Floodplain Management Floodplain Management CourseCourse

F FEMA – Higher Education EMA – Higher Education

Module 1: Floodplain Management -- Bob Freitag, CFMModule 1: Floodplain Management -- Bob Freitag, CFMModule 2: Stream Systems on Dynamic Earth – Donald Reichmuth, Module 2: Stream Systems on Dynamic Earth – Donald Reichmuth, PhD, PEPhD, PEModule 3: Biological Landscape: The River as Habitat -- Module 3: Biological Landscape: The River as Habitat -- Susan Susan Bolton, PhD, PEBolton, PhD, PEModule 4: Risks to human settlements – Larry Larson, CFM, PE Module 4: Risks to human settlements – Larry Larson, CFM, PE and and Rod Emmer, PhD, CFMRod Emmer, PhD, CFMModule 5: Policy History (rivers as a legal battleground) -- Module 5: Policy History (rivers as a legal battleground) -- Elliot Elliot Mittler, PhDMittler, PhDModule 6: Exercise – Bob Freitag, CFMModule 6: Exercise – Bob Freitag, CFM

Module One: IntroductionModule One: Introduction Lenses from which we view floodplains and Lenses from which we view floodplains and

provide overall managementprovide overall management

Session 1Session 1Course IntroductionCourse Introduction

Objectives:Objectives:• Provide an integrated and comprehensive Provide an integrated and comprehensive

view of Floodplains from four perspectives.view of Floodplains from four perspectives.• Offer opportunities for applying knowledge to Offer opportunities for applying knowledge to

real case studies.real case studies.• Give practice will the development of Give practice will the development of

management strategies that will result in the management strategies that will result in the least adverse impact.least adverse impact.

• Enhance the No Adverse Impact (NAI) Enhance the No Adverse Impact (NAI) initiativeinitiative. .

Four Functions of a FloodplainFour Functions of a FloodplainThat will be addressed within this That will be addressed within this

coursecourse

• Receives, holds and transports excess waterReceives, holds and transports excess water– Importance SecondaryImportance Secondary– Acts Sporadically Over Short PeriodsActs Sporadically Over Short Periods

• Receives, holds, contributes and transports Receives, holds, contributes and transports erosional debriserosional debris– Most ImportantMost Important– Acts Over Long PeriodsActs Over Long Periods

• Receives, holds, contributes and transports Receives, holds, contributes and transports chemicalschemicals

• Receives and manufactures nutrients/energyReceives and manufactures nutrients/energy – Necessary to sustain lifeNecessary to sustain life– Provides habitat Provides habitat

Four dimensions of river Four dimensions of river ecosystemsecosystems

Module Two Module Two Stream Systems on Dynamic Earth Stream Systems on Dynamic Earth

Session 2Session 2 Effects of Tectonics, Geology & Effects of Tectonics, Geology & Glaciation on Glaciation on Stream Systems -- The Stream Systems -- The Production of SedimentProduction of Sediment

Session 3Session 3 Meteorological Framework -- The Meteorological Framework -- The Production of Production of WaterWater

Session 4Session 4 Biologic Framework – The History of Biologic Framework – The History of Land Use Land Use and the Utilization of and the Utilization of Resources Resources

Session 5Session 5 In-Channel & Out-Of-Channel ProcessesIn-Channel & Out-Of-Channel ProcessesSession 6Session 6 River Corridor ManagementRiver Corridor ManagementSession 7Session 7 Class project Class project

(Exercise/evaluation/discussion)(Exercise/evaluation/discussion)

Floodplain DefinitionFloodplain Definition

That portion of a Drainage Basin that is covered by That portion of a Drainage Basin that is covered by Transported Sediment Transported Sediment that was deposited in or near a stream channel. that was deposited in or near a stream channel.

That portion that receives, holds, contributes and transports erosional That portion that receives, holds, contributes and transports erosional debrisdebris

Module ThreeModule ThreeBiological Landscape: The River as HabitatBiological Landscape: The River as Habitat

Session 8Session 8 Introduction to Ecological Principles and Introduction to Ecological Principles and Ecoregions Ecoregions

Session 9Session 9 Stream and River EcologyStream and River EcologySession 10Session 10 Water QualityWater QualitySession 11Session 11 The effects of land use/land cover changes The effects of land use/land cover changes

on stream ecologyon stream ecologySession 12Session 12 Management and restoration of river Management and restoration of river

corridors and floodplainscorridors and floodplainsSession 13Session 13 Perform analysis of the ecosystem of the Perform analysis of the ecosystem of the

watershed to determine water watershed to determine water needs of needs of living organisms. living organisms. (Exercise, evaluation, (Exercise, evaluation, discussion)discussion)

Session 14Session 14 Open SessionOpen Session

Floodplain DefinitionFloodplain Definition

That portion of a river corridor that receives and manufactures nutrients/energy and provides habitat.

River continuum conceptual diagramRiver continuum conceptual diagram

Module FourModule FourRisks to human settlementsRisks to human settlements

Session 15Session 15 What is a hazard?What is a hazard?

Session 16Session 16 What is risk? What is risk?

Session 17Session 17 Floodplain managementFloodplain management

Session 18Session 18 Mitigating flood losses Mitigating flood losses

Session 19Session 19 Mitigation ProgramsMitigation Programs

Session 20Session 20 The many faces of floods. The many faces of floods.

(Exercise/evaluation/discussion)(Exercise/evaluation/discussion)

Definition of a FloodplainDefinition of a Floodplain

A 100 year floodplain is an are along a water course that is normally dry but has a one percent change of becoming wet in any single year.An area that receives, holds and transports excess water

Floodplain MapFloodplain Map

Picture of Flood Insurance Rate Map Panel, Lake Charles, LA showing the new FIRM format.

Module FiveModule Five Policy History (rivers as a legal Policy History (rivers as a legal

battleground)battleground)

Session 21Session 21 Public Policy in the American Federal Public Policy in the American Federal System – System – An OverviewAn Overview

Session 22Session 22 Federal PoliciesFederal PoliciesSession 23Session 23 State PoliciesState PoliciesSession 24Session 24 Local PoliciesLocal PoliciesSession 25Session 25 Special Districts and Landowners Special Districts and Landowners Session 26Session 26 Policy Integration – Policy Integration –

(Exercise/evaluation/discussion).(Exercise/evaluation/discussion).Session 27Session 27 Open sessionOpen session

Floodplain as a Battle ground.

Run off east and west of the Mississippi RiverRun off east and west of the Mississippi River

Module SixModule Six (Exercise/discussion evaluation) (Exercise/discussion evaluation)

• Offer an opportunity to apply Offer an opportunity to apply knowledge learned from each knowledge learned from each perspective to a specific problem.perspective to a specific problem.

• Expand the list of “No Adverse Expand the list of “No Adverse Impact” (NAI) examples.Impact” (NAI) examples.

Flood, Comite River, Flood, Comite River, LouisianaLouisiana

Picture of the Comite River, Louisiana in Flood Source: T. Davison 1983

Interpretive markerInterpretive marker

PP1-1. Kootowis- Staghorn Fisheries Restoration project Information (BC Canada). -

Floodplain Management Floodplain Management Course offered the Fall Course offered the Fall

Quarter of 2004Quarter of 2004

8346 URBDP 598 I SPECIAL TOPICS 8346 URBDP 598 I SPECIAL TOPICS MW 400-520 MW 400-520 Gould HallGould Hall 442 442

bfreitag@u.washington.edubfreitag@u.washington.edu

Floodplain definitionsFloodplain definitions• Physical perspective -- “A floodplain is that portion of a Physical perspective -- “A floodplain is that portion of a

drainage basin that is covered by stream transported drainage basin that is covered by stream transported sediment (Transported Sediment) that was deposited in sediment (Transported Sediment) that was deposited in or near a stream channel.” or near a stream channel.”

• Risk perspective -- “A floodplain is an area that is Risk perspective -- “A floodplain is an area that is normally dry that has a 1% chance of becoming wet in normally dry that has a 1% chance of becoming wet in any given year.” any given year.”

• Biological perspective – “Floodplain is the area adjacent Biological perspective – “Floodplain is the area adjacent to a river that is periodically covered with water. It is to a river that is periodically covered with water. It is part of the lateral dimension of rivers and contributes to part of the lateral dimension of rivers and contributes to the interchange of materials between terrestrial the interchange of materials between terrestrial components and aquatic components of the watershed.”components and aquatic components of the watershed.”

• Policy Perspective: “A floodplain is any land area Policy Perspective: “A floodplain is any land area susceptible to being inundated by waters from any susceptible to being inundated by waters from any source, and often bears geophysical evidence of previous source, and often bears geophysical evidence of previous flood events. The term is sometimes loosely used as an flood events. The term is sometimes loosely used as an equivalent to the regulated floodplain."equivalent to the regulated floodplain."