OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTEGRATING WETLAND AND FLOODPLAIN

MANAGEMENT

JON KUSLERASSOCIATION OF STATE WETLAND MANAGERS, INC.

518-872-1804; jon.kusler@aswm.org

Integrated Approaches

• Why?

• What?

• Why difficult?

• How?• How?

• Examples?

Why Integrated Approaches?

• Rising flood losses.

• Continued ecosystem losses.

• Uninformed decision-making.

• Economic inefficiencies.

• Climate change exacerbating flood and natural • Climate change exacerbating flood and natural system losses.

• Wetland, riparian area, and floodplain programs often address the same space on the ground but are managed by different agencies with different objectives.

• Conflicts.

Destruction of Floodplain, Wetland, Riparian Area

Natural Functions and Values

• Flood storage. • Flood conveyance. • Wave reduction. • Erosion control.• Habitat for fish, shellfish, waterfowl, many types of endangered

species.• Sediment reduction in lakes, reservoirs, streams, estuaries, and • Sediment reduction in lakes, reservoirs, streams, estuaries, and

coastal systems.• Prevent and treat pollution:

– prevent pollution from entering a water body. – treat (remove) pollution in a water body.

• Natural crops and timber: cranberry, blueberry, saltmarsh hay, aquaculture species, wild rice, forestry, other natural crops.

• Groundwater recharge.

• Scenic beauty.

• Recreational opportunities, ecotourism.

• Historical, archaeological, heritage, and cultural opportunities.

• Education and research.

• Trapping of carbon, carbon stores important to • Trapping of carbon, carbon stores important to moderation of global warming.

• Micro-climate modification.

Wetlands Are Often Subject To Deep Inundation

And, In Some Instances, High Velocity Flows In A

100-Year Flood

� Coastal wetlands are typically flooded (flood heights plus waves) to depths of 14 to 20 feet by a 100-year storm or hurricane.

� Inland riverine wetlands along major rivers are � Inland riverine wetlands along major rivers are typically flooded (flood height plus waves) to depths of 8 to 12 feet by a 100-year flood.

� Lake fringe wetlands and depressional wetlands are often subject to long term, cyclic water levels of 6 feet or more which flood structures constructed during dry periods.

• Even highly altered wetlands with limited habitat values may be subject to severe natural hazards and may play hazard reduction roles for other lands (flood storage, flood conveyance).

• Based upon natural hazards, “sequencing” involving the location of development on alternative upland sites and location of development on alternative upland sites and compensation for loss of hazard-related functions if development must occur makes sense even where wetlands, riparian areas, floodplains have limited habitat functions and values.

Flood Hazard: Coastal Storm Surge, Inland Runoff

Waves

Hurricane Camille, 196922-25 Foot Storm Surge and Waves

December, 2004 South Asian Tsunami

Even a Narrow Band of Wetland May Cause Waves to Break by Increasing Friction and

Absorbing Energy

Extensive Wetlands Reduce Surge

and Tsunami Elevations.

1 Foot per 1.0 to 2.7 Miles of Wetland

Organic, Saturated Soils

Wetlands And Associated Floodplains Are Subject

To A Variety Of Other Hazards Such As

Hydrostatic Pressures In Saturated Soils And

Flooding Which “Floated” This Tank

Liquafaction

•Wave•Wave

WHAT ARE INTEGRATED APPROACHES?

MULTIPLE GOALS:

• REDUCE FLOOD AND OTHER NATURAL HAZARD

LOSSES.

• PROTECT FLOODPLAIN, WETLAND, RIPARIAN

AREA, AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM NATURAL

FUNCTIONS AND VALUES.

• FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH AND SAFE,

LIVABLE COMMUNITIES--, JOBS, HOUSING, TAX

BASE, TRANSPORTATION, ETC.

INTEGRATED APPROACHESKNOWN BY A NUMBER OF NAMES:

• WETLANDS AND WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

• “LOW IMPACT” FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

• NO ADVERSE IMPACT FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

• “MULTIOBJECTIVE FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT

• FLOOD LOSS REDUCTION AND THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL AND BENEFICIAL VALUES

• MULTIOBJECTIVE “RIVER CORRIDOR” MANAGEMENT• MULTIOBJECTIVE “RIVER CORRIDOR” MANAGEMENT

OFTEN PART OF BROADER INITIATVES:

• “WATER RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT” AND “WATERSHED PROJECTS”

• “SMART GROWTH”,

• “GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE”

• “SUSTAINABLE” CITY

• “HUMANE” CITY

INTEGRATED APPROACHES

Require:

• Creative “out of the box” thinking

• Willingness to go beyond FEMA minimum

standardsstandards

• Multiobjective planning and management

• Building upon and utilizing floodplain, wetland

and riparian natural and beneficial functions

• Multi-agency and multi-group involvement

• Communication and cooperation

WHY DIFFICULT?

• Statutes, regulations often focus on a single topic—e.g. flood plain regulation, wetland regulation, disaster assistance,

• Each agency has its “territory”,• Each agency has its “territory”,

• Cooperation and coordination is a pain…,

• Agency staff lack expertise in more than one subject.

FLOODPLAIN AND WETLAND MANAGEMENT:

NEVER THE TWAIN SHALL MEET?

• Floodplain managers are typically engineers and water resource planners; wetland managers are biologists and botanists. The two groups have different vocabularies, interests, and drinking different vocabularies, interests, and drinking habits.

• Management practices sometimes conflict. For example, fill is often used in floodplains to reduce flood losses by elevating houses, roads, other activities. But fill also destroys wetlands and broader aquatic ecosystems.

BUT, TIMES ARE CHANGING

Many factors now favor multiobjective, more integrated approaches:

• Fiscal meltdown. Multiobjective approaches make financial sense. Gotta do more with less.

• Multiobjective approaches have (in some instances) political acceptability where single objective approaches do not (e.g., a greenway rather flood control works in Tulsa).

• The public is increasingly aware of the interrelationships between wetlands and flood hazards (e.g., the Louisiana Governor’s and New Orleans Mayor’s statements after Katrina). Public awareness means political interest.

• No net loss wetland, riparian, and aquatic ecosystem regulations. Floodplain managers must apply these regulations in their projects. Wetland and floodplain managers must compensate for the loss of natural and beneficial functions of wetlands floodplains, riparian areas, aquatic ecosystems.

• Climate change. Integrated approaches are more resilient to change.

• Legal liability. States and local governments are being held legally liable for flood losses associated with traditional flood control works such as dams and levees. Governments are looking for new ways to protect flood storage and conveyance and prevent increases in flooding and erosion.

Opportunities Exist for Strengthening Integration at All Levels

Federal

Principles and guidelines for water projectsFloodplain Executive OrderFloodplain, wetland, riparian restoration effortsFlood Insurance Program regulatory guidelines and Community Rating SystemPublic land managementPublic land management

StatePublic land managementFloodplain regulatory effortsWetland regulatory efforts

LocalInfrastructure planningComprehensive land use management, watershed managementWetland floodplain riparian areaWatershed planningPublic land management

All Involve More Informed, Multiobjective Decision-

making

• Consider not just depth of inundation but– Waves– Velocity– Erosion potential– Other hazards (where appropriate)

• Reasonably anticipate future development• Reasonably anticipate future development• Consider residual risks

– Levees versus natural channels– Elevation on fill versus floodproofing

• Reflect climate change:– Setbacks– Extra freeboard.

• Reflect full range of natural goods and services

Example of Integrated Approach:

Protect Floodplain and Wetland Vegetation to Reduce

Wave Heights and Erosion, Provide Natural and Beneficial

Functions. This is particularly important for high velocity

areas.

Integrated Approach: Maintain Wetland and Floodplain

Flood Storage in Calculating, Routing, and Accommodating

Flood Flows

Integrated Approach: Adopt Zero Rise Floodways

to Improve Conveyance, Reduce Flood Losses,

Protect Natural and Beneficial Functions

Integrated Approach: Strengthen Wetland and Floodplain Regulations

• Strengthen the hazard element of wetland regulatory permitting (federal, state, local) and the ecological element of floodplain regulatory permitting

– Tightly regulate fills and drainage

– Adopt a “no adverse impact” standard for floodplain – Adopt a “no adverse impact” standard for floodplain and wetland regulations

– Designate areas behind levees as subject to flooding

– Protect wetlands

Integrated Approaches: Develop Multiobjective Data

Bases; Provide Accurate Floodplain Maps To Wetland

Managers, Accurate Wetland Maps To Floodplain

Managers

Integrated Approach: Acquire Wetlands and Floodplains As

Flood Storage And Conveyance Areas: Example:

Charles River Wetland Acquisition

Integrated Approach: Clear Structures in

Floodways, Floodplains to Reduce Flood Losses,

Protect Natural and Beneficial Functions

Integrated Approach: Integrate Wetlands, Riparian Areas Into Flood Control Projects

Integrate Open Space Wetland, Riparian,

Floodplain Areas Into Flood Control Projects

• Construct/restore wetlands for flood storage and conveyance

• Construct/restore wetlands in front of levees to reduce wave heights and levees to reduce wave heights and energies and to reduce erosion

• Construct setback levees; allow wetlands to form between the levees and the water

• Create/restore wetlands with dredge spoil

Integrated Approach: Create Multiobjective

Greenways

For Floodplain, Wetland, Riparian Areas

Integrated Approach: Restore Or Create Wetlands

In New Stormwater Management Facilities; Retrofit

Existing Stormwater Management Facilities

Integrated Approach: Do Not Repair Or Breach Levees; Allocate Lands to Open

Space Uses: Louisa 8

Integrated Approach: Construct Setback Levees

Integrated Approach: Create Habitat Restoration “Beads” Along Rivers

Integrated Approach: Create/Restore Wetlands With Dredge Spoil

Integrated Approach: Implement Sediment and Floodwater Diversions

Integrated Approach: Install Water Control

Structures In Drained Wetlands To Restore Flood

Storage:

Before Restoration

After Restoration

Integrated Approach: Restore Floodplains,

Wetlands and Riparian Areas to Reduce

Flood/Erosion Losses, Restore Natural and

Beneficial Functions

Integrated Approach: Protect Floodplains and

Wetlands While Reducing Flood Losses As Part Of

Community Watershed Management,

Comprehensive Planning, Smart Growth, Green

Infrastructure Initiatives

SUMMARY:

INTEGRATED APPROACHES

• Creative “out of the box” thinking

• Willingness to go beyond FEMA minimum standards

• Multiobjective planning and management• Multiobjective planning and management

• Building upon and utilizing floodplain and wetland natural and beneficial functions

• Multi-agency and multi-group involvement

• Communication and cooperation

• Perseverance

THANKS!