International Liaison Committee

Jared Windhauser, CFM
URS Corporation
1000 Abernathy Rd., NE
Suite 900
Atlanta, GA 30328
678-808-8813 Fax: -8400
Jared_Windhauser@URSCorp.com

Adri Verwey
WL | Delft Hydraulics
P.O. Box 177
2600 MH Delft
The Netherlands
+31 15 285 89 25 Fax: -85 82
adri.verwey@wldelft.nl

Vacant

1. To serve as a welcoming committee for and provide technical assistance to international members.

2. To encourage ASFPM membership for international professionals.

3. To serve as a liaison with other international organizations.

4. To coordinate ASFPM grants for international projects.

Vision

Supporting the Mission, Goals, and Objectives of ASFPM...

We serve as a link to the World for exchanging ideas & experience on the wise-use of floodplains, water resources, and sustainable environments, promoting synthesis & understanding to lead us forward.

Links & Publications

Best Practices on Flood Prevention, Protection and Mitigation in the EU

ASFPM International Brochure April 2003 (.pdf 2.89 mb)

Posted 04-04-02: Floodplain Management and Mitigation in France

See the ASFPM/PADF flood warning project in Honduras.

Consider a Local and Community Level Disaster Risk Management Course.

Copan, Honduras: Tourism & Floods | Associated Maps (.pdf) Spanish Language

2007-2008 Goals and Objectives

INTERNAL FOCUS:-

1. Develop a vision and mission statement for the committee.

2. Work with ASFPM Foundation Outreach Committee to leverage knowledge and needs of International Committee.

3. Maintain contact through email/conference calls with interested members in order to interact and provide ideas.

EXTERNAL FOCUS:-

1. Continue to target national/international conferences where committee involvement will be welcomed.

2. Work to establish a comprehensive database of international contacts and skill sets, encouraging participation in ASFPM initiatives.

3. Continue to target international professionals to speak at upcoming conferences.

COMBINED FOCUS:-

1. Develop one strong grant proposal for future international work.

2. Develop and market international program for certifying floodplain managers.

3. Build on established relationship with IADB to pursue partnership on Latin America project.

2005 - 2006 Status Report

The International Committee made considerable contributions and progress in meeting our 2006-2007 goals and objectives. Noteworthy key points would be (1) the attendance of ASFPM Community and Outreach Coordinator and International Committee Co-Chair at the “First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High Level Authorities on Sustainable Development” Summit hosted by the Organization of American States in Santa Cruz, Bolivia; (2) Committee Chair Attendance at the Inter-American Development Bank Vendor Exposition in Washington, D.C.; (3) Spanish Translation of the Coastal NAI Handbook; (4) the first-ever International Track during our Annual ASFPM Conference in Norfolk, Virginia.

In order to establish sufficient interest for an International Track, the Committee Co-Chair maintained consistent and deliberate communications with potential international authors, companies and key players, resulting in 33 papers submitted for only 9 specific conference track slots within the program! Additional coordination took place between the Committee and the Conference Program Chair, plus supporting cast, for establishment of the International Track.

Below are additional comments regarding our Committee Status according to the previously established procedures of reporting, that is, upon the (1) Internal Focus; (2) External Focus; (3) Combined Focus.

INTERNAL FOCUS

1. DEVELOP A VISION and MISSION STATEMENT for the INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE

A draft statement has been prepared and will be discussed for vote and adoption at the Norfolk Conference during the Committee Meeting;

2. MAINTAIN CONTACT THROUGH EMAIL/CONFERENCE CALLS with INTERESTED MEMBERS in ORDER to INTERACT and PROVIDE IDEAS

Contact remains at acceptable levels based upon availability and need. Key members identified by Organization and Committee Leadership were contacted for potential involvement in future opportunities relating to the International Arena, such as a follow-up to the OAS/ASFPM initiative in Honduras following Hurricane Mitch. In addition, contacts were notified of potential opportunity through USAID follow-up in Bolivia. This effort is ongoing.

3. RESEARCH and SHOWCASE INTERNATIONAL “NAI” INITIATIVES for INCORPORATION into ASFPM STRATEGIES

Spanish translation of Coastal NAI was procured through ASFPM Executive Office. Outreach Coordinator of the Association, supported by International Committee Leadership discussed efforts and strategy for contacting IDB or BID, the Inter-American Development Bank, the PADF, or FUPAD, Pan-American Development Foundation, as well as the OAS, Organization of American States. The IMF, International Monetary Fund, World Bank (Banco Mundial) and other potential sponsors/interested partners were researched and analyzed for probable support, either monetarily or through other means, of the ASFPM vision, goals and objectives. These contacts and research continues today.

EXTERNAL FOCUS

4. CONTINUE to TARGET NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES WHERE COMMITTEE INVOLVEMENT WILL BE WELCOMED

The Committee has been represented at the “First Inter-American Meeting of Ministers and High Level Authorities on Sustainable Development” Summit hosted by the Organization of American States in Santa Cruz, Bolivia by Bruce Baird and Jared Windhauser, written about in a 2007 Edition of the Insider. Contacts with PADF, IDB, USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) and OAS are continuing.

5. DEVELOP & MAINTAIN A COMPREHENSIVE DATABASE of INTERNATIONAL CONTACTS and SKILLSETS, ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION in ASFPM INITIATIVES

The Committee prepared a spreadsheet and sent it out to members for the purpose of a “Skills Assessment Survey” in 2004. Information for more than 20 members is available and was updated in July 2005, then once again in 2006 as members who historically demonstrate Committee involvement asked to tailor resumes specifically for potential future work in Latin America. The Skill-set Survey serves to highlight the diverse capabilities and resources available through the Committee which is also useful in demonstrating diversity in capability to the outside world. The Skills Assessment is posted on the Committee’s web page, any who wish to add their names and skills should contact Committee Leadership.

6. TARGET INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONALS to SPEAK at UPCOMING CONFERENCES

In addition to targeting conferences where International Committee involvement is welcomed, the ASFPM Conference in Norfolk will see papers and perspectives offered from the international arena with anticipated attendance and presentations from Holland, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Poland, and more. This is largely due to the much appreciated and welcomed efforts of Mr. Adri Verwey of Delft Hydraulics who worked in conjunction with Committee Leadership over many long-distance phone calls, emails, illness and scheduling difficulties to arouse interest from most of the European submissions within the International Conference Track.

COMBINED FOCUS

7. DEVELOP ONE STRONG GRANT PROPOSAL for FUTURE INTERNATIONAL WORK

Future and continued discussions are expected to resume in the latter part of this year with the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance, Pan-American Development Foundation, Organization of American States, Inter-American Disaster Bank and other potential sponsors as appropriate and strategically approached for optimum efficiency and probability in successfully securing funding. The current strategy with respect to this work is not so much to focus upon any type of course offering or specific country/location, but first to adequately gather the Association’s key member credentials for developing an ASFPM “Statement of Qualifications” which is meant to demonstrate the range of capability. Initial phases of this development included contacting 12 ASFPM Members requesting revised bio/resumes, with response from 10 of them. Four areas of endeavour became focused upon: (1) Planning, (2) Project Management, (3) GIS/Remote Sensing and (4) Hydrological and Hydraulic Analysis. Foreign language fluency is an added plus.

Spanish would be considered most helpful currently as previous efforts centred on providing Technical Assistance in Latin America. The Statement of Qualifications is not yet complete and will be a prime focus of the International Committee in 2007-2008, working in support of and conjunction with the ASFPM Executive Office and Outreach Coordinator.

8. DEVELOP and MARKET INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM for CERTIFYING FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS

Years prior, a draft grant proposal for the development of an International Training and Certification Program has been written and presented to the ASFPM Foundation for funding. No funds have been provided at this time. The proposal may be submitted to other funding sources.

9. DEVELOP and MARKET BASIC FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT COURSE INTERNATIONALLY

No marketing effort has been pursued this past year.

Flood Standards in Foreign Countries

The paper discusses flood standards or “floodplain management” in Canada, England, France, Italy, Norway and the European Union in order to stimulate discussion regarding the use of the 1% (100-year) flood standard and how it relates to those used in the United States.

Click here to download the full report (.pdf)

NO ADVERSE IMPACT FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT
An Innovative Approach Promoted By The Association of State Flood Plain Managers

INTRODUCTION

Flood losses in the United States continue to escalate. From the early 1900’s they have increased six fold, approaching a cost $6 billion annually. This increase in the level of damage to public and private property, amounts spent on disaster relief, disruption in lives and businesses, and loss of habitat and other water-related resources has occurred in spite of nearly a century of flood control, the implementation of floodplain management standards and the mapping of hundreds of thousands of miles of floodplains. The general trend is for flood losses to increase every decade and it is fairly obvious that the policies of governments at all levels, combined with existing market forces, are leading to more intense uses of flood prone lands throughout. In 2000, the Association of State Flood Plain Managers recommended a “No Adverse Impact” approach for local government, state, and federal floodplain management. Future land and water uses which will flood new areas, increase flood heights, increase erosion, or otherwise increase flood and erosion damages to public and private property will not be permitted.

GOAL AND OBJECTIVES

The NAI approach is not intended as a rigid rule of conduct. Rather it may be applied as a general guide for a landowner and communities in watersheds and floodplain areas which may adversely impact other properties or communities. It is a shift from substituting local and individual accountability with federal government programs. At its broadest level, NAI is about local government taking steps to reduce the drain on national resources, as well as local and state resources. NAI empowers the local community and its citizens to build stakeholders at the local level. The statement of the goal is simple, “where the action of one property owner does not adversely impact the rights of other property owners, as measured by increased flood peaks, flood stage, flood velocity, and erosion and sedimentation”. Furthermore:

• Reduce impact onto other properties by promoting local involvement in developing and implementing a comprehensive strategy for floodplain management;
• Reduce economic drain on local and national resources which can be reallocated to other beneficial mitigation, planning, and other domestic programs;
• Promote individual and local accountability ;
• Understand potential impacts of not embracing a new direction;
• Involves entities at local level to become proactive in promoting a new mindset and build a sense of unity and pride within the locality.

While the NAI approach will result in reduced damages for the 1% chance flood event, its true strength is that it virtually ensures that future development actions which impact the floodplain must be part of a locally adopted plan. This removes the mentality that floodplain management is something imposed by a federal agency. Giving locals the flexibility to adopt comprehensive local management plans, which would be recognized by federal agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency and others as the acceptable management approach in that community, will provide the community with control and support for continued innovative approaches.

ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKEN

• Promote NAI to become the new “default” standard for the vast majority of National Flood Insurance Program communities within the United States.
• Encourage localities to develop comprehensive strategies that can incorporate various community needs through a range of programs and approaches.
• For communities that embrace NAI, provide incentives for state and federal funding of mitigation and other long-term strategies.
• Foster local responsibility and capability for managing floods and floodplain resources.
• Produce publication materials and conduct presentations and outreach sessions to promote NAI on a national level at various key regional and local conferences.

MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS

Since 2000, ASFPM has embarked on numerous steps for successes with promoting NAI. Through continued outreach, many communities are now aware of NAI’s existence and are eager to participate. Furthermore, through the support of ASFPM the NAI Toolkit was produced and made available via multiple avenues to local government officials, elected representatives and citizens in communities of all sizes, especially those which are flood-prone. The NAI Toolkit is a book-type publication featuring 10 varying community-based case studies. ASFPM has continued to spin off additional products from this publication to facilitate ways communities can be successful in helping themselves.

LESSONS LEARNED AND CHALLENGES

NAI is a managing principle that is easy to communicate and from a policy perspective tough to challenge. However, working with communities to embrace this new approach highlighted the need to ensure that this approach is compatible with federal, state and local laws. ASFPM has worked to produce a document titled “Government Liability and No Adverse Impact Floodplain Management” which is based upon review of the legal literature as well as federal and state case law concerning floodplain regulations. This approach will ease the local communities perceptions of the NAI approach not being legally compatible with existing floodplain regulations.

SUGGESTION FOR FUTURE ACTION

Some key steps include:

1. ASFPM and other professional organizations, state, and federal agencies, should form partnerships to compile NAI impact success stories that can be distributed as examples to promote such success and encourage participation.
2. State agencies (with federal support as necessary) should begin to assist local governments in the development of NAI strategies.
3. FEMA should consider expanding its Cooperative Technical Partner program to include an element of reviewing and adopting locally developed NAI strategies.
4. Education and outreach must continue to be a significant component of the federal, state, local, and nongovernmental organization message.
5. Developing cost-sharing guidelines for federal grant programs to provide more
favorable cost shares for communities and states that adopt a NAI approach.

CONTACT

Larry A. Larson, P.E., CFM, ASFPM Executive Director – larry@floods.org
Jared Windhauser, CFM, ASFPM International Committee Chair – Jared_Windhauser@URSCorp.com

For more information or full copies of the ASFPM documents on flood policy, including a published article on No Adverse Impact, the NAI Toolkit and other publications contact memberhelp@floods.org.