North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program

Cooperating Technical State

• Strategy 1 - Establishment of a statewide program to acquire, process and disseminate current, accurate, and detailed elevation data, flood hazard studies, reports, and maps (hard copy and digital).

• Strategy 2 - Establishment of North Carolina as a Cooperating Technical State (CTS) through the FEMA Cooperating Technical Partners Program. This designation would establish North Carolina as the custodian of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps.

State Response / Strategies

• New / up-to-date / improved Flood Insurance Rate Maps:Study on a Basin by Basin Issued on a Countywide Basis

• New DFIRMs (new H&H studies) for all North Carolina by FY 2007-08

• New detailed, accurate elevation data

• Reduction of time needed for post-preliminary review and appeals process for new FIRM maps (6 months)

• Better notification and dissemination of information about new and revised maps

Program Objectives and Deliverables

• On-going program for updating and maintaining FIRMs

• Better equipped and informed post-event mitigation activities as a result of updated flood risk maps

• Cost-effective data sharing through the implementation and operation of an inter-operable Geographic Information System

• Internet web application providing cost-effective upload, download, management, and dissemination of digital data and maps (24 x 7 / free access)

• Implement a real-time flood inundation and forecast mapping system (flood warning)

Program Objectives and Deliverables - continued

Floodplain Mapping - Phases

Phase I—blue (December 2003) Phase II—gold (December 2004)

Phase III—green (December 2006)

Floodplain Mapping – 1985 Jacksonville, NC FBFM

Key Components of the New Maps - Production

Digital FIRM=

Flood Hazard Data

Base Data + Topography +

Floodplain Mapping – Old Map vs. New Map

• Leverage efficient and effective technology for more efficient digital / map modernization for new maps / future updates (GIS, LIDAR, etc.)

• Collect complete elevation data coverage in North Carolina

• Study as many miles of stream as need and possible (1 sq. mile basin threshold / efficient limited-detail approach)

• Requirement for hard copy (snapshot) and digital (living) version – different purposes, valued products for each

• Emphasize / Establish digital data sharing with counties / municipalities

• Leverage program deliverables to defray the overall cost and further implement other (e.g. flood warning)

• Strong, upfront community involvement and buy-in

• Documentation is Required (Business Rules and Procedures)

• No new wheels – Share everything / Co-opetition

Programmatic / Operations - Priniciples

Data Acquisition – Public vs. Private

• Assessment / scoping of map needs (State of NC / NC Communities)

• Digital base maps (State of NC / NC Communities)

• Acquisition of elevation data (RFQ)

• Engineering studies (RFQ)

• Digital flood insurance rate maps (RFQ)

• Quality assurance/quality control (Geodetic Survey / 3rd Party)

• Information technology architectural design and implementation (RFQ)

• Real Time Flood Forecasting and Inundation Mapping (State of NC / FEMA / USGS / NWS)

• NCFPMP has established a distributed program structure utilizing multiple agencies as leads:– NCFPMP – Overall program/policy development and management,

contractual management, operations management, H&H analysis, scoping, outreach, post-preliminary

– NCGS – (lead partner) Elevation acquisition, elevation quality control (3rd party, independent surveyors

– NC CGIA – (lead partner) Base map acquisition / review, DFIRM review, IT design and implementation

– FEMA – Overall CTP partner, concurrence on policy and maps, post-preliminary (regulatory responsibilities), financial support

– Dewberry – H&H concurrence review, DFIRM and DFIRM database concurrence review, community mapping needs / scoping support, program and policy support

– CTS Committee – policy / program direction (advisory), program / product feedback, inter-agency coordination and collaboration

Current Program / Operations - Structure

• NCFPMP has established a distributed QA / QC program structure utilizing multiple agencies as leads:

• QA / QC for elevation data – NCFPMP / NCGS / 3rd party surveyors / FEMA-Dewberry

• QA / QC for DFIRM panels, database, reports – NCFPMP, CGIA, FEMA-Dewberry

• QA / QC for Hydraulic & Hydrologic studies - NCFPMP, FEMA, and Dewberry

• QA / QC for Information Technology Infrastructure – NCFPMP, CGIA, IRMC, FEMA

Current Program / Operations – QA / QC

• August 15, 2000, North Carolina General Assembly reallocates $23.2 million from Hurricane Floyd Reserve to Floodplain Mapping – Phase I

• September 15, 2000, State of North Carolina and FEMA signed MOA transferring primary responsibility for NC FIRMs to North Carolina

• October 2000, North Carolina holds first CTS Committee Meeting

• November 2000, qualified two prime firms (WSC and G&O) to do the elevation acquisition, engineering and surveying, DFIRM generation, IT design and implementation

• January 2001, issued first delivery orders to both firms for elevation acquisition for Phase I area

CTS Program Steps / Milestones

• September 2001, General Assembly transferred NCFPMP from OSBPM to CCPS, sending NC CGIA and NCGS to DENR

• November 2001, North Carolina General Assembly reallocates (through legislation) $ 9.0 million from Hurricane Floyd Reserve to Hurricane Floyd Reserve – Phase I and II

• January 2002, OSBM puts hold on all state funds due to budget shortfall

• January 15, 2002, Onslow County maps are submitted to community (post-preliminary process)

• April 30, 2002, North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Information System (NCFMIS) is certified by IRMC and goes live on the web

• September 2002, National Weather Service Flood Warning Grant approved

CTS Program Steps / Milestones

• October 2002, North Carolina General Assembly reallocates (through Appropriation Bill) $ 9.0 million from Hurricane Floyd Reserve to Hurricane Floyd Reserve – “To be used to leverage / maximize federal and state funds to continue the Floodplain Mapping Program”

• November 2002, Issue Delivery Order for Scoping Tool / Application to be used in Phase II

• March 2003, Qualified two additional Prime Engineering Firms (AMEC and Arcadis)

• December 2003, Submitted Draft State Map Modernization Business Plan (2004-09)

CTS Program Steps / Milestones

Map Modernization Plan FY 2004-09

Tasks / Outputs Phase I - Phase I -CF Phase II - Phase III -Statewide

CoverageAnnual Map

Maint. LOMCs Deleg.

Acquisition of Elevation Data (# of sq miles) 12,500 13,000 16,372 6,971 48,843 4,884  

Quality Control of Elevation Data (# of counties) 31 21 39 17 108 11  

Hydrologic and Hydraulic Studies (# of linear stream miles) 9,776 7,474 13,100 5,600 35,950 3,595 500

Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (# of panels) 3,665 1,391 3,645 557 9,258 926 200

Map Needs Assessment / Scoping (# of community mtgs) 123 129 260 98 610 61  

Post-Preliminary / Outreach (# of community mtgs) 82 51 100 50 283 28  

Digital Community Base Data QC (# of GIS layers) 140 92 220 84 536 107  

Digital DFIRM Databases QC (# of databases) 39 23 45 23 130 13  

NOTE 1: Annual map maintenance figures is based on a 10% modification to the statewide data set except for Base Data QC

NOTE 2: Engineering and DFIRM production for Dare County is being reworked due to Hurricane Isabel

Phase II – Scope of Work

• Elevation Acquisition – 16,372 square miles (25 cm vertical accuracy to bare earth)

• Hydrologic and Hydraulic Modeling – 13,100 linear miles (detail, limited-detail, redelineation)

• DFIRM Panel Production – ~3,645 panels (1:500 and/or 1:1,000 scale)

• DFIRM Database / FIS Reports – 45 counties (whole or partial) / GIS and non-GIS interoperability

• Information Technology (FMIS) – – Transition from FMIS to AHMIS (e.g. Flood Warning, Spill

Modeling, Technological hazards, HAZUS integration)– Multi-Hazard Mapping Portal – Local and Federal WM services

data– Engineering and Inventory Data upload and download– LOMCs submittal, processing, mapping application

• Real Time Flood Forecasting and Inundation Mapping – Phase II (Cape Fear, Roanoke, Yadkin, etc)

Future Delegation of FEMA Work to NC

• Delegation of LOMCs receipt, processing and mapping

• Post-Preliminary Processing - Mapping Resolution• Printing and Mailing of Preliminary and Effective

Maps

• NC FPMP intends to award one IDIQs to a private sector engineering firm

• Selection based on demonstrated competence and qualifications (G.S. 143-64.31)

• 2 year contract with three / 1 year renewal options• No joint ventures allowed / Prime Firms• Letter of qualifications due by April 13, 2004• An evaluation of the submitted letters will be conducted• A short list of firms will be determined with subsequent

interviews be held between May 2004• All firms submitting Letters must be equipped with

manager(s) licensed as a Professional Engineer with the NC Board

• Contractor must have primary contract office within 25 miles of the State Government Complex in downtown Raleigh, N.C. within three months of contract signing.

RFQ Highlights / Contractual Approach

• Firms are required to identify project team members and their specific proposed roles on the project.

• Regarding the evaluation of qualifications, note the emphasis placed on project management, quality control, and capacity (experience and manpower) for doing the work.

• All work must meet FEMA requirements and meet or exceed North Carolina defined requirements (IT / Database)

• Vertical Management Approach• Bi-weekly joint contractors meeting • CTS Committee Meeting •

RFQ Highlights / Contractual Approach

Visit the State’s Web Site:

www.ncfloodmaps.com

Thank You.