ASFPM NEWS
DON’T FORGET to renew your ASFPM membership for 2005! Don’t risk losing member benefits, send your renewal form and payment to the ASFPM office soon!
ASFPM CONFERENCES SCHEDULE
Please see our website for more information about all these upcoming important training events.
Ø 2005 national ASFPM conference – June 12-17, Madison, Wisconsin, local host Chapter is Wisconsin Association for Floodplain, Stormwater and Coastal Management
Ø 3rd Triennial National FloodProofing Conference – Sept. 12-16, 2005, Charleston, West Virginia, co-sponsors are ASFPM, Corps of Engineers, DHS-FEMA and FloodMaster Barriers
Ø 2006 national ASFPM conference – June 11-16, Albuquerque, New Mexico, local host Chapter is New Mexico Floodplain Managers Association
Ø 2007 national ASFPM conference – June 3-8, Norfolk, Virginia, local host Chapter is Virginia Floodplain Management Association
Arid Regions Biennial Conference Well Received
Mesa, Arizona drew over 200 southwest floodplain managers November 16-19 to the 10th Arid Regions Conference, an event conducted every two years by the Arizona and New Mexico Chapters, the Floodplain Managers Association for California, Nevada and Hawaii, and ASFPM. The conference theme “Restoration and Management of Arid Watercourses” was well covered in the many presentations, workshops and technical field tour. Proceedings will be prepared by Les Bond and posted on the New Mexico website later this year. Kudos to Conference Director Tom Loomis, Maricopa County AZ, and his large, skilled and dedicated team for a great job!
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ASIAN EARTHQUAKE/TSUMANIS AFTERMATH
By now all of you are aware of the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunamis that struck the coasts of sev-
eral countries throughout South Asia, killing more than a hundred thousand people
(some estimates are now approaching 150,000 deaths) and leaving millions more injured
and homeless.
The world wide effort to provide assistance in the recovery is huge. Countries and hum-
anitarian organizations are stepping up to help. Many ASFPM members have inquired
what they can do to help. To assist, we are providing the information below.
How to Help
According to the U.S. Department of State, the most efficient and effective way to
help those affected by a disaster overseas is to make a monetary donation to a human-
itarian organization that is implementing relief programs in the affected region. There
are several options for identifying these organizations, but the U.S. Agency for Inter-
national Development (USAID) has a list of relief organizations working in the disaster
area who are accepting donations.
ASFPM cannot endorse a specific disaster relief organization for donations, but you may
obtain information on how to provide assistance by visiting the USAID Web site www.usaid.gov or call (202) 712-0000. It lists over 40 reputable humanitarian organiz-
ations that are assisting in the recovery.
General Information regarding tsunamis can be found at the International Tsunami Inform-
ation Center website: www.prh.noaa.gov/itic/more_about/itic/itic.html
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FEMA'S MULTI-YEAR FLOOD HAZARD IDENTIFICATION PLAN (MHIP)
The Mapping and Engineering Standards Committee (MES Committee) of the ASFPM is urging all members (and especially state and local government officials) to review and comment on the Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan (MHIP). This document is intended to establish a framework of the multi-year Flood Map Modernization program. The MHIP is available on FEMA's Flood Hazard Mapping Website at: www.fema.gov/fhm/mh_main.shtm.
The reason that your comments are important is because the MHIP is not intended to be a static document. Instead, it is intended to be a rolling five-year plan for new flood mapping studies, digital conversions, and map maintenance. Therefore, FEMA intends to publish a revised MHIP every summer, with proposed funding for the next fiscal year’s budget (in the context of a five-year plan). After comments are received and funding for mapping in that fiscal year is finalized, a final version will be published each winter or spring. This initial publicly-released draft is therefore important, because funding decisions for FY 2005 will be finalized in the final MHIP version to be published during the next few months.
State and local officials should review the MHIP especially in terms of proposed timelines, funding and quality. Let FEMA know if the proposed time frame for Map Modernization in your state or region is not appropriate. Secondly, it appears that the funding numbers proposed in the MHIP may not agree with the required funding itemized in various state business plans. And finally, proposed studies in some states or regions may not be in alignment with the quality directives identified in the MHIP.
FEMA is devolving responsibility for map studies and maintenance to state and local partners where there is interest in local control of mapping. However, the MHIP is framed primarily in terms of countywide studies, on a state-by-state and a (FEMA) regional basis. As such, it is unclear how local or regional districts, watershed and stormwater management districts, etc., fit into the national mapping picture. Therefore, comments on the long-term maintenance of maps may be appropriate for you.
The MES Committee believes that in the draft MHIP FEMA has incorporated some el-ements of map quality that are essential to map reliability and accuracy and long-term map maintenance. Incorporating these kinds of standards in the process should encourage many state and local partners to join the flood map modernization effort, as long as the study in their areas has adequate funding to meet that quality. Additional MES Committee comments from ASFPM were included in a letter to FEMA dated November 4, 2004, and may be reviewed at http://www.floods.org/PDF/ASFPM_MHIP_Response_Comments.pdf.
You may contact your state, professional organization, FEMA Regional office, or provide comments on the MHIP through the Flood Hazard Mapping Web site. If you have questions or comments for the MES Committee, or you would like the MES Committee to include particular comments in their detailed summary to FEMA, please contact the committee co-chairs: Bill Brown () or Jim Williams ().
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Bolivian Floodplain Management Efforts
Five officials from the Bolivian Civil Defense Ministry and a representative from the La Paz American Embassy visited both MEMA and the Mississippi National Guard in November to learn more about building a civil defense/emergency preparedness effort in their country.
Three members of the Mississippi Flood Map Modernization Initiative Team are scheduled to visit Bolivia in 2005 to discuss the development of a digital floodplain mapping program, floodplain management practices and FPM planning.
The Bolivian Delegation and three members of the MEMA Mitigation Bureau
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Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
May 25th - August 3rd, 2005
The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Kansas will bring ten undergraduate students from around the country to an exciting 10-week program that gives students “hands-on” experience with research in ecological and evolutionary disciplines. A $3,500 stipend and expenses (travel and living) will be paid for each student. Review of applications will begin February 1, 2005. Please visit http://www.ku.edu/%7Ereu/apply.html for application forms. An overview of our weekly seminar topics, past student research projects, and typical social activities can be found at http://www.ku.edu/~reu/seminar.html. Initial invitations to summer 2005 participants will be sent out via e-mail by February 15, 2005.
• Independent research experience with faculty mentor. Each student will develop an independent research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Important facilities for research include the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center, which houses world-class systematic collections, and the Kansas Field Station and Ecological Reserves, comprising 680 hectares of prairie, woodland, and terrestrial and aquatic experimental areas located 20 minutes from Lawrence, Kansas. Depending on the project, students will also have the opportunity to use specialized laboratory equipment and state-of-the-art computer software.
• Weekly seminars, research tours, and social activities. In addition to their individual research experience, students will be involved in group activities that will provide exposure to different scientific approaches and experimental designs. We will also focus on graduate education and career opportunities.
• Research symposium. The culmination of our 10 week session will be an REU Research Symposium, in which students will orally present the results of their studies to both students and faculty.
• Attendance at a national scientific meeting. Students will be encouraged to attend a national scientific meeting in a relevant discipline.
• International research experiences available in some areas. Students involved in research in certain Museum-related disciplines may be able to participate in international field expeditions and biotic surveys in locations such as South America, Australia, and New Guinea.
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Long Time Friends of FPM Retiring
Jerry B. Uhlmann, Director of Missouri State Emergency Management Agency, announced his retirement effective December 31, 2004. Uhlmann served as director for nearly 12 years after a distinguished 32-year career with the Missouri National Guard. He is the longest continuous-serving State Emergency Management Director in the country. Jerry has been a strong supporter of ASFPM’s mission and organization. His staff performed various volunteer activities for ASFPM, including national officers (George Riedel) and 2003 Conference host.
During his tenure, Jerry managed response, recovery and mitigation efforts for the largest floods, the most costly winter storm, and the most devastating series of tornadoes Missouri has ever seen. The 1993 Floods impacted 112 Missouri counties, resulting in his oversight of relief efforts totaling almost $100 Million for the Flood Buyout Program.
Uhlmann chaired the Governor’s Task Force on Floodplain Management in 1994. Two major outcomes were the continuing Missouri Voluntary Community Buyout Program and making the state-administered National Flood Insurance Program more customer friendly for the 500+ participating communities.
Missouri was the first state in the nation to have their Enhanced Mitigation Plan approved.
Daniel M. Hill, P.E., Director of the Water Resources Group at Burgess & Niple, announced his retirement effective January 1, 2005, following 42 years with the firm.
Dan joined B&N in 1962 and was elected an Associate in 1978. He has authored over 25 papers and presentations regarding floodplain management, dam safety and other water resource topics.
Throughout his career, Dan has held leadership roles in many professional organizations including President of the Water Management Association of Ohio, Chairman of the Ohio Dam Safety Organization, and Corporate Liaison for the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
He received the 2004 ASDSO Midwest Regional Award of Merit for his outstanding contributions to the field of dam safety.
Beaufort “Buck” Katt, the Missouri State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Deputy Director, announced his departure effective January 7, 2005. Katt served as SEMA’s Deputy Director for 11 years, following a distinguished 30-year career with the United States Army.
Subsequent to the devastating 1993-94 floods, he managed Missouri’s Voluntary Flood Buyout Program that expended $100 million to help local communities to relocate stricken families and individuals out of harms way through the acquisition of their flood damaged properties.
Local Missouri communities acquired and removed some 4,200 floodprone properties over his 11 years with SEMA.
Katt was instrumental in developing Missouri’s Disaster Resistant Community program, which assisted local communities to develop innovative pre-disaster mitigation projects.
Missouri was the first of the 50 states to receive FEMA approval of a “Standard” Hazard Mitigation Plan – a prerequisite to receive federal mitigation funds. The follow on approval last year of the Missouri “Enhanced” State Mitigation Plan raised the amount of post-disaster funding from 7.5% to 20% of the overall disaster damages suffered, greatly increasing the amount of future mitigation funding that will be available to local communities.
ASFPM thanks Jerry, Dan, and Buck for their service to their respective States and the nation. We wish them the very best in retirement.
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Flood Protection Products and Services Subcommittee
A Flood Protection Products and Services Subcommittee was formed last May in Biloxi at the annual conference as a Subcommittee of the ASFPM Floodproofing/Retrofitting Committee. On recommendation of those attending the first meeting of the Subcommittee in Biloxi, Alberto “P.G.” de Sousa Costa was appointed Chair.
One of the first items on the agenda for de Sousa Costa was to draft a mission statement, goals and objectives and a code of ethics, all to be approved by the Association’s Board of Directors. This has been accomplished and copies of each of the documents may be viewed on the Association’s website.
Vendors and manufacturers of flood protection products make up a significant percentage of the Subcommittee’s membership. Obviously, they are interested in enhancing the marketing opportunities of their products and services and hope to achieve this through the efforts of the Subcommittee. The Association is very interested in supporting this effort on the part of those companies that are Association members and have indicated their willingness to follow the Code of Ethics.
One of the primary methods of providing this support is to facilitate the establishment of a Flood Protection Products Testing Program. Members of the Subcommittee have been working to establish such a program with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers’ National Non-structural Flood Proofing Committee and Underwriters Laboratories. Testing would be done by the Corps and testing certification would be completed by Underwriters Laboratories. The initial focus of the testing program will be on Temporary Flood Protection Barriers, because the USACE has a test protocol for such systems. As this is a new endeavor for UL, they would first like to conduct a Fact-Finding Investigation where a few advance products would undergo Corps testing. The tests would be monitored by UL and that in conjunction with the testing reports would assist them in determining if they want to move forward toward establishing a certification program.
Costs for the testing will be borne by the individual companies. It is expected that a fee structure will be established that will cover the costs of testing, certification and administration of the program. The cost will likely be commensurate with those charged in other similar industries for testing and certification. We have asked manufacturers to volunteer their products for testing in the Fact Finding Investigation phase, and ASFPM has asked UL and the USACE to estimate their costs associated with the FFI.
For continuing information regarding this and other Subcommittee news, continue to monitor the Floodproofing/Retrofitting Committee page on the Association’s website at www.floods.org