This last year there has been frequent flooding in the major river basins across the US Midwest. The Mississippi River hovered at or above flood stage for weeks, leaving residents in a state of constant vigilance and anxiety. Above-average precipitation caused more than inconvenience for many people — it caused life-threatening floods and property damage.

The area of St. Paul-Minneapolis was particularly hard hit. In this region, rainfall smashed the previous precipitation record set in the year 1965 — by almost four full inches. Many residents were weary of constant flood alerts and viewed new rainstorms with exasperation and disbelief. After a grueling winter of “polar vortex” conditions, they were not happy to have a blighted summer as well.

Meanwhile, authorities along major rivers were installing flood barriers and watching spillways with growing alarm. Floodwaters can be contained as long as they do not breach the spillways, but levels were very high — close to overflow. Any new rainstorms may well put water levels at uncontainable heights, and flooding will follow.

Des Moines River on June 13, 2008. The river rose at an alarming rate that prompted Des Moines officials to call for a voluntary evacuation. The river topped at 31.57 feet, falling short of the record high of 31.71 feet set on July 11, 1993. Photo by Ted Taber.

Many areas were already underwater from incessant summer storms. Low-lying neighborhoods along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Iowa Rivers were inundated. Streets became streams, and homes were submerged. Many buildings on the edge of the flooding installed sandbags and other types of flood barriers, hoping that the skies would remain sunny and blue long enough for the water levels to recede. Some areas were evacuated, and others were on high alert.

People living and working in these areas were highly anxious about the situation because they can remember all too well the disastrous flooding of just six years earlier. The floods of 2008 struck the same river basins that are being threatened now, and caused many billions of dollars in damages, as well as devastating loss of life and livelihood. Although many new flood defenses are now in place, these measures have not yet been tested “under fire”.

The major rivers of the United States have always been both a boon and a threat to the many cities and communities that hug their banks. Flooding along these great waterways is nothing new, but after the incredible damage wreaked by the floods of 2008, protections have been beefed up, and improvements to the system of locks and flood barriers have been implemented.

During the month of July 2014, many flood barriers and spillways were already at their maximum capacity, and any new rainfall could have sorely taxed the capacity of these defenses. At this point, a summer version of last winter’s “polar vortex” was approaching, and weather analysts predicted that more precipitation was just around the corner.

This scenario has become increasingly common. It is a race with dire consequences: will water levels recede in time to safely admit more water? Will the polar vortex arrive with major rainstorms and flooding? Will the new flood barriers hold back a disaster? Nervous residents await the answers as they contemplate whether more preparations will be required.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

On January 30, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13690, a move that will have far-reaching effects on federal and local flood management, community building policies, and the insurance industry. The new Executive Order (EO) will amend and replace the previous EO regarding federal Floodplain Management, which was established in the year 1977.

This new EO will detail three new methods that federal agencies may use to designate the flood hazard or risk of a new construction project site. These methods are:

• Project to be constructed at least two feet above the historical 100-year flood mark. Crucial structures such as hospitals or emergency facilities must be three feet above this mark.
• Scientific data, including the latest climate change information, must be incorporated into the decision-making and planning process.
• The project must be built on or above the 500-year flood mark.

This new EO will be subject to a 60-day public review period, during which time public meetings will be held to gather comments and ideas from citizens and community officials. This input will be considered when finalizing the new guidelines, which will begin to be implemented 30 days after the close of the public review process.

The new EO applies only to federally funded projects. The idea behind the order is to ensure that new infrastructure projects are built to last, and that they will be prepared to withstand conditions that may exist in the future, a future that may be radically altered by climate change. Given that flooding is the most expensive hazard to our national infrastructure, it seems prudent to require that new projects be able to weather threats both present and future.

As with any new guidelines, however, there are those who are disgruntled about the ramifications for themselves or their community. Areas of very low elevation, as may be commonly found in Louisiana and Florida, will find it very difficult — in some cases impossible — to comply with the new guidelines. U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and David Vitter (R-La.), have, along with six other Republican representatives, signed a letter to President Obama questioning the legitimacy and feasibility of the new order.

Meanwhile, federally-funded projects that are already underway must be halted in order to assess compliance with the new guidelines. In order to continue receiving federal funding, will the projects be required to comply, or will they be “grandfathered”? This is just one of the questions that must be answered in the coming months. The guidelines are expected to be reviewed, commented upon, modified, finalized, and implemented by mid-May of this year.

Click here to read the official White House press release in a new window.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

Hurricane Sandy was a disaster for much of the eastern seaboard, with the cities of New York and New Jersey particularly hard-hit. The city of Boston was also in line for a direct hit, but was saved by something the other two cities lacked that day: pure luck.

The hurricane hit Boston with fury, and left a lot of downed trees and utility poles. Property damage was considerable, but nowhere near the devastation seen in other areas. It was not thanks to foresight and planning that Boston was spared; rather, the city experienced a stroke of luck courtesy of Mother Nature, and this luck saved the city.

Had Superstorm Sandy struck but a few hours earlier, it would have been a much different story. About four hours before the storm struck Boston, there was a full-moon high tide that had raised water levels to near-capacity in the city’s water control infrastructure. Had the hurricane arrived during this time, Boston would have been submerged by deep floods, and would still be recovering today from the after effects.

This near-miss episode has motivated Boston to do some deep thinking about protecting the city from future storms. As any city that faces the Atlantic Ocean, there are a lot of weak points and vulnerability. Flood barriers and levees can do only so much in a worst-case scenario. If a large storm strikes during a high tide, flood barriers are likely to be breached.

Today Boston is considering using a different tactic: letting the water in … in a controlled way. For centuries, the country of Holland has been using this method with admirable results, and many municipalities in the US are taking note. One of the proposals on the table for Boston is to develop a system of of canals that would not only help to defend the city from storm surges, but would enhance the recreational and aesthetic value of the downtown area.

Back Bay and Charles River, Boston, Massachusetts

This novel idea emerged from brainstorming sessions that included city planners, architects, and citizens, and has captivated many as being a particularly pleasing solution to the threat of inundation. If implemented, the plan could turn Boston into the “Venice of the East Coast”, and could augment tourism and recreational opportunities for local residents.

The proposed system of waterways and canals would form a mesh through an area of Boston called Back Bay, which was once a marshy wetland before it was filled in and developed during the middle of the nineteenth century. Areas like Back Bay, of course, are particularly at risk during storms, as it seems that water has a memory of where it used to be and seeks to return.

At this time, the pricey neighborhoods of Back Bay are only about four feet above sea level, and will be underwater by the end of this century unless a solution is put into place. The proposal to build scenic canals is only one of many hypothetical solutions for the metropolis of Boston, and it may be that more than one plan will be required to protect this venerable city. One thing is certain, however: if no action is taken now, Boston will one day suffer the fate of her sister cities during the next Superstorms.

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA 2

In response to Hurricane Sandy and other recent devastating flood events, the New York Rising Community Reconstruction Program (NYRCRP) has made available funding for impacted communities in the New York area. The program is intended to offer reconstruction and revitalization assistance to communities that were affected by Hurricanes Sandy, Irene, and Lee. Current funding limit is set at $25 million per approved project, with an overall budget of about $650 million for planning and implementation.

In order to receive funding from the NYRCRP, each community was required to form a planning committee that evaluated the damages from the storms, determined areas of future risk, and sorted through proposed improvements to select the plan best suited to protecting and repairing the community. The grant amounts range between $3 million to $25 million. The NYRCRP also works with the local planning committees to identify other funding sources to supplement the federal funding.

Lessons learned from past storm recovery projects indicated that “bottom-up” planning would be most effective for future projects, so emphasis was placed on community participation. Ordinary community members have been encouraged to participate in the process by attending the meetings.

There are five regions that are eligible:

Capital Region/North Country/Mohawk Valley
Catskills/Hudson Valley
Long Island
New York City
Southern Tier/Central New York

Each of these regions has many different community plans, with a total of more than 102 localities. The region of Long Island, for example, has more than 20 different plans that have been approved. In this posting, we will take a look at two of the plans that have been proposed for the Long Island district.

In the community of East Rockaway, which has been repeatedly flooded over the years, there are many homes that had to be abandoned during Superstorm Sandy. Many of these homes remain empty to this day, having been badly damaged by the storm. The exact number of derelict homes is not public information due to privacy laws, but it is a substantial number. This community has decided on the following plans to protect themselves from future flooding:

Construction of a large flood barrier, a dike, around the entire sewer treatment plant to provide protection against the ‘500-year storm’ events and to account for anticipated sea level rise.
Elevating and hardening the Electrical Plant Distribution System and repairing existing generators to take the plant off of temporary power.
Elevating as many as 57 pump stations that serve one million residents to protect from floods.

The community of West Islip was also hit hard by recent storms. With a large area that faces the bay and ocean, it takes a beating with every storm, but hurricanes are particularly dreadful. Low elevation, lack of natural flood barriers, and oceanfront exposure all combine to make this community very vulnerable. Some of the plans proposed for this community include:

Funding of incentive grants or low-interest loans for residents in risk areas to build resiliency into their homes, e.g., raising home elevations, improving flood barriers, and installation of wind-resistant windows for a more storm-proof home.
Restoring and nurturing natural flood barriers such as marshes, dunes, and wetlands.
Protection and restoration of barrier islands.

The many plans proposed for NYRCRP funding will go all long way to repairing these battered communities, and will help protect critical infrastructure not only from future storms, but from rising sea levels. Both of these threats must be addressed in order to mitigate or prevent future disasters in these vulnerable communities. More information may be found on the NYRCRP site:

http://stormrecovery.ny.gov/ community-reconstruction-program

Source:: FloodBarrierUSA