1. Georgia Flood Risk Management - Beyond the Why and Getting to How 1 August 28, 2014 Flood Planning and Policy: Education / Outreach Workshop The Armstrong Center; Savannah, Georgia Tom Shillock, CFM

2. Georgia Floodplain Management State Floodplain Management Office –Liaison between FEMA and local communities participating in the NFIP - Georgia DNR is CTP –Provides guidance, technical assistance and training to NFIP communities –Collaborates with other State agencies regarding activities and programs that impact floodplain management –Supports FEMA’s flood mapping effort to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) 2

3. Why attend a Getting to How Environmental Conference? “ We live in a time of unpredictable shocks and chronic stresses, from climate change to natural or manmade disasters, and helping local communities become more resilient to these disruptions is more important than ever ”.

4. Etowah Watershed Bartow, Floyd, Pickens, Lumpkin, Dawson, Cobb, Paulding, Polk Upper Chattahoochee Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Towns, Union, White 2012 - 2013 Flood Risk Map Projects

5. GA Risk M.A.P. Program Status 5  Upper & Middle Chattahoochee Watersheds – FY2009  Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, & Gwinnett Counties  Georgia Coastal Project – FY2010  Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, & McIntosh Counties  Newton County, GA – FY2010  Discovery Projects – FY2010  Middle Chattahoochee - Lake Harding, Upper Ocmulgee,  Middle Chattahoochee – Lake Harding & Upper Ocmulgee Risk MAP Projects – FY2011

6. Georgia Coastal Project 6 Project Area  9 Coastal Counties  Bryan, Camden, Charlton, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, & McIntosh Counties Two Phase Project  Phase I - Inland Flooding Areas  Phase II - Coastal Flood Areas  Separate Schedules Many Partners  FEMA, GA DNR, NOAA, CRC, Local Governments  GA DNR Mapping Partners  CDM Smith  Dewberry  ATKINs  FEMA Mapping Partners  Taylor Engineering

7. NFIP in Georgia 543 Communities Enrolled 64 Thousand Policies in Force $43 Million in Annual Premiums $5.4 Million in Annual CRS Savings

8. Georgia CRS Classifications CRS ClassNumber of Communities CLASS 10 2 CLASS 9 9 CLASS 818 CLASS 7 11 CLASS 6 7 CLASS 5 1 TOTAL 48

9. Benefits of the CRS Lower cost flood insurance rates are only one of the rewards a community receives from participating in the CRS. Citizens and property owners in CRS communities have increased opportunities to learn about risk, evaluate their individual vulnerabilities, and take action to reduce the risk to their homes and businesses. CRS floodplain management activities provide enhanced public safety, reduced damage to property and public infrastructure, and avoidance of economic disruption and loss. Communities can evaluate the effectiveness of their flood programs against a nationally recognized benchmark.

10. The CRS is administered by FEMA and provides reduced flood insurance premium rates. The amount of premium reduction is tied to the effectiveness of a community's floodplain management program and other mitigation activities. Communities apply to participate in the CRS, are reviewed, receive an assessment of their floodplain management loss reduction program and then are assigned a CRS Class rating that determines premium discounts. Through the CRS, the cost of insurance is reduced for nearly all policyholders in communities that take action to reduce flood risk.

11. Today’s Paradigm The NFIP is a voluntary Federal program enabling property owners in participating communities to purchase insurance against flood losses in exchange for adopting and enforcing regulations that reduce future flood damages. A participating community’s floodplain management regulations, must meet or exceed the NFIP minimum requirements. Insurance Flood Insurance Rate Maps Building codes and regulations Incentives CRS NFIP