Floodplain Management Track  | Hillsborough/Pinellas Rooms

A Moment in Time: Capturing accurate Historic Flood data | Andy Renshaw, CFM, City of Gainesville (45 minutes)

When storms approach, the primary focus is always response and recovery.  However historic events also provide a fantastic opportunity to capture solid data concerning actual flood conditions vs models.  The nature of flooding, especially in Florida’s karst and riverine fed mainland means that many floods peak and rapidly recede, thus the window for capturing accurate high water data is small.  Using both internal government resources coupled with the publics desire to use social media and share their own experience can be utilized to capture this important data.  Various methods are used to capture the data in useable formats to not only for historic maps, H-n-H modeling, watershed management plan updates, and public information but also help satisfy CRS credit concerning historic flood data.

Preventing Flooding in the City of Ormond Beach through Intelligent Water Management | Shawn Finley, P.E., City of Ormond Beach • Viktor Hlas, Opti (45 minutes)

Following a 2009 storm event that caused excessive flooding and property damage in the Laurel Creek Drainage Basin Area, the City of Ormond Beach implemented its “Laurel Creek Pump Station Additions and Improvements Project”. The pump system controls lake levels for five interconnected lakes within the drainage basin. To further minimize the risk of flooding and to fully take advantage of the storage potential associated with the five interconnected lakes, the City deployed Continuous Monitoring and Adaptive Control (CMAC) technology. CMAC uses data from connected on-site sensors, weather forecasts, and site-specific parameters to make intelligent and predictive control decisions about when water is discharged from stormwater infrastructure. This presentation will provide insight into the project and the recorded performance of the CMAC-enabled system, with a focus on how it prevented flooding and empowered the City to conduct data-driven emergency management operations during 2017 Hurricane Irma.

SI/SD Track  | Cape Canaveral/Volusia Rooms

SI/SD–An Appraiser’s Perspective & the Questions You Want to Ask | Ray Carroll, CFM, MAI, SRA, Carroll and Carroll Real Estate Appraisers & Consultants

During Irma recovery, FEMA and the SFMO have stressed the importance of conducting Substantial Damage Determinations and ensuring that substantial improvements are compliant with the NFIP.  Under the NFIP, procedures for implementing SI/SD are set locally. Local officials are in the unenviable position of being the POC with a public that is often uninformed (or misinformed), resulting in misunderstanding and antagonism. The SI/SD Desk Reference charges local officials with responsibility to estimate “market value” using several approved methods. The professional property appraisal method is identified as the best method. Local officials must ensure that the NFIP 50% Rule appraisal is appropriately applied but floodplain managers seek a better understanding of appraisal evaluation techniques. The SI/SD Desk Reference can be confusing to almost everyone, including real estate appraisers. This session will help clear up misunderstandings, help improve customer relations, and discuss interpretation of the guidance while the Desk Reference and other related FEMA documents are undergoing updates.

CRS Track: Hints and Tips  | Palm Beach/Broward Rooms

Introduction to CRS (Related Activities: 110, 210) • Preparing for a Verification Visit or Annual Recertification – Preparation Timeline (Related Activity: 230) | Craig Carpenter, ISO (45 minutes each)

When preparing for a CRS Verification or Annual Recertification there are many useful hints and tips to ensure your community is successful.  An introduction to the CRS will be provided along with an explanation of the what to expect, how to prepare in advance, the timelines, and processes involved in a successful CRS Verification or Annual Recertification.

Sea-Level Rise Track  | Dade/Florida Keys Rooms

Florida Resilient Coastlines Program: Introduction and Operations Update | Whitney Gray, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (45 minutes)

The Florida Resilient Coastlines Program, housed in the Florida Coastal Office of DEP, is focused on helping Florida’s coastal communities improve their resilience to the effects of rising sea levels, including coastal flooding, erosion, and ecosystem changes. DEP has funded many resilience-building projects in the past and plans to continue and grow these efforts. Additionally, the Florida Resilient Coastlines Program will convene state and regional agencies, local governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to improve coordination of resilience efforts across the state with the goal of synergizing community resilience planning, natural resource protection tools, and funding to prepare Florida’s coastline for rising sea levels.

Going from Green to Gray: Understanding Stakeholder Values to Increase Support for Adaptation | CJ Reynolds, University of South Florida College of Marine Science (45 minutes)

Values and deeply held attitudes about different types of infrastructure solutions, perceptions of risk, concepts of planning time frames, scales, benefits, costs, and finance mechanisms can reduce community and elected-official support for a project. Large projects that reduce sporadic flooding events and increasing SLR require different communications strategies. In this session, you will learn about social and cognitive factors that influence decision making for adaptation and public finance, and how adaptation strategies need to create cultural, economic, and social co-benefits for your community.