Flood Impact Task Force

The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 was passed by the U.S. Congress to extend the National Flood Insurance Program. It required significant reforms and adjustments to flood insurance rates. While the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act (2014) slowed the pace at which the new rates would take effect, it did not change the long term outlook.

The Lewisburg Borough Flood Impact Task Force was initiated on July 15, 2014 to help establish an accurate picture of impacts and avenues for potential policy and program responses for our historic rivertown community with an eye toward applying to FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) for a possible exemption from or reduction in exposure to Biggert-Waters and/or for applying for federal money to perform flood mitigation work on properties that would be affected.

The National Flood Insurance Program directly involves the federal government and private property owners. Local and state government bodies do not get direct rate feedback. The Task Force sought to make the case that one size (national legislation) does not fit all (specifically historic river towns, as opposed to new, perilous, coastal development).

Flood Insurance Rate Change Information and Resources

TEXT DOCUMENTS

Historic Floods in Lewisburg (pdf) -- tabulated by the National Weather Service
Form Letter for Flood Impact Task Force (pdf) — Flood Impact Task Force expression of interest template (September 2014)
NFIP committee issues draft short (docx) -- Flood Impact Task Force Issue Summary
Flood Insurance Rate Change Impacts (docx) — Flood Impact Info Sheet Update (October 2014)
Flood Insurance Rate Change Local Info Sheet (pdf) -- Information compiled prior to Affordability Act of 2014 (February 2013)
Flood Insurance Rate Change Local Info Sheet Revised (docx) — Revised/abbreviated sheet post Affordability Act of 2014 (April 2014)
Biggert Waters Info (docx) — Summary sheet of key points of contact in federal legislator offices PLUS stats on floodplain structure counts from Union County GIS Office (April 2014)
FAQ on Biggert-Waters from FEMA (pdf) -- Some info supplanted but useful for perspective on evolution (April 2013)
Updated Flood Insurance - Section by Section Analysis (pdf) — Details in light of Affordability Act of 2014 (March 2014)

PRESENTATIONS

Flood Insurance Public Meeting Presentation (pdf) — Presentation from public meeting on flood insurance (April 2014) (4M)
Lewisburg Borough Flood Impact Summary (pdf) -- Presentation given during Preservation PA statewide annual conference full day Flood Symposium (June 2016) (10M)
Flood Hazard Mitigation Symposium (pdf) — Presentation on structural elevation given by Roderick Scott, CFM in connection with the Preservation PA Flood Symposium (June 2016)
Floodplain Info Session Presentation (pdf) — Presentation on resources available to the public, mapping, Certificates of Elevation, and Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs) (February 2017) (22M)
PA APA Presentation (pdf) — Presentation from the state planning association conference on hazard management planning, mapping, and TDRs (Transfer of Development Rights) as applied to floodplain properties, co-presented with Fran McJunkin of Lycoming County Planning Office and Lisa Hollingsworth-Segedy of American Rivers (7M)

MAPS (Descriptive)

Number of Addressable Structures Per Flood Constraint (pdf) — Map of borough showing current 100 and 500 year floodplains. Prepared by Union County GIS Department (October 2013) (4M)
Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) (pdf) — Map of borough showing 100 and 500 year floodplains as well as floodway. Prepared by: Union County GIS Department January 2010, Revised April 2014 (16.6 M)

MAPS (Analytical)

100 Year Floodplain (pdf) — Map of borough showing all properties either in or touching the 100-year-floodplain, by property (more extensive than floodplain itself). Mapping by Union Co. GIS (September 2013) (21M)
Modeled Flood Depth (pdf) — Detailed analysis of the floodplain by Bucknell summer intern Greg Miller '18, based on a three dimensional model of the floodplain using 2 ft contour information available by LIDAR, and comparing that to the FEMA-mapped extents of the floodplain — blue areas may be at or even above the BFE. Subject to some error, surveys/Certificates of Elevation for the given properties would be the only way to resolve (Summer 2015)
LOMAMap (pdf) — Floodplain analysis by Bucknell summer intern Greg Miller '18. Alternative format calling out the potential LOMA areas in pale yellow (in contrast to the rest of the floodplain in successively deeper blues) (Summer 2015)
BU summer intern (Greg Miller '18) final poster (pdf) -- Public poster session presentation to document research findings (Summer 2015)
BU summer research (Greg Miller '18) preliminary poster (pdf) -- Initial draft in preparation for public poster session documenting research findings (Summer 2015)

Members of the community working together to preserve natural settings and streetscapes, strengthen ties among neighbors, and improve the quality of life in Lewisburg for residents and visitors.