California’s Flood Future Recommendations for Managing the State’s Flood Risk Flood Risk Management & Silver Jackets Workshop August 21, 2012

Report Purpose Make recommendations for managing California’s flood risk Guide decisions about: – Policies – Financial investments 2

California’s Flood Future Report 3 Unprecedented effort – Collaboration: DWR and USACE – Statewide coverage – Accelerated timeframe In consultation with: – Over 140 local agencies – CEAC – FEMA

Problem

California is at risk for catastrophic flooding 7.2 million Californians exposed Major flooding in all counties Flood insurance policyholders have tripled since

Flood Impacts The impacts of a major flood would be devastating to California and to the nation Critical infrastructure is damaged and could be out of service for long periods Vital services become isolated or are closed Vast areas of agricultural lands become unproductive, possibly for long periods Water supplies and water quality are affected 6

Many different types of flooding in California 7

7.2 million Californians live in floodplains 8 Number of People in Floodplain

$575 billion in structures are at risk 9 Number of Structures in Floodplain

California’s agricultural economy is at risk 10 Crop Value in Floodplain

Sensitive species live in floodplains 11 Number of Species in Floodplain

Flood management authority is complex and fragmented 12 Number of Agencies

Complex array of existing infrastructure More than 11,000 miles of levees More than 1,700 dams More than 600 debris basins 36 major reservoirs Other facilities 13

Flood Infrastructure does not meet current and future project needs 14 More than 900 projects identified statewide – 20% do not have cost estimates – $30 to $50 billion improvements and projects – Will not provide a 100-year level of protection statewide

Funding is limited and unreliable Inconsistent and insufficient funding Declining local resources Reduced Federal cost shares Challenging revenue structure Inadequate understanding by public and policy makers about benefits and costs of flood management 15

Solution

Flood Management using an Integrated Water Management approach High value, multiple benefits Large range of solutions Collaboration and cooperation Regional and systemwide approach Array of funding sources 17

Land Use Planning Regional, Systemwide, and Statewide Planning Risk Assessments Flood Risk Awareness Flood Readiness Actions IWM Benefits - Public Safety - Environmental Stewardship - Economic Stability ResultsPlansTools Alignment -Governance - Policies Funding - Investment Priorities - Sufficient and Stable Funding Recommendations for managing California’s flood risk 18

Conduct regional flood risk assessments to understand statewide flood risk. Identify regional flood risk evaluation methods Collect flood risk data Identify regional flood risk Set regional flood risk reduction goals Identify restoration opportunities Assess climate change and sea level rise impacts 19 1

Increase public and policymaker awareness about flood risks to facilitate informed decisions. Consistent messaging Provide outreach resource materials Catalog (online) flood risk information Share research data and other flood information 20 2

Support flood emergency preparedness, response, and recovery programs to reduce flood impacts. Provide increased funding for flood readiness More robust flood emergency management plans Conduct regular flood emergency exercises Identify data/forecasting needs 21 3

Encourage land-use planning practices that reduce the consequences of flooding. Develop planning principles for development in floodplains Facilitate coordination between all types of planners and emergency response managers Link funding to best management practices 22 4

Conduct flood management from regional, systemwide, and statewide perspectives to maximize resources. Regional flood planning areas Regional project prioritization State and Federal processes improvements Regional water management and flood management coordination Link funding to IWM approach 23 5

Facilitate public agency alignment to improve flood management governance, planning, and policies. Address permitting, planning, and implementation through regional working groups Fund regional planning programs Align resources to implement priority projects and programs 24 6

Develop statewide flood management investment priorities, and establish sufficient and stable funding mechanisms to reduce flood risk. Assess potential funding sources and propose new funding options Facilitate access to funding sources Develop a methodology to prioritize funding Increase funding for priority projects 25 7

Path Forward Flood management is at a crossroads: status quo or progress DWR and USACE are committed to using an IWM approach Short-term and long-term solutions are necessary 26

We Must Take Action Now California’s future depends on: Agencies at all levels working together Implementing policies and projects using an IWM approach Stakeholder and policymaker awareness of the cost and consequences of flooding Establishing investment priorities and sufficient and stable funding 27 Actions Results PlansTools Public Safety Public Safety Environmental Stewardship Environmental Stewardship Economic Stability Economic Stability

California’s Flood Future Report Recommendations for Managing the States Flood Risk August 2012 For more information: Terri Wegener: Terri Wegener: Stu Townsley: Stu Townsley:

California’s Flood Future Recommendations for Managing the State’s Flood Risk Presentation to Silver Jackets Program August 21, 2012