1 of 36

FCAAP: Funding to Support Flood Planning and Partnership Building

October 3, 2024

2 of 36

Today’s Speakers:

Jonathon Loos is the Flood Policy Lead at the Washington Department of Ecology. Jonathon has a statewide role advancing integrated floodplain management policy and supports the Floodplains By Design program. Jonathon has broad expertise in watershed science and policy and holds a Ph.D. in watershed governance from Dartmouth College.

Amelia Petersen is a Floodplain Planner at the Washington Department of Ecology. She has a statewide role guiding the development of floodplain management plans, programs, policies, and regulations that support equitable, integrated floodplain management. She holds a master’s degree in infrastructure planning and management from the University of Washington.

3 of 36

Today’s Speakers:

Jason Detamore has been the Environmental Manager with the Chelan County Public Works Department for nearly 20 years. Jason oversees the environmental program for the department, which is one of vast diversity with constantly changing requirements that must be analyzed for their impact on the business practices of Chelan County as well as fiscal ramifications to the county at large. He’s tasked with determining environmental impacts, permitting requirements, implementing projects, and integrating permit provisions, conditions, and/or commitments, project schedules and costs associated with a wide range of projects and programs. In addition, Jason manages the stormwater program for Chelan County and administers the countywide Flood Control Zone District.

Chrys Bertolotto - Snoqualmie / SF Skykomish Basin Coordinator at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks.

4 of 36

Agenda:

12:00 - 12:05 - Welcome and Context

12:05-12:20 - Jonathon Loos and Amelia Petersen, Ecology

12:20 - 12:30 - Chrys Bertolotto, King County

12:30-12:45 - Jason Detamore, Chelan County

12:45-12:55 - Discussion

12:55-1:00 - Closing

5 of 36

Flood Control Assistance Account Program (FCAAP)�

2025-2027 Funding Cycle

Jonathon Loos, Floodplain Management Policy Lead

Amelia Petersen, Floodplain Planner

5

6 of 36

FCAAP Background

Established in 1984
Provides funding for local jurisdictions to develop integrated flood hazard management plans, and advance strategies to reduce flood hazard risks and achieve other benefits,
Provides funding for emergency flood response activities.

RCW 86.26 – State Participation in Flood Control Maintenance

Chapter 173-145 WAC – Administration of the Flood Control Assistance Account Program

6

FCAAP was created in 1984. At the time, it was one of the first state-funded flood assistance programs nationally. Originally it was intended to support local jurisdictions pay for maintenance of flood control structures. However, flood hazard management has evolved over the past 40 yeers and so has this grant program.

Today FCAAP funds integrated floodplain management planning efforts by local jurisdiction.

RCW 86.26.050 provides that counties and other municipal corporations responsible for flood control maintenance may apply to the department of ecology for financial assistance for the preparation of comprehensive flood control management plans and for flood control maintenance projects. Ecology shall determine priorities and allocate available funds from the flood control assistance account program (FCAAP) among those eligible entities applying for assistance and shall adopt rules establishing the criteria by which those allocations must be made. Chapter 173-145 WAC guides Ecology in how state funds are to be allocated for planning and emergency response.

This is a great fund source to help you advance your integrated floodplain management goals through planning.

7 of 36

2025-2027 Biennium

Up to $2,300,000 available for flood planning projects.
Likely $150,000 available for emergency flood response projects.
Funding available between July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027. Grant funding cannot be extended.
Please reach out to Amelia (amelia.petersen@ecy.wa.gov) if you intend to apply!

7

Average planning grant award for the past two cycles = $212,320

For the 2025-27 biennium, we will have up to $2.3 million available in grants for planning projects.

Unfortunately, we typically only receive about $150,000 for emergency projects, which isn't enough for the need out there. We hope this will be increased in the future.

This is operating budget funding, which means it has a short lifespan – just two years before it expires. Therefore, any work you propose must be completed within two years – by June 30, 2027. This doesn’t mean you have to complete an entire comprehensive flood hazard management plan within two years though; you can come back in two years and apply for more funding to complete the planning process.

If you are interested in applying, please reach out to Amelia to talk through your project idea.

8 of 36

2025-2027 Funding Cycle �and Project Schedule

8

Jan. 1–Feb. 27, 2025

Grant application period open for planning projects.

March

Evaluation period for planning projects.

July 1

Planning project funding decisions final. Award letters sent, negotiations begin, grants signed, and projects begin.

Emergency project proposals accepted until June 30, if funding is available.

June 30, 2027

Planning grant expiration date.
Work must be completed on or before June 30 for grant reimbursement.

Nov. 2024

Official Notice of Funding Opportunity

Dec. 2024

Applicant workshops.

9 of 36

Eligible Applicants

Cities
Towns
Counties
Federally-recognized Tribes
Conservation districts
Special purpose districts, such as flood control zone districts

9

10 of 36

Eligible Planning Projects

Category 1: Developing a new Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan (CFHMP), including studies and activities leading to a new CFHMP, consistent with WAC 173-145.

Category 2: Updating an existing CFHMP, including studies and activities leading to an updated CFHMP.

Category 3: Completing activities from an existing CFHMP (e.g., studies, outreach and engagement, mapping/modeling).

Includes match for federally-funded projects that lead to CFHMPs.

10

*New for 2025*

Starting in this upcoming grant cycle, we have expanded the scope of what FCAAP planning grants can fund. We’ve made these changes to make the funds more useful to local jurisdictions, and to hopefully increase the utilization of those funds.

In terms of the actual work to be done with the planning projects, the primary emphasis is on developing or updating what we call a Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan, or CFHMP for short. Why would you need to update one if you already have it?

Shifting management needs
Changes in the floodplain – maybe work was done by another jurisdiction
Better hydraulic modeling
Adaptive management
Future conditions
If there’s more public land than before
New data

Our secondary emphasis is on funding activities described in an existing CFHMP.

And then, we’ll also allow FCAAP to be used as match for federal projects that help feed the CFHMP process. The qualifying factor is whether it leads to a new or updated CFHMP. In other words, it can’t stand all by itself or be construction related.

Federal projects that might lead to CFHMPs - such as federal General Investigations or Environmental Restoration studies by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA RiskMAP studies.

11 of 36

CFHMPs

Planning nexus to good project development
Realistic scope and project timelines
Costs involved in creating/updating a plan
Ecology’s CFHMP guidance updated in 2021

Comprehensive Planning for Flood Hazard Management: A Guidebook (Publication no. 21-06-019)

11

CFHMPs are developed to address flood hazard management needs, comply with state laws, and enable communities to compete for other sources of funding. In WA, Comprehensive flood hazard management involves integrating planning for flood hazards with other land use planning. This includes a focus on non-structural alternatives, or nature based solutions. CFHMPs are used to develop projects that could be eligible for funding through FEMA’s HMGP or Floodplains by Design grant programs. We’d like applicants to consider how their CFHMP can lay the groundwork for future projects at watershed scales.

Be reasonable about what you can accomplish within two years. It’s better to under promise on what you will be able to deliver. CFHMPs should technically be completed within 3 years. If you want to talk through your project scope, please reach out to your regional Ecology project manager.

Be sure the cost estimate in your application is accurate. We recommend you reach out to consultants for estimates AND that you over-ask for money within the application. It’s better to have more money than you need versus not enough.

We first created a CFHMP guidebook in 1990 and finally found the funding to publish an updated version in 2021.

Add link to guidebook in the chat.

12 of 36

Example Project Activities

12

Permitting work

Technical studies

Acquisition planning

Mapping work

Community + tribal outreach and engagement

Public flood risk communication

Activities in support of project development

13 of 36

Currently Funded Projects

Columbia County – updating a 2002 Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan

City of Ellensburg – UGA analysis to update floodplain maps and identify mitigation actions

13

Snohomish County – geomorphic assessment, DEI Outreach Plan
Stevens County – 2D floodplain modeling, preliminary planning, outreach and engagement
City of Westport – stormwater assessment, development of CFHMP

14 of 36

Priority Funding

Projects that support underserved communities.��Underserved, or overburdened communities are defined as “communities that experience disproportionate environmental harms and risks due to exposures, greater vulnerability to environmental hazards, or cumulative impacts from multiple stressors.” (Washington State Environmental Justice Task Force Report , 2020)

14

See the Overburdened Communities of Washington State map as an additional resource.

15 of 36

Eligible Emergency Projects

Emergency flood response and recovery work, such as purchasing pumps, barricades, emergency signage, and repairing infrastructure.
The Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) also provides low-cost emergency flood preparedness or response support as available.
Contact your regional Ecology floodplain specialist to initiate an emergency grant request.

15

16 of 36

Want to Learn More?

We will have informational resources available online and upcoming applicant webinars!

Our webpage: Flood control assistance - Washington State Department of Ecology
Two applicant webinars will be held on –

16

17 of 36

Questions?

Thank you!

Jonathon Loos, Floodplain Management Policy Lead�Jonathon.Loos@ecy.wa.gov�425-725-0453

Amelia Petersen, Floodplain Planner�Amelia.Petersen@ecy.wa.gov�360-480-3298

17

18 of 36

Jonathon/Amelia’s Slides go here

19 of 36

20 of 36

Centering Equity in a Flood Plan Update

21 of 36

Flooding in Chelan County?

22 of 36

Semi-Arid Climate

23 of 36

River Flooding Events

24 of 36

Flash Flooding Events

25 of 36

Urban Flash Flooding

26 of 36

Forest Fire Burn Scars Events�

27 of 36

Post-Fire Flooding Events

28 of 36

What’s Being Done?

2012 – 2014: Formation of a countywide Flood Control Zone District

2017: Completed a Comprehensive Flood Hazard Management Plan

Includes 38 action items

Action Item #16 – Investigate feasible, cost-effective solutions to flood issues within No. 2 Canyon

?

29 of 36

No. 2 Canyon

30 of 36

Photos

31 of 36

Photos

32 of 36

Flood Control Assistance Account Program

33 of 36

34 of 36

Questions?

Jason Detamore

Chelan County Public Works

Chelan County Flood Control Zone District

jason.detamore@co.chelan.wa.us

509-667-6573

35 of 36

Upcoming Events

36 of 36

Upcoming Lunch and Learns

November 7th: Come to a November lunch and learn to talk about the intersection of flood risk and land-use planning.

December 5th: Channel Migration Zones - Ecology’s Geomorphologist, Heather Rogers, will present on the basics of CMZs followed by a presentation from Snohomish County on a recent CMZ case study.