Emergency Action Plans for Levees Fort Bend County Flood Management Association Emergency Preparedness Committee February 12, 2013

For what creature were the Canary Islands named? Originally named by Roman sailors “insulae canariae” for the wild dogs that inhabited the island. The small birds found there were later named “Canary”.

Cat gut was used for centuries to string instruments and tennis racquets. What animals’ intestines are used to make cat gut? Sheep and sometimes cow. The name cat gut may comes from the “caterwauling” sound created by lousy musicians.

Where do panama hats come from? Ecuador – when they were most popular in the 1800s, they were shipped from Panama.

Where is the German porcelain known as “Dresden China” produced? Not in Dresden Germany but in near-by Meissen where the oldest porcelain factory in Europe was established in 1710.

Why an EAP? PURPOSE: to provide a plan for an expedited, effective response to prevent failure of the levee.

Why an EAP?

Plans help mitigate impacts when everything goes wrong.

Why an EAP? USACE FEMA Fort Bend County BECAUSE IT’S A VERY GOOD IDEA! PLUS these guys say so!

What does the plan look like? “Larger levee systems with multiple pumping stations require more detailed plans than smaller systems.” Department of Homeland Security

What does the plan look like?  Engineers – technical description of the project

What does the plan look like?  Attorneys – legally sufficient to meet regulations, guidance and liability issues

What does the plan look like?  Emergency Management and Responders – sample messages for warning, inundation maps for evacuations and provide assistance with resources

What does the plan look like?  LEVEE OPERATOR – specific information for the levee including: identifying problems, who to notify, steps to take to resolve or minimize problems

Guidelines USACE o PL o Rehabilitation and Inspection Program (RIP) o Levee Owner’s Manual o Flood Fighting Techniques on Levees (Appendix D of Levee Owner’s Manual) o Flood Emergency Plans (for Corp Dams) Other o Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Preparedness o TCEQ 30 TAC Chapter 299 (dams) o Department of Homeland Security (FEMA) Emergency Preparedness Guidelines for Levees A Guideline for Owners and Operators, January 2012

 Contents of an EAP MUST USACE and TCEQ guidelines MUST included: o Notification Flow Chart o Responsibilities/Authorities o Emergency Identification System/Situational Awareness o Emergency SOGs

Contents of an EAP TCEQ model:  Legal and regulatory information upfront  Description of the project  Responsibilities  Situational Awareness  Preventive Actions  Supplies and Resources  Inundation Area  Implementation  (More legal/documentation)  Supplemental Information (TABs or Annexes with additional/supportive material)

 Based on YOUR Levee  Who has responsibility during an emergency?  What resources do you really have?  What resources will you need to acquire?  What are your vulnerabilities?  What are your upstream impacts?  What are your downstream impacts?

Legal description of project Legal authority under which project is operated Legal authority during emergency Regulatory information Limits of plan Purpose of plan: Plan for an expedited, effective response to prevent failure of embankment Legal and Regulatory

 Project Description Levee Description: Where located – exactly Construction method used Key Measurements Elevation of crest, height, length, etc. Description of other features Pump Stations, Gate Structures, etc. * Texas Division of Emergency Management

Responsibilities Texas Disaster Act of 1975, V. T. C. A. Government Code, Title 4, Chapter 418 Subchapter E –local entity is “... responsible for disaster preparedness and coordination of response. The presiding officer of the governing body shall notify the division* of the manner in which the political subdivision is providing or securing an emergency management program....” * Texas Division of Emergency Management The Board

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS WHAT IS AN EMERGENCY? Abnormal Condition – could be an emergency if ignored Watch Condition – an obvious problem which may not lead to failure but requires remedial actions Possible Failure Condition – progressively worsening problem despite actions taken Imminent Failure Conditions – despite all efforts, failure is likely

 PREVENTIVE ACTIONS  Who to notify at each stage of a problem  Simple steps to take  problem specific (sloughing not the same as a sand boil)  List of equipment required for steps  flagging material up to excavator  SPECIFIC TO YOUR LEVEE  No concrete = no concrete SOGs

INUNDATION AREAS  Where does the water go?  How  Floodplain mapping  Breach Analysis  Overtopping  Piping Failure  Inundation Map  Share with Office of Emergency Management and Law Enforcement Agencies

Implement/Maintain Plan EAPs are “living and breathing” documents! When do you review the document? When do you review the Notification Flowchart? With whom do you share the document (and updates)? What training is required? How and when are exercises conducted?

What resources do you have? People!  Board  Key Consultants  Volunteers Equipment  Yours  Your Operators  Lease/Purchase  Borrow/Share Other  USACE

Other Resources Emergency LightingSand and sandbagsShovels Weather gearFloatation VestsPlastic Sheeting Rip rap (gravel/rock)Portable PumpsPlywood Steel PostsFencing MaterialBarricades Orange FencingFork LiftBackhoe Dump TruckExcavatorCrane BoatGator/ATVs Emergency Communications Equipment Levee Patrol Members Operations Center Staging Area (cell phones, radios, pagers – backup batteries) Safety gear for all participants (vest, gloves, etc.) Meals for responders/staff/volunteers

Consider your vulnerabilities  Are there seeps /sloughing?  What areas of the levee are difficult to patrol/observe?  What intrusions have been made into your levee?  Is your equipment working properly?  Know capabilities of your personnel

Impacts - Upstream / Downstream Impacts - Upstream / Downstream What happens to other Districts if you breach? What happens to you if the District next to you breaches? Which river indicator do you use? What are your triggers to take specific actions? When to prepare for the arrival of tropical storm/hurricane.

Notification Flowchart

Responsibilities/Authority

What is an Emergency?  “Abnormal Conditions”  Unusual but not necessarily dangerous Observed: Cracks in the embankment crest or on slopes Action: Walk area of crest and slope and check for additional cracking. Stake the cracks and document size and location. Notify: District Engineer for further inspection. When do you worry about cracking?

What is an Emergency?  “Watch Conditions”  Can become an emergency; serious enough for close surveillance Observed: Numerous cracks in crest that are enlarging. Action: Initiate 24-hour surveillance. Monitor and measure cracking to determine speed and extent of problem. Mobilize to fill cracks. Notify: District Engineer, Board, Local Emergency Management officials When do you worry about cracking?

What is an Emergency ?  “Possible Failure”  Working on it but failure is possible Observed: Large cracks in the crest that are rapidly enlarging during high water event (or if levee is loaded) Action: Continue monitoring and remedial actions. Parallel cracks indicate a slide – see remedial action for slides. Notify: District Engineer, Board, State and Local Emergency Management officials When do you worry about cracking?

What is an Emergency?  “Imminent Failure”  We can only lessen the impacts – not prevent failure Observed: Cracking that extends to pool elevation – during high water event. Action: Evacuation within leveed area. Continue remedial actions. Notify: EVERYONE When do you worry about cracking?

SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE!

Guidelines for Operating the Levee “Under Duress”  Who to call /when to call  When to turn on / turn off the pumps  How to start the generator  What to look for during levee surveillance  What equipment to take during levee surveillance  What to watch for if threatened with sabotage  ALL MUST BE SPECIFIC TO YOUR LEVEE!!

What the County Needs Project Name River/Tributary Location o (city/county; township/section; GPS ) Emergency Contact Information o Notification Flowchart Map o Inundation – could include your leveed area o Additional inundation information is obtained through modeling

Rita Anderson Freese and Nichols, Inc town and Country Boulevard Suite 600 Houston, Texas