Arid Regions Policy Committee
Agenda
Tuesday October 1, 2013
9:00 – 10:00 AM Pacific Standard Time
Dial-in number: 1-712-432-1500; Access Code: 872253#
(9 AM PST, 10 AM MST, 11 AM CST, 12 Noon EST)
1. Introductions and Welcome – roll call by state to identify new participants.
2. Brief summary of highlights from the 13th Arid Regions Conference in Arizona October 15-18.
a. What worked/ what didn’t
b. Is the approach of using sponsor chapters sustainable?
c. Next steps post conference.
3. Status of federal programs post federal government hold, WRDA bill and others relative to floodplain management. New PTS contractor advertisement status.
4. Status of Arid Regions committee Work Plan for 2013. (Bob & Jeanne)
5. Review of NFIP minimum standards and recommendations of higher standards for Arid Region communities schedule (Steve Dolan)
6. Identify action Items.
7. Next meeting date December 3, 2013.
1.0 Overview
The primary mission of the Arid Regions Committee is to provide policy guidance and support of Arid Regions floodplain management issues to foster reduction of future losses, costs, and human suffering caused by flooding. Historically, this committee has influenced FEMA’s Flood Mapping Program through education and outreach in the arid areas. This has been accomplished through forwarding local Arid Regions floodplain concerns to ASFPM for actions, disseminating ASFPM policies and questions to local floodplain decision makers for action, and sharing information between communities in the Arid Regions.
Committee co-chairs:
Bob Davies
Jeanne Ruefer with Tetra Tech, Inc.
Liaisons:
No Liaisons at this time.
Active members:
Anthony Barry, Siavash Beik, Robert Bezek, Ashley Couch, ?, Bob Davies, Mark Forrest, Jon Fuller, Teri George, Ann Moynihan, Tim Murphy, Linda Potter, Jeanne Ruefer, ?, Alisa Sauvageot, Valerie Swick, Tom Walker, Massoud Rezakhani Others?
2.0 Task Outline
2.1 On-going work items (see Table):
1. Participate in ASFPM Policy Committee Conference Calls and Retreat.
2. Attend Policy Committee Chair Meeting at the annual conference and hold an annual Arid Regions Committee meeting.
3. Organize and Facilitate Regular (monthly) Committee Conference Calls.
4. Prepare Annual Reports and Develop Work Plans.
2.2 Work items for the 2013/2014 Year (see separate Task Summary Sheets):
A major task the committee members executed in 2011-2012 was to develop an Arid Regions Issue Work plan survey, distribute the survey to ASFPM members who had expressed an interest in the Arid Regions Committee. As a result of executing this survey it was recommended to the committee members at the annual meeting in San Antonio that these top 3 priority issues as identified from the survey be the primary issues the Committee works on to begin with. All present concurred.
The following work items are either ongoing from last year (items 1 and 2) or are new work items to be considered for 2013 – 2014. The Committee intends to begin and/or or continue work on at least one of the priority Arid Issues this year and is committed to identify sub-tasks to initiate evaluation and progress of those efforts.
1. Continue Planning and execution for the next Arid Regions Conference in October 2013.
2. Continue Conference Calls/meetings Regarding Alluvial Fan Issues Working Group.
3. Coordinate with the Executive Office to clarify roles and responsibilities and requirements for conducting future Arid Regions Triennial conferences.
4. Review NFIP regulations and recommend appropriate higher standards for arid regions. (Issue 1)
5. Research and make recommendations for analyzing hydrology and hydraulics in arid regions projects. (Issue 2)
6. Research and recommend tools and techniques for communicating the risks related to erosion. (Issue 3)
7. Poll parties which prioritized top 3 issues to confirm continued interest and support in ongoing efforts to address issue concerns, and contribute to those causes.
2.3 Parking Lot of work items for the future:
The following list of work items was discussed at the annual meeting in San Antonio at the Arid Regions Committee meeting – May 2012. This list of items will be reviewed one by one, and decide whether to add new items, leave/delete or embellish each item for consideration in upcoming or future work plans. Some items may be of a similar nature and could be combined. How do these items support the ASFPM Board national policy goals?
a. Higher regulatory standards, including environmental considerations.
b. People are very wary of influencing economic development (Pioneer Attitude).
c. Updates with Risk Map, Hydrology.
d. Alluvial fan issues. Get consensus on state of practice for delineations.
e. Clearly identify why Arid Regions floodplain management concerns are different. Political? Property values higher as we get near waterways.
f. Irrigation ditches – Clean Water Act, stormwater. Discussions are ongoing regarding how roadway v-ditches may become jurisdictional.
g. Levee-like structures, canal stability issues.
h. LAMP (Levee Analysis and Mapping Approach) - There has been little discussion of alluvial fan flooding and Zone D SFHA application. Doug Bellamo from FEMA should be coming out with Zone D guidelines soon.
i. Better guidance is needed regarding vegetation growing or not growing on levee or levee-like structures and how this is related to channel stability.
j. There still are many maps which do not realistically reflect flooding.
k. If the engineering community could get FEMA to accept residual risk, it would really help with risk and Zone D issues.
l. Actuarial versus change policy
m. Over time old channels are getting smaller with development and weathering, causing an increase in overbank flooding. Awareness should be raised regarding this concern
Ongoing Work Items
Task Name / Task Leader / Approx Hrs to complete / Detailed Task DescriptionConference Calls & Committee Retreat / Bob Davies/
Jeanne Ruefer / 44 hours / A co-chair or the liaison should attend all conference calls and one of co-chairs should attend the conference retreat.
Annual Conference / Bob Davies/
Jeanne Ruefer / 16 hours / Prepare for the policy committee co-chairs meeting, the Arid Regions committee meeting, and optional ‘early bird’ arid topic meeting. Prepare notes of annual meeting for distribution.
Committee Coordination and Conference Calls / Bob Davies/
Jeanne Ruefer / 80 hours / Organize and facilitate regular monthly conference calls with active committee members (hours assume both co-chairs participating, 90% of 12 calls per year, and prep/post meeting tasks)
Prepare Annual Reports and Develop Work Plans. / Bob Davies/
Jeanne Ruefer / 40 hours / Prepare annual progress report and solicit committee feedback to establish workplan tasks for upcoming year.
2013-2014 Work Items
2.2.1
Task Title: Continue Planning and execute the next Arid Regions Conference in October 2013. / Task Leader: Mark Forrest and Conference Planning CommitteeASFPM Goal # Cross Reference –
Approximate Start/End Date:
5/2012 – 10/2013 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete:
60 hours
Detailed Task Description: Have regular conference calls to organize planning for conference. Develop Call for Papers. Review papers and develop tracks. Report progress. Request help as needed.
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Conducting regular planning conference calls.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task: Arid Region Chapters, including Arizona, California/Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Oklahoma, Texas, Oregon/Washington, Idaho.
Completion Schedule: Dates for milestones to be determined. Conference will be held in October 2013.
Deliverables: World class conference program.
Other Necessary Support or Resources: Use of ASFPM web page for announcements.
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: N/A
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: B. Davies/J. Ruefer / Approved By/ Date:
2.2.2
Task Title:Continue Conference Calls Regarding Alluvial Fan Issues Working Group. / Task Leader: Doug Hamilton/Ann Moynihan
ASFPM Goal # Cross Reference –
Approximate Start/End Date:
5/2012 – 12/2013 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete: 80
Detailed Task Description: Have regular conference calls or periodic meetings (established frequency and locations to meet main participants sched and avail) to identify what is working and what is not regarding alluvial fan technical and regulatory concerns. Decide priority of what concerns should be addressed.
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Two organizational calls, set up periodic meetings and/or calls, set up agenda.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task: Mapping and Engineering Stds, Insurance.
Completion Schedule: Ongoing until committee dissolves.
Deliverables: TBD. Committee plans to report out status at the October 2013 Arid Regions Conference Meeting in a panel discussion.
Other Necessary Support or Resources: ???
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: (Does The Task Require Board Approval?) no
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: B. Davies/J. Ruefer / Approved By/ Date:
2.2.3
Coordinate with Executive Office to clarify roles, responsibilities and requirements for conducting future Arid Regions conferences. / Task Leader: Jeanne Ruefer/Bob Davies
ASFPM Goal # Cross Reference –
Approximate Start/End Date:
9/2013 to 6/2014 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete: 20
Detailed Task Description: Working with Ingrid, Chad and others, create a memorandum of understanding that clearly describes the EO and Arid Regions Committee’s roles, responsibilities and requirements for planning and carrying out future Arid Regions conferences, including the use of ASFPM tools and logo to advertise
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Arrange a conference call between the committee co-chairs, Siavash, Chad & Ingrid (others?), to clarify the issues potential risks, and who should be involved.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task: Pod Coordinator Siavash, possibly other EO staff.
Completion Schedule: MOU prepared by Seattle conference, June 2014
Deliverables: MOU
Other Necessary Support or Resources: ???
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: (Does The Task Require Board Approval?) u
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: B. Davies/J. Ruefer / Approved By/ Date:
Approximate Start/End Date:
5/2012 – 5/2014 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete: 48
Detailed Task Description: To be determined.
Task Title: Review NFIP regulations and recommend appropriate higher standards for arid regions. / Task Leader: TBD
ASFPM Goal # Cross Reference – 2.0 REFINE EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO IMPROVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE NATION/Highest ranked arid issue survey task
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Get commitment from Arid Regions committee participants to participate and contribute to effecting assessment and progress on this task. Narrow the general goal to more specific and achievable sub-goals. Establish timeline for progress.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task: Floodplain Regulations, Map& Engr. Stds., NAI, Stormwater Management
Completion Schedule: 05/2014
Deliverables:
Other Necessary Support or Resources:
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: N/A
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: B. Davies/J. Ruefer / Approved By/ Date:
Note: The following issue is aligned to NFIP reform. The intent for considering work on this item is that through reviewing NFIP regulations relevant to Arid Regions issues, that specific higher standards may be recommended for communities to consider when adopting their ordinances.
2.2.4 (This work item is to be developed and refined)
Task Title: Research and make recommendations for analyzing hydrology and hydraulics in arid regions projects. / Task Leader: TBDASFPM Goal # Cross Reference -2.0 REFINE EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO IMPROVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE NATION/ Second highest ranked arid issue survey task
Approximate Start/End Date:
2013 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete: ??
Detailed Task Description: This work item will be addressed in presentations and panel discussions at the Arid Regions Conference.
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Get commitment from Arid Regions committee participants to participate and contribute to effecting assessment and progress on this task. Narrow the general goal to more specific and achievable sub-goals. Establish timeline for progress.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task:
Completion Schedule: October 2013
Deliverables:
Other Necessary Support or Resources:
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: (Does The Task Require Board Approval?)
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: / Approved By/ Date:
2.2.5 (This work item is to be developed and refined)
Task Title: Research and recommend tools and techniques for communicating the risks related to erosion. / Task Leader: Jon Fuller (interest tbd)ASFPM Goal # Cross Reference - 2.0 REFINE EXISTING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO IMPROVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE NATION/Third highest ranked arid issue survey task
Approximate Start/End Date:
2013 - 2014 / Approximate # Hrs to Complete: unknown
Detailed Task Description: solicit comments from other interested Policy Subcommittees on the existing draft Erosion Zone Paper . Organized a group of other people interested in identifying erosion zones to research what is being done at the local and state level and make recommendations to the ASFPM board.
Prerequisites Needed: (Activities That Need To Be Performed Before This Task Can Begin)
Get commitment from Arid Regions committee participants to participate and contribute to effecting assessment and progress on this task. Narrow the general goal to more specific and achievable sub-goals. Establish timeline for progress.
Other Policy Committees/entities to Engage for this Task: Mapping & Engineering, Natural and Beneficial Functions and Coastal
Completion Schedule: Nov 2013 – June 2014
Deliverables: Finalize the Erosion Zone Discussion Paper and evaluate need for White Paper.
Other Necessary Support or Resources:
Approximate Direct Cost to Complete: (Labor and Non-Labor)
Volunteer labor
Approval Process: (Does The Task Require Board Approval?)
Assumptions:
Prepared by/ Date: / Approved By/ Date: