnerships with FEMA, other federal agencies as appropriate, key state agencies, and local communities: For example, the Cooperating Technical Partners Program (see below) agreement between FEMA and the State of Oregon (DLCD and DAS-GEO).
These partnerships will be used to leverage contributions (e.g. data, labor, etc.) and to produce better maps at a lower cost.
The Flood Map Modernization Working Group (see below) that helped develop the business plan will continue to meet and help guide the map modernization program in the state.
Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP) Program
FEMA established the CTP program to increase local involvement in and ownership of the Map Modernization flood study process.
The program enables communities and regional and state agencies that have the interest, capabilities, and resources to be active partners in FEMA’s flood hazard-mapping program.
The CTP program also recognizes state, regional agencies, and communities that have proactive floodplain management programs that include identifying the flood risk and getting the information incorporated into official FEMA flood hazard data.
Oregon CTP communities include:
- Clackamas County Service District #1;
- Clean Water Services of Washington County;
- Eugene;
- Stanfield; and
- Heppner.
The State of Oregon (specifically the Department of Land Conservation and Development and the Department of Administrative Services-Geospatial Enterprise Office) entered into an agreement with FEMA to become a State CTP in January of 2006.
The benefits of being a CTP include:
- May be eligible to receive Community Rating System (CRS) credits for CTP activities;
- Eligible for free press releases and conference discounts;
- Free training for more efficient and effective floodplain management; and
- Ability to leverage available funding and local data to make the most of limited resources.
http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/ctp_main.shtm
Flood Map Modernization Working Group
The working group is composed of representatives from state and local governments and other organizations.
The purpose of the working group is to assist DLCD in developing and continually improving program management of the map modernization program and motivating partners to share responsibilities and to work cooperatively to reduce Oregon’s vulnerability to flood and other related hazards.
The group assisted DLCD with developing a 5-year plan for bringing all Oregon NFIP community maps into the digital format (Flood Map Modernization Business Plan for Oregon, March 2004).
Some of the areas in which the group will assist DLCD are:
- Reducing the state’s cost by developing partners that will develop, contribute, or accept ownership of the data;
- Monitoring and tracking progress of mapping projects and partner contributions to mapping projects; and
- Broadening the management scope from a single hazard focus to a multi-hazard focus whenever possible. Sections 6.2 and 7.2.11 of the 2004 Business Plan list all the specific objectives and primary activities of the group.
The group meets periodically in Salem.
For information on meetings of the working group (dates, locations, agendas, minutes), please go to the ´Meetings ´ page.
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