Mitigation Success Story in Milford, Connecticut
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The City of Milford is a middle-class community located along the shores of Central Long Island Sound. Milford has population of 48,762 persons, with 57% (27,846) of the population living within the 100 year floodplain. The City of Milford is vulnerable to inland riverine flooding along the Wepawaug River, which flows through the center of town, as well as coastal flooding. Milford suffered four major flooding events during the 90’s. The first event involved riverine-flooding along the Wepawaug River on June 6th, 1992. The second event was a powerful winter storm (a.k.a. "Northeaster") which struck Connecticut on December 11, 1992. Very strong Easterly gales of 55 mph created by the storm caused severe coastal flooding in Milford and several other communities.
When Milford was struck again in 1996 by a severe riverine flooding event on April 16th and a Coastal-flooding event on October 20th, the City of Milford had already mitigated both hazards. The City of Milford installed an Automated Flood Warning (Alert) System for the Wepawaug River in 1993. The Alert System provided the City and its residents and businesses with 5 hours of lead-time to make preparations. One warehouse was able to save $125,000.00 in stock and computers by elevating its inventory on pallets and tables above the floodwaters.
When coastal flooding struck on October 20th, the City of Milford was able to order a coastal evacuation using a newly installed Public Address system and evacuation signs. Flood damage was prevented to dozens of automobiles that were driven out of harms way within minutes of the warning. The P.A. system has been used on over 20 occasions since its inception in 1994 to save tens of thousands of dollars in damage to moveable items such as cars, trucks, and building contents in Milford’s coastal floodplain.
Combined, the Alert system and Public Address system have saved the City of Milford four times the cost of their installation in just the past 7 years.
THE FLOOD AUDIT PROGRAM
The damage reduction resulting from Milford’s Alert System would not have been possible without a pre-disaster vulnerability and planning effort called the Flood Audit Program. During the installation of an Alert system in Connecticut, all buildings within the 100-Year Floodplain of the flood prone river basin are surveyed for their elevations. Data from the building surveys is used to create a database display system. Each building is listed in the order of flood vulnerability. Owners are called prior to flooding by local police or fire personnel. The building owners then follow a step by step prepared checklist of actions to reduce or prevent flood damage.
PROJECT COST, FUNDING SOURCES
- Automated Flood Warning System (1993) $42,000 (66% State / 17% Local 17% HMGP)
- Public Address System (1994) $85,000 (50% HMGP / 50% Local)
- Evacuation Sign Project (1995) $ 3,570 (100% State Funded)
- Total Mitigation Cost: $130,570
- Total Mitigation Benefits: $525,000*
- Benefit/Cost Ratio: 4.02
*Since the installation of both systems in 1993 - 94.
Mitigation Success Story in Westport, Connecticut
PROJECT BACKGROUND
The Town of Westport is a coastal community located along the shores of Western Long Island Sound. Westport has population of 24,410 persons, with 26% (6,251) of the population living within the 100 year floodplain. On December 11, 1992, a powerful winter storm (a.k.a. "Northeaster") struck Connecticut.
Very strong Easterly gales of 55 mph created by the storm caused severe coastal flooding in Westport and several other communities. The Compo Beach and Saugatuck Shores areas of Westport were especially hard hit with virtually every building in both areas being inundated. Along the Connecticut coastline, a total of 1,345 homes were destroyed or suffered major damage. The flooding caused by the Northeaster was the highest on record since the Hurricane of 1938. Public assistance damage totaled over 4 million dollars, and private insured damage totaled over 20 million dollars.
In February 1993, the Town of Westport made an application to the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for a $168,000 grant to elevate 7 coastal homes under the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). The seven homes were successfully elevated during 1994 and 1995 at a total cost of $336,000. Other measures taken by the Town of Westport included installing 16 combination staff gauges/evacuation signs, and the printing of a disaster preparedness brochure (privately funded by one of the elevated homeowners) for it’s residents. The acquisition of homes for open space and the construction of a berm around the Compo Beach development were also considered, but were determined to be too costly to implement with the available funds.
In 1998 Westport was nominated as Connecticut’s first Project Impact Community. Westport is also the first community in Connecticut to have an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan as required by Project Impact. This plan has served as a model for the communities of Milford and East Haven, which have also been nominated for Project Impact.
PROJECT BENEFITS
During another flooding event, which occurred on October 20, 1996, damage to the seven elevated homes was completely prevented. Unfortunately, several dozen other homes in Compo Beach area, which were not elevated, were flooded again. This project has set an excellent example for the coastal residents of Westport. Since 1996 a total of 15 additional homeowners have received grants under the HMGP and the newly adopted Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) to elevate their homes in Westport.
Westport has also amended its National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) regulations to include a tough new provision. Homeowners or businesses which construct additions or renovations to their buildings that exceed 50% of the fair market value in any 5 year period, must elevate the structure to one foot above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). This stricter provision has resulted in the elevation of several additional buildings using private funds.
PROJECT COST, FUNDING SOURCES
- Home Elevation Project ( 7 Homes: 1994-95) $336,000 (50% HMGP / 50% Local)
- Evacuation Sign Project (1995) $ 3,570 (100% State Funded)
- Home Elevation Project ( 15 Homes: 1996 - 99) $990,803 (75% FMA/HMGP / 25%
Local)
- Total Mitigation Cost: 1.33 Million
- Total Mitigation Benefits: 4.78 Million*
- Benefit/Cost Ratio: 3.58**
*Over the 30 year life of the project.
**Based on the Coastal A-Zone Benefit/Cost Model provided by FEMA .