International Levee Handbook Overview of the handbook Chapter 6 – Emergency Management and Operations

Chapter 6 - context

Chapter Contents Emergency management principles Emergency planning Readiness and preparedness Event and crisis management Intervention techniques Response to external erosion and techniques for intervention Response to internal erosion and techniques for intervention Response to instability and techniques for intervention Breach management and technologies for intervention Innovative technologies for flood crest raising

Emergency Management Principles There are four principles in the emergency management life cycle –Preparedness - efforts focused on planning, organising, training, equipping, exercising, evaluating, and implementing corrective actions –Response - mobilisation of emergency services and first responders to the disaster area –Recovery - efforts aimed at returning the levee to full readiness and restoring the affected area to a normal state –Mitigation - preventing hazards from developing into disasters in the future, as well as reducing the effects of disasters when they occur The primary goals of emergency management are to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce property damage This chapter deals mainly with Preparedness and Response. Other chapters of the ILH touch on Recovery and Mitigation

Emergency Planning Actions taken in the initial stages of an emergency are critical Emergency planning inputs –Understanding of levee failure modes –Understanding of risk (vulnerable locations, high consequence areas, etc.) –Flood inundation maps Emergency action planning –Focused more on the flood impacted area –Assists the levee manager in making decisions before an event –Identifies operation centres and when to escalate responsibility (communication) –Specifies evacuation plans

Emergency Planning (cont.) Develop flood response plans for levee –Focused more on the levee and activities for the levee manager –Contains notification chart, frequency of patrols, checklist of things to be performed as part of the flood defense system Specify activity of staff, security and volunteers Should be maintained and updated frequently Utilizes data management to guide/improve response activity

6.3 – Readiness and Preparedness Should include the entire spectrum of stakeholders, to foster a more resilient community Train and exercise routinely –Exercises can be ‘Discussion based’ or ‘Operations based’ Promotes public awareness In an effort to fullfil its role and objectives, FEMA created the Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP) program (FEMA, 2008). The vision of Risk MAP is to collaborate with state, local, and tribal entities to deliver quality data that increases public awareness and to lead actions to reduce risks to loss of life and property.

6.4 – Event and Crisis Management The severity of the event will determine the level of response Preliminary response activities –Activate the flood response plan –Begin preliminary response activities Alignment of staff, volunteers, equipment, supplies, etc. Communication with operation centres, response personnel, communities, etc. Monitor approaching flood/storm –Patrols and inspections –Perform any required emergency maintenance and repairs –Interact with the community Full response activities –Increased level of patrols and inspections –Constant communication –Flood fighting activities as required –Activation of evacuation plan as needed

6.4 – Event and Crisis Management (cont.) Post response activities –Review and update emergency action plans as needed –Review and update operations and management manual as needed –Document all events, actions and results –Insure proper archival of all relevant data –Prepare long term mitigation plans

6.5 – Intervention Techniques The choice of intervention techniques will depend on the threat posed by the flood. River systems vary greatly in the flood duration, size of river and velocity of flows. The determination of the type of intervention will be made with knowledge of: 1) the local area 2) the condition of the flood defences and 3) the predicted storm severity. Insure that equipment and supplies are ready for use.

6.5 – Intervention Techniques (cont.) Emergency response intervention measures –External erosion –Internal erosion –Instability

Response to external erosion and techniques for intervention Three conditions that can trigger external erosion –Overflowing, overtopping, wave wash Techniques for mitigating external erosion –Levee raising Place bulk fill Construct sand bag levee Use novel materials Flashboards Use of innovative methods

Response to external erosion and techniques for intervention (cont.) Techniques for mitigating external erosion (cont.) –Erosion protection measures Rock berm Asphalt/bitumen surface Use of groynes –Overtopping/overflow protection measures Plastic sheeting Emergency spillway

Response to internal erosion and techniques for intervention Internal erosion is a family of different mechanisms –Backward erosion, concentrated leak erosion, suffusion, and contact erosion Techniques for mitigating internal erosion –Reduce infiltration Impermeable sheeting –Increase seepage path Seepage berm –Reduce hydraulic gradient Ringing sand boils Increase landside water level

Response to instability and techniques for intervention Techniques to mitigate instability generally focus on –Reducing the steepness and inclination of the slope –Reducing water pressures underneath the levee –Reducing groundwater table/saturation of the levee

Breach management and techniques for intervention It is important to understand the stages of breach development as these impact the potential for mitigation

Breach management and techniques for intervention (cont.) Stage 1&2, intervention possible Stage 3&4, good chance to prevent full breach and limit growth Stage 5, unlikely to prevent full breach so focus on limiting growth Stage 6, repair only possible for small breaches or with major resources

Innovative technologies for crest raising Portable cofferdam systems Open-celled plastic grid flood wall Water filled barriers Demountable barriers Filled permeable container

Thank you Chapter 6 Team Leads: To download the International Levee Handbook go to: Yazmin Seda-Sanabria, USACE E: Enrique Matheu Department of Homeland security E: