Newsletter issued by the Texas Division of Emergency Management discussing news, events, statistics, and other relevant information related to flood preparedness in Texas

Eledge, Ashley C.

Rowland, Everett W.

Texas. Division of Emergency Management.

Portal to Texas History

5O D'P3510.G FGo59 3NOiT EXAS STATE DOCUMENTSCOLLECTIONVOLUME 3, No. 9 NEW SLETTER JUNE 1985FACELIFT TIME by Keith KrauseThe State of Texas Floodplain Management Newsletter is two years old. As we begin the third year we aredressing it up a little to take advantage of the excellent graphic arts and printing capabilities of theDepartment of Public Safety. We hope you like the "new look."NEWLY INCORPORATED CITIES JOINING FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM by Don RaginOn April 29th the City Council of Bayou Vista, Texas, passed the necessary Resolution and Ordinances tobecome a participant in the NFIP. This action followed a presentation on the NFIP program by TexasDepartment of Water Resources personnel. Bayou Vista is located just north of Galveston, across theBay and west of 1-45.On Wednesday evening June 12th in their regular City Council meeting the City of Dayton Lake in LibertyCounty Northeast of Houston, also passed the necessary Resolution and Ordinances to participate in theNFIP following a presentation by Texas Department of Water Resources personnel.Following approval of FEMA these two cities will be notified of their respective eligibility dates for entryinto the NFIP.A hearty welcome to both of these newly incorporated cities into the program. If new communities are be-ing formed in your County or area, please advise us here in Austin, 512/463-8014.COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE by Don RaginOn June 13th Texas Department of Water Resources personnel met with City Council and local citizensof Santa Fe, Texas, regarding problems which had been encountered in the interpretation and enforce-ment of their floodplain management program and their floodplain maps. The information presented willhelp them with their program.Meetings and programs of this type are available to any community in the State. If you are having pro-blems, call the Texas Department of Water Resources at 512/463-8014.NTSU LIBRARYPUBLIC AWARENESS by Keith KrauseWhat do these names have in common?Ana Gloria MindyBob Henri NicholasClaudette Isabel OdetteDanny Juan PeterElena Kate RoseFabian Larry SamYou guessed it, they are the names that will be assigned to 1985 hurricanes as they occur; and, comprisea most unwanted guest list.Hurricane awareness is getting its annual push by the Governor and the media and will certainly reachthe vast majority of our citizens, but there is still plenty of opportunity for your local community to rein-force the hurricane message.You can publicize specific impacts of past hurricanes that have affected your community and probablenew impacts because of new developments. Special attention must be given to new or recent arrivals inthe coastal areas to impress upon them the problems they may be facing for the first time, 100 mphwinds, tidal surge, mass evacuation, etc.THINK ABOUT IT. What has changed in your community since the last hurricane and what could be doneNOW to lessen the damage that will result from the hurricane(s) that may come this season.DANGER: LOW WATER CROSSINGS HAZARDOUS TO YOUR LIFE by Roy SedwickDuring the past two years, Texas Department of Water Resources in its Community Workshops has em-phasized the dangerous potential for loss of life at low water crossings and the need to mark or identifythe most hazardous locations. Yet, it seems like everytime we have a flood these days, someone tries todrive across these low water crossings and is washed into the stream. If you read accounts of mostfloods in Texas, the primary loss of life is attributed to persons driving their vehicles into flooded roadcrossings. A very alarming situation has developed in several past flood events. Not only have drivers andpassengers of vehicles washed off roads and drowned, but also public officials have drowned while at-tempting rescue. The Rockwall Fire Chief, the Chief of Police in Sabinal, and a Deputy Sheriff in CrockettCounty have lost their lives in attempts to help stranded motorists. Complete figures are not yetavailable, but it is estimated that loss of life due to floods is nearing fifteen people so far this year. Ninepeople drowned in the April flash flood that hit the Duncanville-Rockwall area.Remember, it is the state and local officials who must respond when a flood occurs and these peoplemust place their lives on the line when a stranded motorist reaches his hand out for help. Don't continueto let this unnecessary loss of life occur. Identify, mark and even barricade those hazardous low watercrossings. Don't wait till the next flood comes before you take action. - DO IT NOW!KEEP IT CLEAN by Keith KrauseNo, I don't mean your language, I mean your community's storm-water drainage system. It was designedto discharge a certain volume of storm-water run off at a pre-determined flow rate, normally specified incubic feet per second. Each individual segment of the overall drainage system has it's part to play in thesafe and effective discharge of storm-water. Any encroachment in any segment of the system will affectthe performance of the system. Unauthorized fill, accumulated trash, or uncontrolled vegetation growthcan have the same results; flooding in areas that should not flood. Liability in such situations tends to befairly clear cut, and points to whoever had responsibility for maintenance of the particular segment of thesystem that could not carry its design capacity. Take a look at your community's storm-water drainagesystem, maybe you have accepted some new subdivision or annexed some smaller communities, and in-herited maintenance responsibilities.2FLOOD INSURANCE SALES WORKSHOPS by Keith E. KrauseListed below are the NFIP Insurance Sales Workshops scheduled for Texas in July, August andSeptember 1985. Please make this schedule available to Insurance Agents in your area. Floodplain Ad-ministrators are invited to attend the workshops free of charge.The four-hour workshops will begin at 8:30 a.m. on the scheduled day. In addition, there will be afternoonadvanced workshops in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas for agents who are currently rating andselling flood insurance policies.The registration fee is $15.00 per agent and the fee will cover both the morning and appropriate afternoonsessions if an agent wants to attend both.Agents should mail their registration and check to the NFIP address in Houston payable to the ComputerScience's Corporation. If an agent wished to attend but did not receive a registration card, they should in-dicate a first and second choice on their own letterhead stationery along with the name(s) of the person(s)who will attend. If the registration concerns a Houston, Dallas or Fort Worth workshop, it should indicateeither A.M. (Beginner) or P.M. (Advanced) or both.Confirmation cards will not be sent, so, individuals sending in reservations should plan to attend theirfirst choice workshop unless they hear otherwise from NFIP. Please do not hesitate to contact them withany questions you may have about the workshops, NFIP Regional Office, 1535 W. Loop South, Room 416,Houston, Texas 77027, phone 713/961-3058Houston*Lake JacksonDallas*LubbockAmarilloHouston*Corpus ChristiSan AngeloMidlandFort Worth*Holiday Inn - Crowne Plaza2222 W. Loop S. (Galleria Area)Holiday Inn915 Highway 332Holiday Inn - Park Central8102 LBJ & Coit RoadHoliday Inn - Casa Grande6624 Avenue "H"Holiday Inn1911 1-40 @ RossRamada Hotel - West7787 Katy FreewayHoliday Inn5549 Leopard StreetHoliday Inn333 Rio Concho DriveHoliday Inn - Country VillaUS 80W at Midland DriveHoliday Inn - South1-35W exit #44, Highland Terr.Tues., July 9, 1985Thurs., July 11, 1985Tues., July 23, 1985Tues., August 13, 1985Thurs., August 15, 1985Tues., August 20, 1985Thurs., August 29, 1985Tues., September 10, 1985Thurs., September 12, 1985Thurs., September 19, 1985*FULL DAY SESSIONS Beginners A.M. (morning) 8:30 A.M. - 12:00 NoonAdvanced P.M. (afternoon) 1:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.3STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES FOLLOWING SAP. by Ashley C. EledgeState Assistance Program activities currently being carried out by the Department of Public Safety FloodInsurance Assistance Program, and the Texas Department of Water Resources, Community ServicesUnit, will take on somewhat of a new theme starting October 1, 1985. State efforts will be oriented towardgiving technical information and assistance to selected communities on an individual community needassessment basis. This will necessarily cause a reduction in the number of Floodplain AdministratorsRegional Meetings and Floodplain Management Workshops; however, the program hopes to keep alivethe newsletter, Legal Seminar, the Floodplain Administrator's list, and assistance visits as requested bylocal community leaders. There is no plan to change DPS-FIAP or TDWR-CSU names so they should staythe same. You may contact FIAP or CSU for further information.ADDITIONAL AGENT TRAINING by Keith KrauseSpecial Insurance agent training will be offered at the NFIP office in Houston, for the first time beginningthis summer. The sessions are being offered in response to many requests from agents. For now, theywill offer two topics: V-zone rating and Agency Renewal Processing and Problem Resolution.V-zone rating will address every aspect of rating structures in the coastal area. Topics willinclude: Rating, Elevation Certificates, Enclosures, and Submit-for-Rates. Agency Renewal Processingand Problem Resolution is designed to assist the agency in handling flood renewals and responding to avariety of situations.Sessions will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The registration fee of $15.00 is payable in advance.Pease call the Houston Regional Office to register at 713/961-3058.V-zone ratingJuly 17, 1985 and September 25, 1985Agency Renewal Processing and Problem ResolutionAugust 27, 1985.MORTGAGE LENDERS WORKSHOPS TO START IN JULY by Keith KrauseThe NFIP Regional office will begin conducting workshops in July for mortgage lenders who make loanson property in Texas floodplains. The July-August-September schedule for Lender's Workshops is listedbelow. The lending institutions have been invited by NFIP.Floodplain Administrators are welcome and are encouraged to attend one of the workshops, however,due to the anticipated attendance it will be necessary to pre-register by calling 713/961-3058. Theworkshops will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the locations listed.July 18, 1985 Houston, NFIP Regional Office, 1535 W. Loop So.July 24, 1985 Dallas, Sheraton Park Central, LBJ & Coit RoadAugust 21, 1985 Houston, NFIP Regional Office, 1535 W. Loop So.August 28, 1985 Corpus Christi, Marriott, 707 W. Shoreline Blvd.September 4, 1985 Houston, Holiday Inn-Crowne Plaza, 2222 W. Loop So.September 18, 1985 Houston, NFIP Regional Office, 1535 W. Loop So.SPECIAL NOTE TO FLOODPLAIN ADMINISTRATORS: Please follow-up on this with Mortgagelenders in your community to be sure they know about these workshops. Their performance in thisarea is a key element of your floodplain management cycle.4RAISE YOUR PROFILE by Keith KrauseLet's face it, it's easier to become notorious than it is to become famous. And in the Floodplain Manage-ment business, a surprise flood could be the deciding factor.Is your community floodplain MANAGED by your program or are homeowners, realtors, builders, in-surance agents, etc., caught by surprise when they want to buy or build something. Would it be a surpriseto them that your community has a floodplain, has a floodplain management Ordinance, has a FloodplainAdministrator, that Flood Insurance is available."Ignorance of the law is no excuse" is an old cliche, but accidents happen and people get killed and pro-perty gets damaged unnecessarily through ignorance of floodplains and floods.Raise your profile! Your name and face and office should be well known to the construction and in-surance professionals and residents in your community. Be "FAMOUS" by intent, not "NOTORIOUS" bydefault after the next flood.TEXAS COUNTIES: As Growth Continues, the Need for NFIP Increases by Roy SedwickOn June 24, 1985, after a presentation by the Texas Department of Water Resources and appeals made byseveral local citizens, the Hale County Commissioner's Court voted unanimously to join the NFIP. Itseems that a recent 10-12 inch rain and the need for local flood insurance coverage on loans being madeby local banks for developments in the identified floodplain prompted the action by the Court. Followingapproval by FEMA, Hale County will be notified of their eligibility date for entry into the NFIP. Congratula-tions to Hale County on their decision.On June 10 and June 25 TDWR responded to calls for assistance from Blanco and Sommervell Counties.Both counties have been participants in the Emergency Phase of the NFIP for several years, but FEMAhas not yet published maps identifying flood hazard areas in the unincorporated areas of the two coun-ties. Recent increases in subdivision platting activities and overall growth have brought out the seriousneed for floodplain data to effectively run a local floodplain management program. TDWR will forward arequest to FEMA that maps be prepared for these growing Counties.If your county needs this type of assistance visit, please contact TDWR at 512/463-8014.CONDITIONS AND CRITERIA FOR MAP REVISIONS by Keith KrauseTexas Department of Water Resources has received a new document from FEMA that discusses the con-ditions, criteria and submission procedures for requesting a map revision. The following is extractedfrom that document. Copies of the entire document are available from Texas Department of WaterResources on request.A. IntroductionThis document describes the conditions and criteria for revising a Flood Insurance Study (FIS)under Part 65 of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations. The Federal Emergen-cy Management Agency (FEMA) recognizes that FISs may require revision due to new informationbecoming available or through physical changes in floodplains. This document defines the situa-tions that fall under Part 65 of the NFIP regulations and describes the procedures for correcting orupdating Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Boundary and Floodway Maps (FBFMs).5B. DefinitionsA Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) issued under Part 70 of the NFIP regulations indicateswhether or not a structure(s) or proposed structure(s) is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area(SFHA) as shown on a FIRM or Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM). A LOMA removes a propertyfrom the SFHA and thereby makes inapplicable the Federal requirement for the purchase of floodinsurance. For more information regarding LOMAs, refer to "Conditions and Criteria for Letters ofMap Amendment."A Conditional Letter of Map Revision, or belief letter, issued under Part 65 of the NFIP regulationsis FEMA's comment on the effectiveness or impacts of a proposed flood control project orfloodplain modification. It is based on FEMA's review of the proposed project and states thatwere the proposed project built as designed, it would be cause for a map revision.A Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) can be issued under Part 65 of the NFIP regulations as ex-peditious means of revising a FIRM or FBFM. The LOMR gives a detailed description of the BaseFlood Elevation (BFE) and graphic changes that will be made to the SFHA currently delineated onthe effective FIRM and/or FBFM. LOMR's involving BFE changes are always succeeded by aphysical map revision.A physical map revision under Part 65 of the NFIP regulations involves changing and republishingthe existing FIRM and/or FBFM to reflect any updated condition. Valid LOMAs and LOMRs are in-corporated into map revisions.C. Reasons for RevisionFEMA will revise an effective FIS to reflect new information which shows the original FIS to be in-correct and to reflect physical changes which invalidates the original FIS analyses or presenta-tion of data. Updated or corrected topographic mapping, hydrologic data or hydraulic data con-stitutes new information which may warrant a revision. Flood protection projects and any form oftopographic (cut and fill) constitute physical changes which may also warrant a map revision.D. General Revision PolicyWithin the statutory criteria established for appeals, revision requests will be evaluated based onthe possession of knowledge or information indicating that the effective elevations are scien-tifically or technically incorrect. In certain situations where new information shows mathematicalor measurement errors in the original FIS, FEMA will accept the responsibility for revising the FISprovided the requestor submits the basic data necessary to correct the problem. Where revisionrequests are based on the application of alternative methods, appellants are required todemonstrate that the new analyses result in more correct estimates of base flood elevations, thusdemonstrating that FEMAs estimates are incorrect. In these situations, where a revision requestis being made based on improved data, methods, or applications, the community (or requestorthrough the community) must accept responsibility for providing all data and analyses necessaryto update the FIS.If a physical change resulting from development warrants a revision to the existing analyses,FEMA will not undertake this new technical analysis. The requestor, through the community,must accept responsibilsity for providing all data and analysis necessary for updating the FIS.E. Community Map Revision RequestsThe map revision process cannot be initiated without the community's endorsement since it isthe community that adopts the effective FIS. Therefore, any individuals requesting a change tothe FIS, must do so through the community. The community, in turn, may support the request andforward the information to FEMA for evaluation.6A -~LEGAL SEMINAR, JULY 22-23-24 by Keith KrauseThe invitations have been sent to the Floodplain Administrator in all Texas communities that are par-ticipating in the National Flood Insurance Program.If you didn't receive an invitation but are interested in attending, please call Keith Krause at1-800-792-1123. This seminar will benefit any elected official or staff position that is concerned with thelegal aspects of enforcing a floodplain management Ordinance/Court Order.The seminar is free, it will be held at the Howard Johnson's Motor Inn in Austin and will begin at 1:00 p.m.on the 22nd.Information in this Newsletter was compiled and coordinated by Keith E. Krause, Planner, FlAP.Co-EditorsEverett W. Rowland, P.E.,State Coordinator, NFIPCommunity Services UnitTexas Dept. of Water ResourcesTelephone: 512/463-80141700 N. Congress AvenueAustin, Texas 78711Ashley C. EledgeAdministrator, FIAPDiv. of Emergency ManagementTexas Dept. of Public SafetyToll-free 1-800-792-11235805 N. Lamar Blvd.Austin, Texas 78752-44227Division of Emergency ManagementTexas Department of Public SafetyP.O. Box 4087Austin, Texas 78773-0001Address Correction RequestedNTSU LIBRYBULK MAILU.S. POSTAGEPAIDAustin, TexasPermit No. 1265

Floodplain Management Newsletter

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Portal to Texas History