| "The impacts from sea level rise, winds, waves, storm surge, tidal flooding, erosion and subsidence, tsunamis—each requires a different set of principles, policies, and tools to collectively address the impacts to the coastal floodplain." | |
| Pam Pogue, Association of State Floodplain Managers |
|
Even before the devastating hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast last summer, flood losses in the U.S. were increasing every decade. Policies of governments at all levels combined with market forces are just part of the complex equation leading to this disturbing trend.
But, according to the Association of State Floodplain Managers, it is a trend that does not have to continue. By changing development and planning practices and policies, and promoting and rewarding strong management and mitigation actions, flood losses throughout the nation—even along the shoreline—can be reduced.
No Adverse Impact (NAI) is a national policy initiative that calls for development and planning practices that protect the resiliency of floodplains as natural hazards buffers. The result is that the action of one property owner does not increase the flood risk of other property owners.
"NAI is not anti-development, but it assumes that the harm caused by construction
on neighboring properties and communities can no longer be ignored," says Pam
Pogue, chair of the 2005 Association of State Floodplain Managers board of
directors. "Construction anywhere in a watershed can increase the risk of flooding
to other properties, even those that have never flooded in
the past."
She adds, "The NAI approach promotes fairness, responsibility, community involvement, pre-flood planning, sustainability, and local land use management. Local governments must accept the responsibility to manage long-term floodplain risks."
As part of the initiative, the association has developed a toolkit that provides best practices, case studies on how these practices have been applied in communities across the country, a legal analysis, and other tools to help communities implement NAI.
The association is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to produce a coastal version of the NAI toolkit. The toolkit will provide information that can help coastal managers make sound management decisions to protect lives, economies, and the environment when a hurricane or other coastal-specific hazard does strike.
Flood Costs on the Rise
From the early 1900s to the year 2000, flood damages in the U.S. have increased sixfold, approaching $6 billion annually, according to an association white paper.
The paper goes on to note, "This occurred despite billions of dollars for structural flood control, and other structural and non-structural measures. We continue to intensify development within watersheds and floodplains, and do it in a manner where flood-prone or marginally protected structures are suddenly prone to damages because of the actions of others in and around the floodplain.
"The net result is that through our actions we are increasing damage and intensifying the flood risk in the nation’s floodplains. This current course is one that is not equitable to those whose property is impacted, and is a course that has shown to not be economically sustainable."
Anticipated Question
A question that quickly arises when discussing NAI, says Pogue, is "what is adverse impact?" Adverse impacts can include "increased flood stages, increased flood velocity, increased flows, or the increased potential for erosion and sedimentation," all occurring as a result of others’ actions, such as urbanization and development, filling wetlands and floodways, and destroying waterfront buffers.
"NAI can be implemented in many different ways," notes Pogue, who is also the natural hazards program manager for the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency. "The whole idea is not to create adverse impacts that affect neighboring properties. Successfully implementing NAI principles is best accomplished at the local level."
NAI principles, Pogue points out, can be incorporated into all ongoing local community activities, such as developing community land use plans and determining regulatory and policy language. Individual projects can be implemented, entire programs can be started or revised, and a community master plan can be prepared that addresses all activities that impact flooding within the floodplain.
Building Blocks
To help communities implement NAI principles, the association has developed an Internet-accessible toolkit. Considered a reference document, not a "how-to" manual, the toolkit identifies various tools and shows where more information can be obtained.
The toolkit features NAI principles, example policies, and programs and projects for association members and other government officials to use to address the impacts from natural disasters.
The toolkit features seven categories, or "building blocks." These are hazard identification and floodplain mapping, education and outreach, planning, regulations and development standards, mitigation, infrastructure, and emergency services.
"A community can choose to focus on one or all of these areas," Pogue says. "The objective is to tailor whatever building blocks are needed to result in the most effective outcome for the community."
Under each building block are "three levels of effort"—a basic level, a better level, and the NAI level. The "basic level" summarizes what is usually done to meet the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program or other state or federal rules. The "better level" lists floodplain management activities that usually do a better job than the basic at preventing or minimizing adverse impacts on other properties.
The recommended "NAI level" identifies the most effective ways under each building block to "protect everyone’s property and prevent increased flood problems."
Focusing on the Coast
While coastal resource managers may find the current toolkit useful, it does not address coastal-specific hazards.
"Coastal hazards are a bit more complicated," Pogue explains. "The impacts from sea level rise, winds, waves, storm surge, tidal flooding, erosion and subsidence, tsunamis—each requires a different set of principles, policies, and tools to collectively address the impacts to the coastal floodplain."
A coastal NAI toolbox has been drafted by the Association of State Floodplain Managers.
"What’s missing," says Pogue, "are very specific coastal case examples depicting the means to reduce the adverse impacts in coastal areas."
She adds, "We’re trying to reach out to coastal program managers to find state and local coastal zone examples that best address how to minimize these damages. As important, is the critical need to connect, at both local and state levels of government, the coastal zone management programs with the floodplain management programs in order to holistically reduce coastal flooding and other negative impacts resulting from natural disasters in the coastal zone."
For more information on the No Adverse Impact initiative and to view the NAI toolkit, point your browser to www.floods.org and click on the No Adverse Impact tab. For more information on NAI or the coastal version of the NAI toolkit, contact Alan Lulloff at the Association of State Floodplain Managers, (608) 274-0123, or Alan@floods.org. You may also contact Pam Pogue at (401) 462-7048, or pam.pogue@ri.ngb.army.mil. To provide case studies for the coastal NAI toolkit, please contact Douglas.Harper@noaa.gov.
