EPA and Flood Risk – Programs EPA and Flood Risk – Programs and Perspectivesand Perspectives

Rob WoodRob WoodActing Deputy Office DirectorActing Deputy Office Director

Office of Wetlands, Oceans and WatershedsOffice of Wetlands, Oceans and WatershedsU.S. Environmental Protection AgencyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency

National Flood Risk Management SummitNational Flood Risk Management SummitJuly 14, 2009July 14, 2009

wood.robert@epa.govwood.robert@epa.gov

EPA Goals and Flood Risk EPA Goals and Flood Risk Management Management

Protect and restore wetlands; Protect and restore wetlands; Replicate natural hydrology in watersheds; Replicate natural hydrology in watersheds; Reconnect rivers and streams to their Reconnect rivers and streams to their

floodplains;floodplains; Anticipate climate change impacts; Anticipate climate change impacts; Support green infrastructure; Support green infrastructure; These goals also improve water quality, These goals also improve water quality,

protect drinking water, and restore aquatic protect drinking water, and restore aquatic and terrestrial habitats.and terrestrial habitats.

EPA’s Goals Align with Floodplain EPA’s Goals Align with Floodplain Management VisionManagement Vision

FEMA’s document FEMA’s document A Unified National Program for A Unified National Program for Floodplain ManagementFloodplain Management,, and and

ASFPM’s policy paperASFPM’s policy paper: : Natural and Beneficial Natural and Beneficial Functions: Floodplain Management – More than Functions: Floodplain Management – More than Flood Loss ReductionFlood Loss Reduction

emphasize that the co-equal goals of floodplain emphasize that the co-equal goals of floodplain management are to:management are to: Reduce the loss of life and property caused Reduce the loss of life and property caused

by floods, by floods, andand Protect and restore the natural resources and Protect and restore the natural resources and

functions of floodplains.functions of floodplains.

Wetlands: Nature’s Flood Wetlands: Nature’s Flood Protection Protection

Flood services Flood services Store and release Store and release

floodwater over a period floodwater over a period of time.of time.

Reduce flood volume and Reduce flood volume and velocity.velocity.

Lower downstream flood Lower downstream flood stages.stages.

Coastal wetlands such as Coastal wetlands such as marshes and mangrove marshes and mangrove swamps buffer storm swamps buffer storm surgesurge

Loss of Wetlands Causes Loss of Wetlands Causes Flooding Flooding

Over 60 days of Over 60 days of floodwater storage floodwater storage once existed in the once existed in the bottomland hardwood bottomland hardwood forests along the forests along the Mississippi River. Mississippi River.

Only 12 days storage Only 12 days storage remains today. remains today.

Wetlands Restoration Supports Wetlands Restoration Supports Flood ReductionFlood Reduction

EPA collaborates with the USACE, States, Tribes and other partners to restore ecosystems while achieving other benefits such as flood protection, water quality improvements, and habitat restoration.

EPA is working with the USACE on the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Study;

EPA has been an active member of the UMR/IWW System Navigation Study principals and technical groups;

EPA is working with its partners to restore wetlands in the Upper Mississippi River Basin through EPA grants and with technical assistance.

EPA Efforts to Address Coastal Wetlands

Coastal Wetlands InitiativeCoastal Wetlands Initiative Improve EPA understanding and educate key Improve EPA understanding and educate key

stakeholders on:stakeholders on: Functions and values of coastal wetlandsFunctions and values of coastal wetlands Factors contributing to loss in specific geographic Factors contributing to loss in specific geographic

areasareas Programs and strategies to protect and restore Programs and strategies to protect and restore

coastal wetlandscoastal wetlands Encourage collaboration among federal state, state, and Encourage collaboration among federal state, state, and

local, and nongovernmental partners involved in local, and nongovernmental partners involved in planning, preservation, and restoration efforts in coastal planning, preservation, and restoration efforts in coastal watersheds.watersheds.

EPA Goal: Reduce Increased EPA Goal: Reduce Increased Runoff From Development Runoff From Development

Increasing imperviousness from urbanization Increasing imperviousness from urbanization causes hydrological modification and adverse causes hydrological modification and adverse environmental impacts:environmental impacts: Greatly increased runoff volume Greatly increased runoff volume Stream scouring transport of excess sedimentStream scouring transport of excess sediment Lack of groundwater recharge by infiltrationLack of groundwater recharge by infiltration Loss of base stream flowLoss of base stream flow between storm eventsbetween storm events Reduction and sometimes elimination of fish and Reduction and sometimes elimination of fish and

macro-invertebratesmacro-invertebrates Reducing runoff from development is also Reducing runoff from development is also

recognized by FEMA as one tool of flood recognized by FEMA as one tool of flood reduction. reduction.

Low Impact Development Low Impact Development Contributes to Flood ReductionContributes to Flood Reduction

EPA promotes practices that mimic natural EPA promotes practices that mimic natural processes to manage stormwater where it falls:processes to manage stormwater where it falls:

Infiltration Infiltration

EvapotranspirationEvapotranspiration

Reuse Reuse

Roadside swales instead of pipes, permeable Roadside swales instead of pipes, permeable pavements, bioretention, green roofs…many pavements, bioretention, green roofs…many practices can be usedpractices can be used

Energy Independence and Security Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007Act of 2007

“ “Sec. 438. Storm Water Runoff Requirements Sec. 438. Storm Water Runoff Requirements for Federal Development Projects. for Federal Development Projects. The The sponsor of any sponsor of any development or redevelopmentdevelopment or redevelopment project involving a Federal facility with a footprint project involving a Federal facility with a footprint that exceeds 5,000 square feet shall use site that exceeds 5,000 square feet shall use site planning, design, construction, and maintenance planning, design, construction, and maintenance strategies for the property to strategies for the property to maintain or restoremaintain or restore, , to the maximum extent technically feasible, theto the maximum extent technically feasible, the predevelopment hydrology of the propertypredevelopment hydrology of the property with with regard to the temperature, rate, volume, and regard to the temperature, rate, volume, and duration of flow.”duration of flow.”

Conventional Low Impact

Functional Landscape DesignGood DrainageConventional

Low Impact DevelopmentLow Impact Development

Starting to be adopted by local communities to Starting to be adopted by local communities to achieve multiple objectives.achieve multiple objectives.

Now a standard for Federal Facility developmentNow a standard for Federal Facility development EPA working to promote the use of low impact EPA working to promote the use of low impact

development as the standard design technique development as the standard design technique in development and redevelopmentin development and redevelopment

The National Research Council (2008) The National Research Council (2008) recommended a shift in the regulation of recommended a shift in the regulation of stormwater to include stormwater to include flow volumeflow volume, in addition , in addition to qualityto quality

Clean Water State Revolving FundClean Water State Revolving Fund

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the “Stimulus Bill,” targeted 20% of the $4 billion in Clean “Stimulus Bill,” targeted 20% of the $4 billion in Clean Water State Revolving Funds for “Green Infrastructure,” Water State Revolving Funds for “Green Infrastructure,” which included funding for green stormwater projects.which included funding for green stormwater projects.

Green Infrastructure refers to systems or practices that Green Infrastructure refers to systems or practices that use or mimic natural hydrological conditions. use or mimic natural hydrological conditions.

Funds for green infrastructure under SRF will continue. Funds for green infrastructure under SRF will continue. Examples include protecting floodplains and riparian Examples include protecting floodplains and riparian

areas, pocket wetlands, permeable pavement, green areas, pocket wetlands, permeable pavement, green

roofs, etcroofs, etc. .

Climate ChangeClimate Change

Need to prepare for the uncertainties in future Need to prepare for the uncertainties in future flood frequency and intensity; base, or reference flood frequency and intensity; base, or reference conditions, of storms are changing due to conditions, of storms are changing due to climate shiftsclimate shifts

EPA is working on adaptation to address short-EPA is working on adaptation to address short-term changes. For example, “Climate Ready term changes. For example, “Climate Ready Estuaries” is assessing, testing, and Estuaries” is assessing, testing, and implementing coastal adaptation projects implementing coastal adaptation projects through the National Estuary Program.through the National Estuary Program.

Working Together Working Together

Our goals complement each other:Our goals complement each other:

Protecting floodplains and wetlands reduces flood Protecting floodplains and wetlands reduces flood damages; damages;

Restoring watershed hydrology reduces flooding and Restoring watershed hydrology reduces flooding and protects water resources. protects water resources.

Improving interagency communication and Improving interagency communication and collaboration will facilitate effective collaboration will facilitate effective implementation of flood risk management and implementation of flood risk management and environmental protection. environmental protection.

EPA ContactsEPA Contacts

John McShane – Floodplain John McShane – Floodplain Management Management mcshane.john@epa.govmcshane.john@epa.gov

Lisa Hair – Low Impact Development Lisa Hair – Low Impact Development hair.lisa@epa.govhair.lisa@epa.gov

Tim Landers – WetlandsTim Landers – Wetlands

landers.tim@epa.govlanders.tim@epa.gov John Wilson – Climate Ready EstuariesJohn Wilson – Climate Ready Estuaries

wilson.john@epa.govwilson.john@epa.gov

Green Roof, Chicago City Hall

Street Curb Rain GardenPortland, OR