Tropical Storm Irene Autumn 2011

On August 20, 2011, tropical depression Irene formed in the Atlantic Ocean . Volume 19, Issue 1 The storm intensified and reached hurricane status on August 22, becoming the first hurricane of the 2011 hurricane season. Irene moved across Puerto Rico on August 22 and through on August 23-25. Irene then became Inside this Issue: the first major hurricane (Category III) of the 2011 hurricane season on August 24. Irene then turned north toward the United States east coast and made land- fall on the morning of August 27 near Cape Lookout, as a Cate- Tropical Storm Irene 1 gory I hurricane. Irene then moved northeast along the east coast and made a second in the late morning of August 28 east of as a tropical storm. Irene then moved through southeastern New York, western Substantial Damage & ICC 4 , and western Massachusetts before dissipating in northern near the Canadian border in the late evening of August 28, 2011. News Briefs 5

NFIP Extended Irene Claim Extension USACE White Paper National Levee Database Updated Coastal Manual Vegetation & Levees CT Coastal Flood Maps New NOAA Datum Tool

Calendar of Events 6

A Publication of the State of Connecticut Department of Energy & Clinton shoreline Environmental Protection Bureau of Water Protection & Land Reuse Inland Water Resources Division Flood Management Program On September 2, 2011, President Obama issued a presidential disaster declara- 79 Elm Street, 3rd floor tion for the entire State of Connecticut as a result of Tropical Storm Irene. Hartford, CT 06106-5127 This declaration included FEMA Public Assistance (PA) for damage to munici- (860) 424-3706 pal infrastructure and Individual Assistance (IA) for residents for storm and http://www.ct.gov/deep flood damage that occurred between August 27 and September 1, 2011. Editor: Diane Ifkovic Tropical Storm Irene . . . continued from page 1

of still water elevations Connecticut (up to 10 inches). provided by the Na- Rainfall intensity frequencies ranged tional Weather Service from 5 years in eastern Connecticut (NWS) showed that to over 100 years in western Con- most of the coast suf- necticut. River flood frequencies fered moderate to ma- for selected rivers monitored by the jor flooding that fell USGS also mirrored this data. The between the mean Connecticut, Housatonic, Farming- high tide and the ton, Pomperaug and Pequabuck worst case category I Rivers experienced major flooding hurricane level shown which damaged hundreds of struc- on the Sea, Lake, tures and caused damage to roads Town Marina, Guilford Overland, Surge from and bridges. Hurricanes (SLOSH) maps published by the The NWS reported a maximum U.S. Army Corps of wind gust of 66 mph in Thompson. Although Irene was a tropical storm Engineers (USACE). Coastal data stem- The average maximum wind gust when it made landfall near Connecticut, ming from four National Oceanic & for the state was 52.3 mph from the several factors combined to account for Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) south southeast. Although signifi- the high degree of damage caused in the tide gauges located in Stamford, Bridge- cant tree damage resulted from state. First, Irene made landfall during a port, New Haven and New London Irene, the amount of tree coverage spring high tide. Second, during the showed still water elevations at Stam- felled is expected to be replaced by month of August soil saturation was ford, Bridgeport and New Haven that natural growth within 2 to 3 years. high due to higher than average rainfall. fell between the mean high tide and the Third, a very dense wildland-urban inter- worst case category I and II hurricane As of October 31, 2011, 3,417 flood face lead to significant downed trees level shown on SLOSH maps. This insurance claims were filed for Irene across the state. According to the U.S. represents a surge of 3-4 feet above the damage, with $8,600,624 in claims Department of Agriculture (USDA), astronomical high tide. The United paid (average payment $13,985). Connecticut contains the highest wild- States Geologic Survey (USGS) East Many claims have still not been land-urban interface (72% of land area) Hartford office deployed 30 tide gauges closed and these are not final claims in the nation. Connecticut is the thir- before the storm arrived. This USGS and figures for Irene. teenth most densely forested state. data showed that the surge was the re- Fourth, the absence of any major wind sult of five factors: sustained wind Special thanks to municipal staff for events since Hurricane Gloria in 1985 speed, wind direction, fetch, duration of providing photographs, and state and lead to a critical overgrowth of trees. winds and barometric pressure. These federal agencies for the data sources Fifth, the large physical size of Irene combined factors were nearly ideal for and analysis utilized in this article. contributed significantly to both coastal inducing a maxi- flooding as a result of a large fetch in mum of Sound and riverine flooding approximately 3.5 Red Bird Trail, Old Saybrook resulting from heavy rainfall in western feet and very large Connecticut. These factors combined to waves ranging from account for a record number of power 5-15 feet. Coastal outages affecting over half the state. damage was greatest Tropical Storm Irene resulted in total from Westport to preliminary public assistance damages Old Saybrook. statewide of 40-50 million dollars. Rainfall for Irene On the coast, heavy damage to beaches, was moderate to seawalls and other public and private heavy in eastern facilities occurred due to a large wind Connecticut (2-5 envelope which pushed water into west- inches) and very ern . Comparisons heavy in western Autumn 2011—Volume 19, Issue 1 Page 2 Tropical Storm Irene . . . continued from page 2

Collapse at Fennel Road, Bristol

Falcon Road, Guilford

Cosey Beach, East Haven Cosey Beach, East Haven

Hillside Avenue, Milford Point Beach Drive, Milford

Autumn 2011—Volume 19, Issue 1 Page 3 Substantial Damage & ICC The effects of Tropical Storm Irene, cost of bringing the structure back to When a community official determines have brought the FEMAtopic of substantial Floodits pre-damaged Map condition usingModernization quali- that a structure has been substantially damage to the forefront for many com- fied labor and materials obtained at damaged by flood, ICC will help pay munity officials as buildings are se- market prices. for the cost to elevate, flood-proof, verely damaged within the floodplain. demolish, or relocate the building up to $30,000. The maximum combined Within a community’s floodplain zon- ICC and loss payment cannot be ing regulations or floodplain ordinance greater than the limits of coverage for is a definition for substantial damage, the type of building. Claims for ICC defined as damage of any origin sus- benefits are filed separately from a tained by a structure whereby the cost flood insurance claim to repair damage of restoring the structure to its before to the building or contents. No addi- damaged condition would equal or ex- tional deductible is required for ICC. ceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage oc- An ICC claim can be filed whether or curred. not a community has received a Presi- dential disaster declaration. An ICC Local officials in communities that claim payment is only made for flood- participate in the National Flood Insur- related damage. The structure must be ance Program (NFIP) must determine located in the 100-year floodplain to whether proposed work qualifies as receive an ICC claim payment. More repair of substantial damage. Struc- information on ICC can be found at: tures that are substantially damaged www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/ must be brought into compliance with The FEMA publications Answers to floodplain/ICC.shtm. NFIP requirements for new construc- Questions About Substantially Dam- tion in the floodplain, including the aged Buildings www.fema.gov/library/ The FEMA publication Increased Cost requirement that lowest floor be ele- viewRecord.do?id=1636 and Substan- of Compliance Coverage: Guidance vated to or above base flood elevation tial Improvement/Substantial Damage for State and Local Officials provides (BFE). For structures located in the Desk Reference www.fema.gov/ information on ICC coverage and how floodway of a river or in the VE zone library/viewRecord.do?id=4160 are it relates to communities’ administra- (coastal area), rebuilding or repairing a resources for community officials who tion of floodplain management regula- structure to meet new construction have specific questions. Substantial tions following a flood, standards can be particularly difficult Damage Estimator (SDE) is a CD that www.fema.gov/library/ and costly to achieve. can help a community official in esti- viewRecord.do?id=1532 mating damage www.fema.gov/ Market value is the most important library/viewRecord.do?id=4166. criteria in determining substantial dam- age. The definition of market value If a home or business is deemed sub- can often be found within the defini- stantially damaged by a flood, repair- tion of “substantial improvement” in a ing or rebuilding the structure will re- community’s regulations, its own stand quire meeting the NFIP building stan- -alone definition, or defined by policy dards for new construction. This of the community. Market value is means elevating a home or flood- commonly determined by an independ- proofing commercial buildings to or ent appraisal of the structure by a pro- above the base flood elevation (BFE). fessional appraiser, tax assessment mi- nus land value, replacement cost minus To help cover the costs of meeting depreciation of the structure, or actual these requirements, the NFIP includes cash value of the structure. Substantial Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) damage is determined regardless of the coverage for buildings covered under a actual cost to the owner. The commu- Standard Flood Insurance Policy nity official must determine the true (SFIP).

Autumn 2011—Volume 19, Issue 1 Page 4 News Briefs

NFIP Extended Until National Levee Database USACE Report on Wood

December 16, 2011 In October 2011, the U.S. Army Corps Vegetation & Levees

With the National Flood Insurance of Engineers (USACE) officially The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Program (NFIP) facing expiration on opened the National Levee Database (USACE) has released the results of a November 18, 2011, Congress passed (NLD) to the public. The database study on the impacts of trees on levees. on November 17, and the President contains information relative to the The report, “Initial Research into the then signed, a short-term funding bill status and safety of the nation’s levee Effects of Woody Vegetation on Lev- that included an extension of the NFIP. systems, including attributes of levees ees”, concludes that the presence of The extension will expire on December such as design, construction, opera- trees on a levee increases the uncer- 16, 2011. tions, maintenance, repair and inspec- tainty of levee integrity and perform- tions. The NLD includes information ance. The study can be found at: on more than 14,000 miles of levee http://wri.usace.army.mil/ Extension for Sending systems in the USACE program. woody_vegetation_research.html USACE is currently working with Proof of Loss associated FEMA to include information on lev- with ees participating in the NFIP. The Preliminary revised CT NLD can be accessed at: The Standard Flood Insurance Policy coastal flood maps issued http://www.usace.army.mil/ requires a policyholder to send the in- LEVEESAFETY/ACTIVITIES/Pages/ Due to restudy of coastal areas in Con- surer a complete, signed, and sworn-to act_nldb.aspx necticut by FEMA, revised preliminary proof of loss within sixty (60) days flood insurance rate maps were issued after the date of loss. A number of for Middlesex County on September states experienced catastrophic losses USACE Coastal Flood 22, 2011, Fairfield and New Haven as a result of Hurricane Irene, making Counties on October 30, 2011, and the claims process difficult for many Maps White Paper Issued New London County on November 15, policyholders within this time limit. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has 2011. These revised coastal map pan- As a result, FEMA has provided a 90- recently released a white paper sum- els should become effective in late day extension to the normal deadline marizing the differences between 2012 or early 2013. Preliminary flood for filing a proof of loss. With this FEMA flood insurance rate maps and maps can be viewed in the town hall extension, an NFIP policyholder will storm surge inundation maps and how for each community. now have a total of 150 days after the they should be used by community date of loss to send the proof of loss to officials. It can be found at: the insurer. http://www.iwr.usace.army.mil/nhp/ NOAA releases Vertical index.cfm?pageid=123&navid=41 This extension applies to all building Datum Tool and contents claims for flood damage The National Oceanic & Atmospheric arising out of Hurricane Irene in the Updated Coastal Con- Administration (NOAA) has released states of Connecticut, Delaware, Geor- the first edition of a free vertical datum struction Manual transformation (VDatum) tool that al- gia, , , Massachusetts, , , New In August 2011, FEMA released the lows users to produce a set of consis- York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, fourth edition of its Coastal Construc- tent geospatial data over coastal and Rhode Island, South Carolina, Ver- tion Manual: Principles and Practices interior areas of the contiguous U.S., mont, and Washington, DC of Planning, Siting, Designing, Con- removing the differences between the with dates of losses between August 26 structing, and Maintaining Residential vertical reference systems of land– and and September 4, 2011. More infor- Buildings in Coastal Areas (FEMA P- water-based data. VDatum was jointly mation on this extension can be found 55). The new manual can be viewed or developed by NOAA’s National Geo- at: http://www.nfipiservice.com/ downloaded at: http://www.fema.gov/ detic Survey, Center for Operational stakeholder/pdf/bulletin/w-11122.pdf library/viewRecord.do?id=1671 Oceanographic Products and Services, and Office of Coast Survey. For more info, go to: http://vdatum.noaa.gov. Autumn 2011—Volume 19, Issue 1 Page 5 UPCOMING CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

May 9, 2012. National Flood Conference, Austin, Texas. http://www.fema.gov/business/ nfip/natl_fldconf.shtm.

May 20-25, 2012. Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Annual Confer- ence, San Antonio, Texas. www.floods.org.

August 19-23, 2012. StormCon, Denver, Colorado. www.stormcon.com

October 20-24, 2012. Restore America’s Estuaries 6th National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restorations, Tampa, Florida. www.estuaries.org

UPCOMING EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE COURSES

The Emergency Management Institute (EMI) is located at the Federal Emergency Manage- ment Agency (FEMA) National Emergency Training Center (NETC) in Emmitsburg, Mary- land. EMI serves as the national center for emergency management training of federal, state, and local government officials. Tuition, housing, and all books and materials are provided at no cost. Participants are responsible for the cost of a meal pass (approximately $100). The fol- lowing is a list of upcoming EMI courses through September 2012. To apply, call Diane Ifk- ovic, CTDEEP, (860) 424-3537 or email at [email protected]. For more information on the courses listed, visit the EMI website: http://training.fema.gov.

E170 HAZUS-MH for Hurricane—January 9-12, 2012 E172 HAZUS-MH for Flood–July 16-19, 2012 E176 HAZUS-MH for NFIP—April 23-26, August 6-9, 2012 E179 Application of HAZUS-MH for Disaster Operations—February 13-16, 2012 E190 ArcGIS for Emergency Managers— April 30-May 3, 2012 E194 Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts—February 13-16, August 27-30, 2012 E202 Debris Management Planning for State, Tribal & Local Officials– February 6-9, 2012 E264 Hydrologic Engineering Center –Riverine Analysis System—May 7-10, 2012 E273 Managing Floodplain Development through the NFIP– March 19-22, April 23-26, June11-14, September 24-27, 2012 E276 Benefit Cost Analysis: Entry Level Training– November 14-16, 2011, April 10-12, 2012 E278 NFIP/Community Rating System (CRS)– February 27—March 1, August 6-9, Sept. 17-20, 2012 E279 Retrofitting Floodprone Residential Buildings— June 25-28, 2012 E284 Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts III—July 9-12, 2012 E296 Application of HAZUS MH for Risk Assessment–January 16-19, September 17-20, 2012 E313 Basic HAZUS Multi-Hazards– April 2-5, 2012 E317 Comprehensive Data Management for HAZUS-MH—June 18-21, 2012 E386 Residential Coastal Construction—August 13-16, 2012

The Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP) is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and ser- vice provider. In conformance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, DEEP makes every effort to provide equally effective services for persons with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities who need this information in an alternative format, to allow them to benefit and/or participate in the agency’s programs and services, should call (860) 424-3035 or e-mail the ADA Coordi- nator, at [email protected]. Persons who are hearing impaired should call the State of Connecticut relay number 711.

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