Transcript Understanding of the Project - Texas Water Conservation

An update from the National
Committee on Levee Safety
Presented to the TWCA
by
Karin M. Jacoby, PE, Esq.
June 17, 2011
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
1 of 14
Presentation Overview
• Levees in the U.S.
• Creation of the National
Committee on Levee Safety
• Overview of
Recommendations for a
National Levee Safety Program
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
2 of 14
Levee History in the US
1600’s – 1920’s
•
•
•
•
Private levees the norm
No coordination
No government involvement
No oversight
1920’s – 1960’s
• Congress declares “flood control” a federal interest
• Construction of major systems in CA and along the Mississippi River
1960’s – Present
• NFIP established with “100-year flood” set as the insurance standard
• Federal policy change requires local “cost sharing” in flood control projects
• Levees built in uncoordinated fashion, by different entities, not as a
system, resulting in no typical levee, and no typical levee owner
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
3 of 14
Levees Today:
Lacking Standards and Leadership
•
Many levees designed for one
purpose are now serving another
•
There are no national levee
standards - construction,
maintenance, inspection
•
Varying levels of responsibility and
maintenance – federal, state, local,
special districts, private
•
Aging infrastructure & growing risk
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
4 of 14
Recognizing the Risk
1993: Midwest Floods
1997: CA’s Central Valley
2005: Gulf Coast Flooding
“The Great Flood” of 1993 (PBS & USACE)
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
5 of 14
Levee Safety: A National Concern
Do not know
location or
condition of
most of the
nation’s levees
14 million people
live behind
14,000 miles
of Corps
levees
2,000
10,830
2,030
Federally owned & operated (Army Corps of Engineers)
10,000
Federally constructed (Army Corps), locally operated
Local levees enrolled in Rehabilitation & Inspection Program
100,000
Estimated other federal levees
Estimated other state, local, and private levees
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
6 of 14
WRDA 2007 – Congress created the
National Committee on Levee Safety
“The committee shall develop recommendations for a
National Levee Safety Program, including a strategic plan for
implementation of the program.”
– Federal, state, local/regional government and private
sector representatives
– Includes expertise in:
•
•
•
•
Engineering
Levee operation
Law and policy
Public administration
– Further expertise and feedback on development
of recommendations provided via Review Team
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
7 of 14
Vision for Levee Safety in the U.S.
An involved public and
reliable levee systems
working as part of
an integrated approach
to protect people and property
from floods.
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
8 of 14
20 Recommendations
in 3 Main Categories
National
Levee Safety
Program
Comprehensive
and
Consistent
Leadership
Strong Levee
Safety Programs
in all States
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
Aligned
Federal
Programs
9 of 14
Recommendations for a National Levee Safety Program
Implementation
Phase of Work
Comprehensive and Consistent National Leadership
1. Establish a National Levee Safety Commission
2. Expand and Maintain the National Levee Database
3. Adopt a Hazard Potential Classification System
4. Develop & Adopt National Levee Safety Standards
5. Develop Tolerable Risk Guidelines
6. Change “Certification” to “Compliance Determination”
7. Require Peer Review of Levee Compliance Determinations
8. Swiftly Address Emerging Levee Liability Issues
9. Develop & Implement a Public Involvement and Education/Awareness Campaign
10. Provide Technical Materials and Technical Assistance
11. Develop a National Levee Safety Training Program
12. Harmonize Safety and Environmental Concerns
13. Conduct a Research & Development Program
Phase I
Phase I
Phase I
Phase II
Phase II and III
Phase I
Phase I
Phase I
Phase I and II
Phase II
Phase II
Phase II
Phase II
Building and Sustaining Levee Safety Program in All States
14. Design and Delegate Program Responsibilities to States
15. Establish a Levee Safety Grant Program
16. Establish the National Levee Rehabilitation, Improvement, and Flood Mitigation Fund
Phase II
Phase II
Phase II
Aligning Existing Federal Programs
17. Explore potential incentives and disincentives for good levee behavior
18. Risk-Based Flood Insurance in Leveed Areas
19. Augment FEMA’s Mapping Program
20. Align FEMA’s Community Rating System to Reward Safety Programs that Exceed Requirements
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
Phase II
Phase I
Phase I
Phase I
10 of 14
Six Key Activities
of National Levee Safety Program
1. One-time comprehensive inventory and
inspection of levees and maintain a
comprehensive National Levee Database
2. Develop model state levee safety program
and incentives to adopt it
3. Establish Levee Rehabilitation,
Improvement, & Flood Mitigation Fund so
qualified states and communities can reduce
significant flood risk and improve public
safety
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
11 of 14
Six Key Activities
of National Levee Safety Program
4. Develop model national levee safety
standards and encourage federal agencies,
states, and communities to adopt standards
appropriate to their region and needs
5. Align federal programs for incentivizing
state programs and appropriate investments
in levees and leveed areas
6. Understand and address liability concerns
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
12 of 14
Program Governance & Structure
National Levee Safety
Commission
(or Advisory Board)
Federal Interagency
Committee on Levee Safety
Program Administrator
and support staff
Standing Committees
State Programs
Public Involvement
& Education
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
Safety & the
Environment
Technical Matters
13 of 14
Thank you
www.leveesafety.org
Questions
An Involved Public and Reliable Levee Systems
14 of 14