Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards.

FEMA has recently released a new document for communities considering how to plan for and adapt to natural hazards.   The Mitigation Ideas includes some material relevant to Vermont.

Follow the link here: Mitigation Ideas: A Resource for Reducing Risk to Natural Hazards. to download the .pdf.

Flood Insurance Information for Washington County - Handout 2013

Information online:      vtfpm.blogspot.com

Map online:                  tinyurl.com/vt-atlas

A new Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) will become in effect in Washington County on March 19, 2013.  This is an important time to review the map to identify the risks to your home or structure and to understand your flood insurance options and requirements.  Structures that will be identified as being in the Special Flood Hazard Area for the first time may benefit by getting flood insurance now before the new map goes into effect.

The cost of flood insurance in high risk areas (Special Flood Hazard Areas mapped as Zone A or Zone AE) currently costs around $1,400 per year for a $170,000 structure.  Flood insurance in low or moderate risk areas (Zone X, C, B) costs less.  Additionally, most structures in Zone X or C may be able to secure flood insurance as a “Preferred Risk Policy” (PRP) for around $400.

Suggested Actions:

1.  This week - Is your home is in Zone A or AE on the new DFIRM?   (tinyurl.com/vt-atlas)

Is your home in Zone A or AE on the current FIRM? (www.msc.fema.gov)

2. By early February - If your structure will be identified as being in a high risk area (Zone A or AE) in March – but is not currently – then you may be able to get a low cost PRP policy now and renew it (at least twice) before the insurance premium is raised step-wise to the full actuarial cost.

3. If your structure is in a Zone X (or Shaded Zone X) flood insurance may still be important to protect the value of your structure from the impact of overland flow or flooding-caused erosion.

4.  Talk to your homeowner’s insurance agent to secure flood insurance.

5. If you have a flood insurance policy that is not at full actuarial rate – don’t drop coverage!

6.      If your structure is in a high flood risk area – identify options (such as elevation) to reduce the risk of damage and the cost of flood insurance.

Flood Maps:

Vermont Natural Resource Atlas tinyurl.com/vt-atlas now has the Washington County DFIRM data available (find under Watershed Protection and Special Flood Hazard Areas (Preliminary).  

FEMA Map Service Center  www.msc.fema.gov  has current and historic FIRM maps - look under Product Catalog  The current maps have a white background.

 The municipal office has paper copies of the current FIRM and digital copies of the upcoming DFIRM.

 Contacts

Vermont Rivers Program   www.vtwaterquality.org   

Watershed Management Div. /Dept. of Environmental Conservation/Agency of Natural Resources

Floodplain and River Corridor Program Blog  vtfpm.blogspot.com

Ned Swanberg  ned.swanberg@state.vt.us     802.490.6160

If you send a request to Ned, he can make a map of the area near your home showing a rough version of the current “Q3” and new (3/19/13 DFIRM) mapped boundaries of the Special Flood Hazard Area.

Links and Resources 

Flood Insurance Information:  www.floodsmart.gov

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) identifies Special Flood Hazard Areas labeled as Zone A, AE, AO, A 1- 30.    The DFIRM is a new officially “digital” version of a FIRM.

How to Make a FIRMette (how to make a map of the current FIRM data).

Preferred Risk Policy (PRP)  Flood insurance option for low to moderate risk areas without a history of flood claims. 

Elevation Certificate (EC) – is stamped by a surveyor or engineer and documents the elevation of the lowest floor of a structure.

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is completed by a surveyor or engineer to describe the location of the structure (or an area including the structure) relative to the mapped flood hazard.  MT-EZ: Application Form for Single Residential Lot or Structure Amendments to National Flood Insurance Program Maps    Online LOMC tool: www.fema.gov/online-lomc

Cheaper Flood Insurance – Five Ways to Reduce Premiums – recommendations on reducing the impact of flooding on structures and their contents.

Community Rating System (CRS) – A National Flood Insurance Program initiative to discount

Pre-FIRM designates structures that were built before the community joined the National Flood Insurance Program.  Pre-FIRM structures are rated as a group against the risk to the group.

Summary of Map Actions (SOMA) was sent to each municipality and identifies how the new DFIRM will effect the recognized zone of a structure with a LOMA or letter of map change.

Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 – made significant changes to the insurance component of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) with the intent of making the program financially sound.  This Act has begun a process of changes to cause flood insurance rates to approach actuarial rates.

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service - National Weather Service

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

Washington County – Do new maps show your Home in a Flood Hazard Area for the First Time?

The Washington County Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) will become effective on March 19, 2013.   This is an important time to look at your flood insurance needs.

If your structure is in the Special Flood Hazard Area for the first time (please see the earlier blog post “Washington County - New Flood Map Effective March 2013” ) then you should get flood insurance well before the map change to benefit from a more gradual change in insurance costs.

As a structure that is now in a Zone X (outside the Special Flood Hazard Area) your structure will probably qualify for the most favorable terms of a Preferred Risk Policy.  A Preferred Risk Policy is intended to cover the structure and contents from damage from overland flooding in areas that are not high risk areas.

The Preferred Risk Policy can be renewed on an annual basis twice after the effective date for the new Washington County DFIRM.  At the end of that period the actuarial rate of flood insurance for the structure will be determined and the cost of insurance will increase step-wise until the premium is at full actuarial rates for the correct risk zone.

In 2012 the Biggert-Waters Act made a number of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program.  Most of the changes are intended to eliminate subsides so as to cover the actual operating costs of the NFIP, and therefore flood insurance premiums are expected to increase.  The implementation of the B-W12 legislation is being phased in over the next few years.

During this period of map change there is still an opportunity to take advantage of the Preferred Risk Policy and PRP Extension.   To secure the PRP it would be best to have the insurance agent deposit the payment at least 30 days before the effective date of the new map.  Since the date of the new map in Washington County is March 19, 2013 - a PRP policy should be secured by early February.

 Existing Letters of Map Change

If your home or site has a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) you should check on what the effect of the new map will be.  Most LOMAs will continue to be valid; however other LOMAs will be affected by the new data and will no longer be valid.   Every municipality in Washington County has been provided with a Summary of Map Actions (SOMA) to identify how the new DFIRM will act on existing Letters of Map Change. 

Copies of LOMCs since 1997 are available online at the FEMA Map Service Center.

If your structure is currently out- by-letter but will be identified as in the Special Flood Hazard Area when maps become official in March,you should take advantage of the PRP option, too.

Contact your community Zoning Administrator for more information on the effect of the map, or, contact VT DEC with your LOMC Case Id number or street address.

Do you need Flood Insurance?

Perhaps, and it may be critical.  The Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map provides key information about exposure of locations to damage from inundation.  However flooding and flooding-related erosion damage occurs in many areas that are not well studied or mapped.

Your homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover damage caused by the overland flow of water.  Damage from this kind of impact is only covered by flood insurance.  Wet basements impacted by groundwater levels can be carried as a special rider on your homeowner’s policy.  Ask your insurance agent about these.

Aside from the legal requirements regarding mortgages and flood insurance, flood damage can and does occur more widely.  Damage from flooding can occur outside of the Special Flood Hazard Area when there are larger floods than the size that is mapped.  Overland flow can occur in Zone X for many reasons including local watershed changes, storm water management problems, failure of culverts, dams, ice jamming, and simple unstudied risk. 

Over 500 structures in Washington County will no longer be mapped as in a Special Flood Hazard Area after March 2013.  Flood insurance is still available to any structure in Washington County, however structures located in a Zone X will benefit from lower available flood insurance premiums. Confirm the flood zone of your home on the new Washington County DFIRM and then contact your insurance agent for more information. 

Washington County - New Flood Map Effective March 2013

If your home or structure is in or near a flood hazard area, it is at risk of damage from flooding.  The most up to date maps of  inundation risk in Washington County can now be viewed on the Vermont Natural Resource Atlas.

In Washington County, the extent of the mapped flood hazard area has changed in some locations, and some areas have been newly identified as exposed to flooding.  A structure that has been identified as being in a Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone A, AE, or AO) for the first time may benefit by buying flood insurance now before the map change on March 19, 2013.   Flood insurance may currently be available as a low cost Preferred Risk Policy and later increase to full actuarial cost (please see the blog post “Washington County – Home Identified as in Flood Hazard Area for the First Time?).

Federal law requires lenders to be sure that mortgages on structures in the flood hazard area are insured for their known flood risk.  Currently an average flood insurance policy in a flood hazard area in Vermont has a premium of around $1,400 per year for $170,000 in value. 

DFIRM Data

On the Vermont Natural Resources Atlas, the current Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) data is posted for Chittenden, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor Counties as well as several municipalities (Hardwick, Jay, Montgomery, Stowe, and Wolcott).  The Atlas also has Preliminary DFIRM data for Bennington County (9/24/11) and Washington County (final as of 9/19/2012).

Current and Non-DFIRM Data

In most parts of Vermont the extent of the mapped flood hazard areas can be identified by going to the FEMA Map Service Center. The FEMA Map Service Center hosts current and historical Flood Insurance Rate Maps.  Most of the maps are not officially digital and are shown against white paper backgrounds. 

To make a “FIRMette” map from the FEMA Map Service Center follow these instructions. 

What Flood Zone is Your Home In?

If your structure is clearly in the flood hazard area on the new/upcoming Washington County DFIRM map – but is not currently in the mapped hazard zone – you may benefit from buying flood insurance now before the map change.    The Special Flood Hazard Area on the new DFIRM is labeled as Zone A, AE, or AO.   Areas shown as Zone X are not in the Special Flood Hazard Area (these areas may have unstudied and unmapped flood risks).

To confirm that your structure is currently out will require measuring the distance from a local landmark (such as an intersection you can find on the FIRMette) to the lowest and most exposed corner of the structure nearest the mapped flood hazard.  Plot this location on the FIRMette to find out whether any part of the structure is in the current mapped flood hazard area (expiring in March).

Flood insurance can be secured from the agent that handles your homeowners insurance.  

In Washington County, informational meetings regarding flood insurance are currently being scheduled.  Watch this space for updates.

For more information on the maps and map change contact VTDEC

                                                                                         

Vermont Natural Resource Atlas

These times, they are a changin'

As the change to fall can no longer be in doubt, especially with flurries falling already, we have been having some of our own big changes going on as well.  

The biggest change that we have seen is the addition of two new floodplain managers to supplement the work that Rebecca Pfeiffer has been doing on a statewide basis.  We are happy to introduce Sacha Pealer, covering central Vermont and Joshua Carvajal, covering southern Vermont, as our new Floodplain Managers, while Rebecca will be taking northern Vermont.  To see the regions and communities that each floodplain manager will be covering, you can see our Floodplain Regions map on our Flood Hazard Management website (see below on the website domain change).


A second change that some people may have heard about in local Vermont news is the big move for some of the staff of the Agency of Natural Resources in early October.  After Irene flooded the Waterbury State Office Complex, which included most of the centralized ANR offices, the majority of ANR staff has been scattered about in various office spaces around Washington & Chittenden Counties.  The ultimate goal, though, was to move the ANR centralized offices to the National Life building located in Montpelier which other VT State Agencies call home, including VTrans, the Secretary of State's office & the Agency of Commerce & Community Development.  The Rivers Program staff that had been located in Waterbury was part of the first ANR staff to move into our new office space at National Life.  So while you may not have seen too many changes on the outside, there have been some moves and adjustments as we all settle into our new spaces and roles.

Another change for everyone to be aware of is that our website address will also be changing.  About 1 year ago, the VT Water Quality Division was reorganized and renamed the VT Watershed Management Division (WSMD) which provides for the comprehensive management of Wetlands, Rivers, and Lakes. The WSMD also supports the integrity of surface waters by administering programs to regulate wastewater discharges and stormwater runoff.  Our old website domain was listed as vtwaterquality.org, while the new WSMD domain is http://watershedmanagement.vt.gov.  The specific link to the Rivers Program Flood Hazard Management website is now:

http://watershedmanagement.vt.gov/rivers/htm/rv_floodhazard.htm

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sandy's On Her Way

It looks like we may be spared the same type of flooding that we had seen during Tropical Storm Irene, but the magnitude of damage experienced here in Vermont during Irene wasn't quite expected, either.  At least one thing that that is different from Irene is the level of awareness of the storm and the preparations that people are making that didn't seem to be as prevalent as we were waiting for Irene to make landfall.  Also, in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, many  people took advantage of FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds to have their floodprone property acquired by the community.  This should hopefully reduce any flood damages to homes and property that may result from Hurricane Sandy.

Additional information about preparing for a storm and other important Vermont-specific links can be found on Vermont Emergency Management's website - http://vem.vermont.gov/  

You can keep an eye on the streamflow conditions throughout Vermont at the US Geologic Survey's site and you can track Sandy's movement at the National Weather Service site, or Vermont Public Radio's site, too.

There are already reports of the impacts from storm surge affecting parts of NYC (to learn more about storm surge, visit NOAA's site  that includes an animated demonstration of how storm surge works.)

If there is any additional information regarding flooding in Vermont, we will be sure to post here.  Also, see our "Links to Important Documents" page for more resources.