T h e T o r r e n t
A newsletter of the
Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection
exploring floodplain management issues
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- NOAA 2022 SLR Report & Tools
- Partial Implementation of FFRMS
- Lamont Executive Order No. 21-3
- New Adapt CT Legal Fact Sheet
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- FEMA National Risk Index
- New Book - CT River Flood 1936
- State Flood Resilience Planning
- Training Opportunities
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NOAA 2022 Sea Level Rise Report and Tools |
On February 15, 2022, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its 2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report, containing the most updated sea level rise projections for the U.S. until 2150. The technical report also fills in data and information gaps for some rural and underserved regions. The report was a multi-agency collaboration between NOAA, NASA, USGS, EPA, FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Department of Defense. A podcast discussion about the report is available.
Sea level along the U.S. coastline is projected to rise an average of 10-12 inches in the next 30 years (2020-2050). This is as much as the rise measured over the last 100 years (1920-2020). Sea level rise will create a profound shift in coastal flooding over the next 30 years by causing tide and storm surge heights to increase and reach further inland. By 2050, “moderate” (typically damaging) flooding is expected to occur, on average, more than 10 times as often as it does today, and can be intensified by local factors. The data from this new report is incorporated into the NOAA Sea Level Rise Viewer.
In addition to the new report, NOAA has also released its new Sea Level Rise Coastal County Snapshots. The snapshots incorporate the data from the new 2022 Technical Report and also allows the user to explore the projections from the previous report. This Digital Coast tool provides easy-to-understand charts and graphs that describe complex, county-specific coastal data. Communities can use this information to ascertain community vulnerability and to plan accordingly.
NOAA also recently expanded its popular Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper, an online visualization tool that supports communities that are assessing their coastal hazard risks and vulnerabilities. The tool’s geography now includes the East Coast, West Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes, and islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. The tool creates a collection of user-defined maps that show the people, places, and natural resources exposed to coastal flooding. The user-defined maps can be saved, downloaded, or shared to communicate flood exposure and potential impacts. The tool also provides guidance for using these maps to engage community members and stakeholders in making decisions to mitigate flood risk.
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Interim Policy - Partial Implementation FFRMS |
On August 26, 2021, FEMA issued new interim policy requiring higher flood elevation standards for projects utilizing Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) grant funds. FEMA Policy FP-206-21-0003, Partial Implementation of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard for Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs, applies to projects funded by the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, the Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program, and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) for any major disaster declared on or after August 27, 2022. For BRIC and FMA, this interim policy applies to the Fiscal Year 2021 Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) and future application cycles, unless stated otherwise.
The interim policy partially implements the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard (FFRMS) by requiring higher flood elevations (base flood elevation plus two feet) for certain non-critical actions such as structure elevation, dry floodproofing of a structure, and mitigation reconstruction (demolition/rebuild) located within the 100-year floodplain. Under the interim policy, FEMA would not require applying the higher elevation standard if the project was unable to meet applicable program cost-effectiveness requirements.
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EO 21-3 Promotes State Agency Resiliency
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- Buildings and Infrastructure
- Clean Transportation
- Community Climate Resilience
- Health, Equity, and Environmental Justice
- Jobs and the Economy
- Natural and Working Lands
The 23 actions required by the EO include affordable heating and cooling for Connecticut residents and businesses, building codes, a statewide battery electric bus fleet, shovel-ready resilience projects, regulating emissions from medium and heavy-duty vehicles, and increasing resilience and carbon sequestration in forests and agriculture. It also establishes Connecticut’s first Office of Climate and Public Health, the first Connecticut Equity and Environmental Justice Advisory Council, the first Connecticut Clean Economy Council, and continues the work of the GC3.
Action 22 focuses on using nature-based solutions to improve the resilience of state properties to the impacts of climate change. Specifically, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) have been tasked with developing guidance for state agencies on how to:
- Implement nature-based and/or non-structural solutions to control flooding and erosion, improve water quality and manage stormwater on State properties
- Integrate consideration of coastal marsh migration in design and implementation of state projects, state-funded projects, and land acquisition in coastal areas to ensure continued ecosystem services from wetlands
- Employ techniques and materials for low impact development and design and green infrastructure for new state construction, redevelopment, and state-funded construction or redevelopment to mitigate flooding and water quality degradation
Once the guidance is developed, all state agencies must follow these requirements in all capital project planning, to the extent feasible, and must report annually on the implementation of such efforts to the Steering Committee on State Sustainability.
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New Adapt CT Eminent Domain Fact Sheet |
Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural disaster in Connecticut, and scientists expect the occurrence and intensity of flooding events to increase in the future due to climate change. Currently, up to 107,000 properties in Connecticut are at risk of a catastrophic flooding event, threatening lives, property losses, and infrastructure damage. As flooding risks increase, state and local governments may consider exercising their eminent domain authority to take properties vulnerable to flooding in order to reduce the risks posed to people and properties. This new fact sheet examines the legal authority Connecticut and its municipalities have to take properties for flooding prevention purposes. The fact sheet will look at how Connecticut classifies flood risks and will also explore the state and municipal eminent domain authority. It will assess the application of the eminent domain power for flood prevention purposes, as well as explain the discretion granted to the state and municipalities in determining which properties to take. The fact sheet also considers emergency takings.
Adapt CT is a partnership between Connecticut Sea Grant and the UCONN Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) working to provide information, tools, and trainings to assist municipalities, businesses and residents to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate.
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Released in August 2021, FEMA's National Risk Index is a new, online mapping application that identifies communities most at risk to 18 natural hazards. This application visualizes natural hazard risk metrics and includes data on expected annual losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience.
The National Risk Index is easy to use and can support prioritizing resilience efforts by providing an at-a-glance overview of multiple risk factors. The National Risk Index can assist communities in:
- Updating emergency operations plans
- Enhancing hazard mitigation plans
- Prioritizing and allocating resources
- Identifying the need for more refined risk assessments
- Encouraging community-level risk communication and engagement
- Educating homeowners, renters, businesses, real estate and insurance professionals
- Supporting the development and adoption of enhanced codes and standards
- Informing long-term community recovery efforts
The National Risk Index's interactive web maps are at the county and Census tract level and made available via geographic information system (GIS) services for custom analyses. With this data, government officials can discover a holistic view of community risk to natural hazards. This fact sheet provides an overview of the National Risk Index and how it can be used for natural hazards risk reduction.
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Connecticut River Valley Flood of 1936 |
In the beginning of the twentieth century, the Connecticut River Valley was a thriving manufacturing hub for fabric, arms and brass. But early in the spring of 1936, nearly two feet of rain created havoc on a massive scale, killing more than one hundred people and leaving tens of thousands homeless, unemployed and without power for weeks. Patrols were conducted in rowboats on city streets. Typhoid and other public health issues complicated recovery efforts. Adjusted for today’s standard, damage estimates exceeded $9 billion, and the flood helped launch FDR’s Flood Control Act of 1936. Dams, reservoirs and dikes were constructed to control future flooding. Much of that system now remains in place but has gone largely unmaintained.
Author Joshua Shanley recounts the greatest flood in New England history and examines the potential for future floods. This new book, published in April 2021, is available in hardcover or paperback. The book can be purchased from many online retailers such as Barnes & Noble and Amazon, or from the Connecticut River Museum shop. The book is also available at some public libraries around the state.
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Report: State Flood Resilience & Adaptation Planning |
In March 2022, the Urban Institute issued a new report entitled State Flood Resilience and Adaptation Planning: Challenges and Opportunities. States play a critical role in planning for flood hazard mitigation, adaptation and resilience. In addition to their own investments in protective infrastructure and policy, they also act as a conduit between federal government resources and local communities. However, significant gaps exist in planning for flooding at the state level. This report includes findings from a survey of 148 state-level plans that address flooding. The report finds that most states do not have a comprehensive, strategic approach to flood planning. Instead, they tend to include aspects of flood hazard mitigation across various plan types, such as climate plans, water plans, and most commonly, FEMA-approved state hazard mitigation plans.
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NFIP & CRS WEBINARS
NFIP-related training webinars are available through STARR, a FEMA contractor. Below is a list of upcoming webinars. To register, go to the NFIP training website and click on the "Upcoming" tab. When asked during registration what FEMA Region you are in, please reply "1". All webinars are one hour in length and begin at 1:00pm EST.
- April 19, 2022 - CRS: Preparing an Annual Recertification
- April 20, 2022 - CRS: CRS and Floodplain Species Assessment
- May 10, 2022 - CRS: Developing a PPI & a Insurance Coverage Improvement Plan
- May 11, 2022 - CRS: Watershed Master Planning (Activity 450)
- June 14, 2022 - CRS: Flood Warning & Response (Activity 610)
- June 15, 2022 - CRS: CRS and Substantial Damage Properties Management
- July 19, 2022 - CRS: Preparing an Annual Recertification
- July 20, 2022 - CRS: Floodplain Management Planning (Activity 510)
- August 16, 2022 - CRS: Preparing for a Verification Visit
- August 17, 2022 - CRS: Stormwater Management Regulations (Activity 450)
- September 20, 2022 - CRS: Preparing an Annual Recertification
- September 21, 2022 - CRS: FEMA's Elevation Certificate
- October 18, 2022 - CRS: FEMA's Elevation Certificate
- October 19, 2022 - CRS: CRS and Coastal Hazards
- November 15, 2022 - CRS: FEMA's Elevation Certificate
- November 16, 2022 - CRS: CRS and Floodplain Species Assessment
RISK RATING 2.0 WEBINARS & VIDEOS
Risk Rating 2.0 Training Videos
Watch this 2 hour video of a training session recorded on June 8, 2021 for insurance agents to learn more about Risk Rating 2.0. This 6 minute video can give you a brief introduction to the new Risk Rating 2.0 pricing methodology. This 1:15 minute video will discuss how Risk Rating 2.0 defines a property's unique flood risk.
Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action Webinars - Phase II Renewals
This one-hour webinar is geared toward insurance agents but anyone can attend who wants to learn more about the Risk Rating 2.0 program changes. Beginning April 1, 2022, all current flood insurance policies will be priced under the new Risk Rating 2.0 methodology upon renewal. Continuing education credits are offered to insurance agents attending this webinar. These webinars are free. Register here for the dates listed below. There will also be additional trainings on May 4, 11, 19, and 26, 2022.
- March 29, 2022, 11:00am-12:00pm
- March 29, 2022, 3:00pm-4:00pm
- April 6, 2022, 11:00am-12:00pm
- April 12, 2022, 3:00pm-4:00pm
- April 19, 2022, 3:00pm-4:00pm
- April 21, 2022, 11:00am-12:00pm
- April 27, 2022, 3:00pm-4:00pm
SOAK UP THE RAIN NEW ENGLAND WEBINAR SERIES
Soak Up the Rain is a U.S. EPA stormwater public outreach and education program to raise awareness about the costly impacts of polluted stormwater runoff and encourage compliance with stormwater rules and requirements through nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure and low impact development. Click on the link below to register. To view watch recordings of past webinars, visit their webinar archive.
NATURAL HAZARDS CENTER
EXPLORING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WEBINAR SERIES
ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS (ASFPM)
The ASFPM Training and Knowledge Center offers webinars and an online university as a professional development resource for floodplain management professionals.
CENTER FOR LAND USE EDUCATION & RESEARCH (CLEAR)
VIDEOS
This 15 minute educational video from Adapt CT highlights flooding scenarios within our state along with the social and economic impacts of flooding, and opportunities for mitigation. The video aims to increase the knowledge base of municipal officials to make informed decisions and effective choices supporting resilience. The general public and other stakeholders will also find the video valuable.
This 13 minute educational video from Adapt CT highlights the effects of climate change in our state. The video aims to increase the knowledge base of municipal officials to make informed decisions and effective choices supporting resilience. The general public and other stakeholders will also find the video valuable.
This 18 minute educational video from Adapt CT, entitled Drowning in Liability: Reducing climate change impacts through municipal planning and zoning, aims to help viewers recognize the planning and zoning interests related to flooding, describes actions that can reduce liability related to planning and zoning decisions, and identifies key resources for further information. The video illustrates the causes of flooding and what has and can been done to protect Connecticut residents, property, and natural resources from its devastating impacts. The video also discusses “takings” and identifies multiple court cases to enhance understanding.
This 7 minute video from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, "Rising Waters" series, discusses high tide flooding, also known as sunny day or nuisance flooding, that is occurring as a result of sea level rise. Sea level rise is often spoken of in future terms, including projections for impacts we're likely to see by the end of the century. But in many communities in the U.S., sea level rise is already a factor in people's lives in the form of high-tide flooding. The video visits Annapolis, Maryland that has seen a dramatic increase in floods in recent years. Waters sometimes breach flood walls, or more often, back up through storm sewers to flood nearby streets.
This 5 minute video highlights how the U.S. Naval Submarine Base is an outstanding example of preparedness and shows some of the actions they have taken include elevating equipment and materials, using floodgates and having a plan of action in order to be more flood resistant.
This 5 minute video highlights a local full-service marina and boat repair business which has implemented a variety of actions to protect the environment and be more flood resistant, including a daily walk-through and connecting with local emergency responders.
This 25 minute video will show how to make your business resilient to natural hazards, reduce property damage, environmental contamination and liability. This video will help businesses that use chemicals in their process, sell chemicals and store hazardous waste onsite, including retail stores and service providers. It offers steps businesses can take to reduce risks and keep your business operating, especially those in flood prone areas. This video is also available as a training course.
COASTAL STATES ORGANIZATION (CSO)
ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS COUNCIL (EBC) NEW ENGLAND
RESILIENT NATION PARTNERSHIP NETWORK (RNPN)
FEMA's Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN) brings together a diverse network of stakeholders committed to help communities act and become more resilient toward natural disasters and climate-related events. In October 2021, RNPN and NASA co-hosted the 6th Annual Partnership Forum, entitled Alliance for Climate Action, a recorded 4-week virtual series exploring diverse approaches such as financing climate action, future visions and inspiring success stories.
HAZUS QUARTERLY WEBINARS
FEMA’s HAZUS Program provides standardized tools and data for estimating risk from earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, and hurricanes. HAZUS models combine expertise from many disciplines to create actionable risk information that increases community resilience.
HUDSON RIVER NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE
The Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (HRNERR) Sustainable Shorelines initiative dedicated to the use of nature-based management practices on the Hudson River. Click on the link below to register for upcoming webinars and to watch recordings of past webinars.
CTDEEP AQUIFER PROTECTION AREA PROGRAM TRAINING
This free, online course assists municipal aquifer protection agencies and their staff with meeting the training requirements under the Connecticut Aquifer Protection Act. The course can be completed at your own place, but must be completed within 60 days once started. It is estimated that the course will take approximately 8 hours to complete. There are 13 modules with text, videos, interactive activities, and practice quizzes. The course provides an overview of the regulatory requirements for local implementation, instructs agency members and staff responsible for knowing the law, and assists them in complying with the law. Register here for the training program.
TRAINING FOR MUNICIPAL INLAND WETLAND AGENTS
NOAA DIGITAL COAST VIRTUAL LEARNING
FLOODPROOFING.COM
- Floodplain Design, Construction & Impacts on Flood Insurance - April 5, May 3, June 7, July 7, August 9, September 8, October 4, November 1, 2022, 10:00am; April 20, May 18, June 22, July 20, August 24, September 21, October 19, November 16, 2022, 3:00pm
- Designing Passive Floodproofing Solutions Using Floodproof Windows and Wall Systems - March 30, April 27, May 25, June 29, July 27, August 31, September 28, October 26, November 30, 2022, 3:00pm
- Flood Insurance and Mitigation Outreach - April 14, October 11, 2022, 6:00pm
- National Surveyor Flood Training - August 4, 2022, 3:00pm
- Code Official Webinar: Active and Passive Floodproofing for Non-Residential Building in the Special Flood Hazard Area - September 13, 2022, 3:00pm
CONFERENCES
FEMA EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE
The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is located at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Maryland. EMI serves as the national center for emergency management training of federal, state and local government officials. Tuition, housing, and all books and materials are provided at no cost. Participants are responsible for the cost of a meal pass (approximately $120/week). EMI continues to monitor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 guidance and will provide regular updates to students on masking, testing and vaccination requirements. Below is a select list of floodplain management classes offered into September 2022. A full list of training classes and how to apply for admission can be found at the EMI website.
E190 ArcGIS for Emergency Managers - June 13-16
E212 Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Developing Quality Application Elements - April 11-14
E213 Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Application Review & Evaluation- July 18-19
E214 Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program: Project Implementation and Programmatic Closeout - July 20-21
E273 Managing Floodplain Development through the NFIP - April 4-7, June 27-30, July 25-28
E278 Community Rating System (CRS) - August 22-25
E279 Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Buildings - August 22-25
E312 Fundamentals of Building Science - July 11-14
E386 Residential Coastal Construction - April 25-28
EMI also offers free Independent Study courses on various aspects of the NFIP aimed at community officials, surveyors, insurance agents, and claims adjusters. These web-based courses are offered at no cost and can be taken at your own pace. Below is a sample of courses available. Independent study courses are also available for other topics in emergency management, hazard mitigation planning, disaster response and dam safety.
IS-10.a Animals in Disasters: Awareness & Preparedness
IS-11.a Animals in Disasters: Community Planning
IS-21.21 Civil Rights and FEMA Disaster Assistance
IS-30.b Mitigation eGrants System for the Subgrant Applicant
IS-42 Social Media in Emergency Management
IS-111.a Livestock in Disasters
IS-158 Hazard Mitigation Flood Insurance in Disaster Operations
IS-162 Hazard Mitigation Floodplain Management in Disaster Operations
IS-212.b Introduction to Unified Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA)
IS-230.d Fundamentals of Emergency Management
IS-251.a Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) for Alerting Administrators
IS-271.a Anticipating Hazardous Weather and Community Risk
IS-273 How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
IS-274 How to Read a Flood Insurance Study (FIS)
IS-276.a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA) Fundamentals
IS-277.a Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA): Entry Level
IS-279.a Introduction to Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Structures
IS-280 Overview: Engineering Principles & Practices for Retrofitting Flood-prone Residential Structures
IS-284.a Using the Substantial Damage Estimator 3.0 Tool
IS-285 Substantial Damage Estimator for the Floodplain Administrator
IS-318 Mitigation Planning for Local and Tribal Communities
IS-324.a Community Hurricane Preparedness
IS-366.a Planning for the Needs of Children in Disasters
IS-386 Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction
IS-393.b Introduction to Hazard Mitigation
IS-394.a Protecting Your Home or Small Business From Disaster
IS-552 The Public Works Role in Emergency Management
IS-554 Emergency Planning for Public Works
IS-556 Damage Assessment for Public Works
IS-558 Public Works and Disaster Recovery
IS-559 Local Damage Assessment
IS-632a Introduction to Debris Operations
IS-633 Debris Management Plan Development
IS-634 Introduction to FEMA's Public Assistance Program
IS-727 Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands
IS-815 ABCs of Temporary Emergency Power
IS-870.a Dam Sector: Crisis Management
IS-871.a Dam Sector: Security Awareness
IS-872.a Dam Sector: Protective Measures
IS-922.a Applications of GIS for Emergency Management
IS-1100.a Increased Cost of Compliance
IS-1101.b Basic Agent Tutorial
IS-1102 Theory of Elevation Rating
IS-1103.a Elevation Certificate for Surveyors
IS-1104 NFIP Claims Review for Adjusters
IS-1105.a EC Made Easy: Elevation Certificate Overview
IS-1106.a FEMA Mapping Changes
IS-1107 Adjuster Customer Service
IS-1108 Insuring Condominiums
IS-1109.a Understanding Basement Coverage
IS-1110.a Writing Commercial Exposures
IS-1111 Introduction to Commercial Claims
IS-1112 Introduction to Flood Claims
IS-1113 Coastal Barrier Resources Act
IS-1117 Severe Repetitive Loss for Agents
IS-1119 Letters of Map Amendment (LOMA) & Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill (LOMR-F)
IS-1120 Letters of Map Revision (LOMR)
IS-2001 Threat and Hazard Identification Risk Assessment (THIRA)
IS-2901 Introduction to Community Lifelines
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The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to complying with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you are seeking a communication aid or service, have limited proficiency in English, wish to file an ADA or Title VI discrimination complaint, or require some other accommodation, including equipment to facilitate virtual participation, please contact the DEEP Office of Diversity and Equity at (860) 418-5910 or by email at deep.accommodations@ct.gov. Any person needing an accommodation for hearing impairment may call the State of Connecticut relay number - 711. In order to facilitate efforts to provide an accommodation, please request all accommodations as soon as possible following notice of any agency hearing, meeting, program or event.
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