Interactive Flood Inundation Mapper Released for Waterbury

The USGS Flood Inundation Mapper now includes data for Waterbury Village, Vermont.   This web-based map tool allows you to see the extent of upcoming flooding based on flood predictions from the National Weather Service.

This is the first demonstration of the USGS Flood Inundation Mapper in Vermont and it will be particularly helpful in emergency situations.  The National Weather Service already has a NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service page for Waterbury that predicts how high the river will get (stage) and describes where the water will spread.  The new USGS Flood Inundation Mapper will work together with the NWS page to visually illustrate the buildings, roads and services that will be affected during specific flood events.

Zoom to Waterbury, Vermont and click on the triangle.

USGS has also released an updated study of flood hazards in Waterbury.  This new study uses fresh information about river flows and improved landscape information covering the area north of Main Street.   The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map in effect now used flood information up through 1998.

Flood maps for the Winooski River in Waterbury, Vermont, Scott Olson 2014: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2015–5077.  

On the Waterbury Flood Inundation Mapper – the extent of flooding at the 429 foot stage just exceeds the USGS calculation for the extent of the one percent annual chance flood.

In April 2015 Waterbury also received an independent study commissioned by the Lake Champlain Basin Program:

Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Floodplain Protection Activities in Waterbury, Vermont and Willsboro, New York, Lake Champlain Basin, U.S.A.R. Schiff, S. Bighinatti, E. Fitzgerald, N. Wahlund, D. Carlton, A. Church, J. Louisos, and B. Cote, Milone and MacBroom, Inc.; Fitzgerald Environmental Associates; Earth Economics, and DK Carlton and Associates. April 2015.

One page summary: Floodplain Management Economics Fact Sheet, Waterbury, Vermont.

This Lake Champlain Basin Program study looked at mapped flood hazards as well as trends affecting future flooding.  This thorough study was particularly attentive to the costs and benefits for communities like Waterbury to plan and create an affordable flood resilient future.

Public Meetings Will Explain New Flood Insurance Options Available to Washington County Property Owners

Washington County flood insurance questions will be addressed at five public meetings in Waterbury, Barre City, Northfield, Marshfield, and Montpelier.  The meetings will focus on newly revised flood hazard maps and the insurance options available for structures that may be affected by the updated designations.  Structures that have been identified for the first time as being at a high risk of damage by flooding may benefit by getting flood insurance now before the official map changes go into effect. 

The Washington County Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) will take effect on March 19, 2013.  In some places the boundaries of the flood hazard area have changed.  Where the flood hazard area is more extensive, flood insurance is available for residential structures as a low cost “Preferred Risk Policy” (PRP).  After the map change the PRP can be renewed twice before the insurance increases step-wise to the full cost.

The Washington County DFIRM data can be viewed online at the VT ANR Natural Resource Atlas: tinyurl.com/vt-atlas If your home is in the flood hazard area (Zone A or AE) for the first time then you may want to consider taking advantage of the Preferred Risk Policy (PRP) option before the March 19 2013 deadline.  More information is available at other posts on this blog: vtfpm.blogspot.com

Meetings to discuss insurance options are now scheduled for:

Tuesday January 8, 7 pm at Thatcher Brook Primary School, Waterbury

Thursday January 17, 7 pm Alumni Hall, Barre City

Tuesday January 22, 7 pm, Brown Public Library, Northfield

Thursday January 31, 7 pm, Old Schoolhouse Common, Marshfield

Tuesday February 5, 6 pm Memorial Room, City Hall, Montpelier

In Vermont in a high risk flood hazard area an average flood insurance policy currently costs around $1,400 per year for $170,000 in coverage.  Under the new DFIRM it is estimated that around 200 structures will be identified for the first time as being in the high risk zone.  Approximately 500 structures will no longer fall into a high risk area.  Flood insurance is available to any structure in a community that participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.  For more information on flood insurance contact the agent that manages your homeowner’s insurance or visit www.floodsmart.gov