New Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Maps May Affect You
About 2,000 parcels in the City of Alameda are within the newly identified 100-year floodplain. That means there is a 1% chance that in any one year the property will experience flooding from extreme high tides and storm activity.
People with federally backed building loans, located in the new 100-year floodplain, may be required by their lender to purchase flood insurance. Even if you are not required to do so, you may want to consider getting flood insurance on your contents and/or structure. The cost is fairly low. Typical homeowners and renters insurance does not cover floods.
FEMA issued a Proposed Flood Hazard Determination, with new Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) in the Federal Register on September 30, 2015. Effected land owners now have 90 days to appeal the FIRMs. An appeal is an objection to the elevation of the 100-year flood. To appeal, you have to present scientific proof that the base flood elevation was calculated incorrectly. Please note that the City hired a hydrologist to review the work by FEMA. The hydrologist found no flaws in the techniques used to predict the water levels and extent of flooding. Additionally the Port of Oakland is studying FEMA’s conclusions for the Oakland Airport and parts of Bay Farm Island based on their own hydrologic data and intends to appeal if determined the results are found to conflict with FEMA. The City will support what is deemed most scientifically valid and issued in the new Flood Insurance Rate Maps. The City is reviewing the low spot at the north end of the lagoon system to see if raising it would lessen the likelihood of flooding for those living along the lagoon system. The City is looking forward to working with the local Home Owners Associations to solve this problem.
During the appeal period you can also file a protest. A protest is an objection to anything else on the map. For example, you could protest that your property was recently filled in and is actually higher than the proposed 100-year floodplain. For that, you would need to present evidence from a licensed surveyor or registered civil engineer.
After the close of the appeal period, FEMA will review all appeals and protests, make changes if warranted, and issue a Final Flood Hazard Determination, with the finalized FIRMs. The City must adopt the final maps in order to continue participation in the National Flood Insurance Program, which allows property owners to be eligible for federally subsidized flood insurance, federally backed mortgages, federal grants or federal disaster relief. The final maps are expected to become effective in late 2016.
In addition to the right of appeal, after the maps are effective, you may choose to have your house surveyed to certify that the lowest adjacent grade is above the predicted flood level (known as the Base Flood Elevation). This requires that you get an Elevation Certificate from a licensed surveyor or registered civil engineer. This can then be used to apply for a FEMA Letter of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F) or Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA). Lenders have the option of waiving the insurance requirement if a LOMA or LOMR-F has been approved by FEMA.
Once the new maps are effective, all new and substantially (over 50%) improved structures within the identified 100-year floodplain will be required to obtain an Elevation Certificate and file it with the City.
There are several ways to find out what your flood risks are, and how to be more flood resilient:
Come to an informational meeting on the proposed floodplain maps that will be presented by City staff from 6:30 to 8 PM on Wednesday, November 4, 2015, at the Poppy Room of the Harbor Bay Community Center, 2195 Mecartney Road. All Alameda residents and property owners are welcome to attend. The Community Center is in the Harbor Bay Landing Shopping Center on Bay Farm Island, behind CVS Pharmacy and Leydecker Park. AC Transit Bus 21 serves this location from Park Street.
View and download the maps:
06001C0062H (Alameda Point NW)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56597
06001C0064H (Alameda Point SW)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56598
06001C0066H (Alameda Point NE and Bayport)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56599
06001C0067H (Marina Village)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56600
06001C0068H (Alameda Point SE and Ballena Bay)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56601
06001C0069H (West Alameda Island)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56602
06001C0088H (East Alameda Island)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56604
06001C0232H (West Bay Farm Island)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56606
06001C0251H (East Bay Farm Island)
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/prelim/ProductsDownLoadServlet?pfiProdId=56607
View paper maps and informational flyers at City Hall, City Hall West, or the Main Library
- Talk with your home owner’s or renter’s insurance provider
Visit FEMA’s websites for general mapping and flood resiliency info:
o Information on flood insurance, flood maps and how to find a local insurance agent http://www.floodsmart.gov
o FEMA Map Portal for general mapping info http://msc.fema.gov/portal
o FEMA Publication 495 - Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities
http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/20130726-1903-25045-4716/fema_495.pdf
o FEMA Region 9 mapping effort in the San Francisco Bay Area
o How to File Appeals and Protests
o Elevation Certificate and Instructions
https://www.fema.gov/elevation-certificate
o More Flood Preparedness Info http://www.fema.gov
o Direct link for downloading preliminary maps of the City of Alameda and surrounding cities including Oakland, Berkeley and San Leandro
https://hazards.fema.gov/femaportal/prelimdownload/
If you wish to submit an official appeal or protest during the 90 day appeal period, contact Laurie Kozisek, Associate Civil Engineer, City of Alameda Public Works, 950 West Mall Square, Alameda CA 94501, or phone 510-747-7930, or email LKozisek@alamedaca.gov
NOTES ABOUT THE DATUM:
The FIRMs use a zero elevation (datum) that is different than local tide tables. These maps use NAVD88, which is a fixed datum used throughout the US. The tide tables use a different local datum or zero at each gage. The Park Street Bridge gage, for example, has a datum that is 1.8 feet lower than NAVD88. So a 7.8 foot tide (tide table datum) would be 6.0 feet in NAVD88. The FEMA maps show the 100-year flood in this area as 10.0 feet NAVD88, which represents an unusually high tide, plus a significant storm surge, to make water levels 4 feet higher than a typical high tide.
