GIS, Imagery and Modeling to Manage 2008 Iowa Floods Mary Ann Stewart, P.E.

Mary Ann Stewart Engineering

Based on GITA ROI methodology Funded by FGDC 50 States Initiative Complex year-long project began July 07 Business case focused on bringing 99 counties to a common GIS standard Result was a multi-agency business case Analysis led to creation of a State agency to provide GIS support Use of methodology $1.43M in funding to date

Quantifying benefits presented challenges Culture of ad hoc response Response is priceless: We Cant Quantify It Emergencies are unique rather than repeatable Multi-agency response a complex web of activities Standards for documentation vary by agency Emergency response teams may disperse after completion of their individual tasks

Report on the initial multi-agency analysis due June 30, 2008 May 25 - Parkersburg tornado, flash flooding throughout Iowa June 8 - Iowa River over 22 flood stage June 10 - Coralville Reservoir tops emergency spillway June 14 Numerous levee breaches begin June 16 DNR project lead locked out of State offices in Iowa City due to flooding

University of Iowa Buildings

Fine Arts campus replacement = $404.9M (2012 est.) Total campus flood damage > $1B

Iowa DNR project lead recommended additional flood/tornado response project Funding provided by Rolla, MO USGS office for International Charter Imagery program Analysis included use of all geospatial technology, including Charter Imagery and other imagery products Flood benefits updated during 2011 economic development ROI analysis

Interviews with 69 individuals at 36 organizations conducted fall 2008 spring 2009 County organizations: GIS, sheriff, emergency management, assessor, auditor, community development, engineering, public works, public health, planning and zoning State organizations: universities, DNR, Homeland Security, State Floodplain Manager, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Transportation, Federal organizations: Corps of Engineers, FEMA, National Weather Service, USGS Also spoke with local business owners, utilities, response contractors

Staff time saved during emergency response Increased FEMA assistance to citizens Citizen time saved Avoided cost of land-based surveying, using LiDAR Vehicle miles saved Additional Federal damage reimbursements provided Materials saved (primarily sandbags) Building damage avoided Ability to bill private entities for unneeded prevention Cost avoidance of unnecessary relocation activity

Faster information flow faster economic activity recovery Better and faster information presidential disaster declaration Better communication with helping agencies citizens assisted better and faster Better road closure information to the public time saved and safety increased Maps and data used as communication tool for briefings Use by EOC as situation awareness tool Maps provide time lapse record of the stages of the flood, useful for hazard mitigation planning for the next flood Better resource allocation during response Modeling aided decision to drain basin naturally rather than paying to bring in big pumps Debris removal facilitated

Coralville Reservoir Spillway

Unique confluence of staff skills enabled use of FEMA loss estimation tool Shane Hubbard at University of Iowa Geography Dept. had HAZUS background Dave Wilson, Johnson Co. Emergency Management Director, sought his help Rick Havel of Johnson Co. GIS supplied county-specific data for building inventory HAZUS results could provide daily forecast of water levels along Iowa River

Planning began June 9th with first HAZUS-MH run in the Emergency Operations Center simulating peak discharges from 1993 hundred-year flood Incorporated National Weather Service and Corps of Engineers forecasts of discharge values for Iowa River Johnson County agencies used HAZUS output and 2007 DFIRMS, plus imagery taken at flood crest Staff now realize HAZUS runs were first steps toward flexible flood inundation mapping

Correct placement of sandbags saved two critical county buildings that flooded in 1993 Critical building houses commissioners, auditors, assessors Uncertainty around modeling couldnt guarantee that sandbagging wasnt needed Decision made to sandbag with flood water ultimately lapping at sandbags

Correct placement of sandbags held back 3-4 feet of water from sheriffs buildings HAZUS modeling forecasted no need to evacuate building Building housed EOC and provided staging site for National Guard response Jail housed 100 prisoners without good options in event of evacuation Evacuation by prisoner transport van would cost 10 trips X 4 staff X 2 hours + transport

costs

Prepositioned staff in teams of 8 come in a few days before the flood crest From HAZUS output, provided with a list of 600 names, addresses, phone numbers Helped prioritize work effort -- went to damaged homes in first wave of activity saving 12 hours X 6

days X 8 staff = 576 hours

Knew if location was commercial, residential, agricultural Reaching affected population sooner means citizens can apply for assistance sooner FEMA contact noted that this had never been provided to him working previous disasters

50 day window to apply for individual assistance after Presidential Declaration Citizens applying sooner FEMA customer benefits ramped up sooner Reaching affected population sooner increase in total applications Johnson County had 1600 registrations two months after flood for estimated 1500-3000 buildings damaged Typically 10% to 50% of affected citizens file Average housing assistance payout in Iowa was $5200 Benefits could range from 50% to 90% x 1600 registrations X $5200 = $4.16M to $7.49M in

assistance

Corps provided reservoir release rates each morning Engineering support firm ran model daily Output used to determine sandbag placement

25% of $667M actual building damages = $166,750,000

Save UI buildings Increased FEMA assistance to citizens FEMA reimbursable utility projects Productivity benefits All other benefits

$166,750,000 95.38% $4,160,000 $3,300,000 2.38% 1.89%

$275,207 0.16% $25,122 0.01% Save UI bldgs

Increased FEMA assistance to citizens FEMA reimbursable utility projects
Productivity benefits

95.38%
All other benefits

Scaling factor developed to show statewide risk from flooded buildings

0.13743 = Annual Probability of 100-Year Flood * (Statewide Total Direct Economic Building Loss / Johnson County Total Economic Building Loss)

Building Loss metrics from statewide HAZUS runs for 100 year flood in $2008

Study work processes Ask end users about their benefits experience Ask when they can still recall what made a difference Keep asking Who else used the technology? Surprises are good thats how a study produces new insights Develop conservative benefits estimates based on actual quantified experiences Realize that magnitude of benefits may shock decision makers

Mary Ann Stewart, P.E. Mary Ann Stewart Engineering LLC mastewart@sunflower.com (785) 865-5251