Ivy Frances, CFM, CEM Chief, Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch FEMA Region One

Transcription

1 Ivy Frances, CFM, CEM Chief, Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch FEMA Region One

2 Where we are Today In recent years we spent billions of dollars on disasters So many flood claims have been paid that the NFIP is 20 billion dollars in debt

3 We have Maps Building regulations Mitigation Flood Insurance

4 We have Mitigation plans Recovery plans Master plans Comprehensive plans

5 Where we are So... With all this disaster relief funding and all the preparedness, plans and mitigation projects...

6 Where are we Are our communities more resilient?

7 In other words... Despite all these efforts, when we look into the next 10, 20 say 50 years - what is the picture you see? If another disaster struck would that town or city look the same, worse or better off?

8 Or can we envision a future where flood waters passes through town as a celebration of renewed life, a cleansing of the floodplain with deposition of woody debris for wildlife and nutrients for the next growing season? (Can you imagine that!!!)

9 History The first theory of geomorphology was devised by the Chinese scientist Shen Kuo ( AD). Around 1884 William Morris Davis devised the geographical cycle or cycle of erosion.

10 History Early 20 th century scientists begin systematic, direct, quantitative measurements of the landscape and investigating the scaling of these measurements. prediction of the past and future behavior of landscapes Quantitative geomorphology emerges

11 History Luna Leopold Management of water resources cannot be successful as long as it is naively perceived from an economic and political standpoint.

12 History Gilbert White Father of floodplain management Worked on natural hazards, particularly flooding, and the importance of sound water management

13 GEOMORPHOLOGY

14 Geomorphology Let s get a common understanding of what geomorphology is all about. Landscape scale Processes Dynamics Human influences Field Observations Physical Experiments Numerical Modeling

15 Fluvial Geomorphology Bedrock Sediment transport Deposition Human interactions

16 Coastal Geomorphology Dynamic interface between the ocean and the land Wave action Sediment movement Human impacts

17 Brief review the development of geomorphology So that we recognized our history as floodplain managers Provides common basis from which we work and associate with each other Understand that our predecessors overcome the status quo thinking that with which we have in common

18 This is our history It tells a story of courage Thinking outside the box Adding the undeniable human factor to its impact on the landscape

19 Next Steps So we have history We have the science We have the answer!?!?

20 Healthy urban streams have been recognized as a fundamental prerequisite to achieving sustainable management of our cities and fulfilling our imperative to maintain healthy aquatic ecosystems for future generations. United Nations General Assembly 1987

21 We reduce damages to increasingly frequent events, while increasing vulnerability to catastrophic events. Development in floodplains occurs at the expense of safety and efficiency,

22 Are we there yet? We need to infuse geomorphic elements in our plans and project designs to gain diversity of aquatic habitat, aka healthy streams Channel variability Grade changes Sediment storage and movement Erosion

23 Are we there yet? We involve biologists, wildlife scientists, botanists, fishery experts Not to review projects, but to design, discuss, incubate ideas that then become projects We move out of our silos We support each other We embrace chaos and become comfortable with being uncomfortable - stand up to the status quo

24 Are we there yet? We involve citizens We educate the public to make informed decisions not make decisions for them

25 As Practitioners Use science geomorphology is not experimental Educate ourselves and each other Understand and count ALL the benefits

26 Use adaptive management monitor, evaluate and change to meet success criteria

27 As Practitioners Have several options available and ready option A, option B, option Q... Draw a line in the sand push the pendulum back, like our floodplain heroes did.

28 Remain hopeful Take an action, a small step, and a smaller step yet Mentor a higher schooler, speak at the local science club, write a letter to the editor If we all take a small action they will add up

29 When you grew up what did you want to be? When I grow up I want to be a floodplain manager!

30 It ain t easy Structural solutions are easy: Visibly solves a problem Citizen trust structural projects Non structural solutions are not so easy: Can t see good ones (show someone a floodplain reconnection project!)

31 You Can discourage floodplains that look like a model With your help and helping each other we can bring geomorphology and other scientific disciplines back to planning, funding and implementation of projects that bring

32 Questions??????? Contact information: