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Tropical Storm Irene Autumn 2011

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Tropical Storm Irene Autumn 2011 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 the Bahamas 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, North Carolina as a Cate- Tropical Storm Irene 1 gory I hurricane. Irene then moved northeast along the east coast and made a second landfall in the late morning of August 28 east of New York City as a tropical storm. Irene then moved through southeastern New York, western Substantial Damage & ICC 4 Connecticut, and western Massachusetts before dissipating in northern New England 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 storm surge of Long Island 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 Long Island Sound. 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.
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