Association of State Floodplain Managers
Annual Meeting San Antonio, Texas
National Policy Issues Discussions
Arid Regions Policy Committee
Co-Chairs: Bob Davies and Jeanne Ruefer
Meeting Minutes
Monday May 21, 2012
1:30 – 3:30 PM
1. Introductions and Welcome
 There were 19 attendees including the co-chairs (See attendance sheet attached)
2. Read existing mission/purpose statement for the Arid Regions Policy Committee. Key topics
discussed at the meeting included:
 How the Arid Regions Committee communicates and new and ongoing efforts to
effect arid policy change.
 Monthly conference calls (1-hour or less) on the first Tuesday of each month
at 9:00 AM PST. Agenda and dial in detail are emailed out to regular
participants each month prior to meeting and is posted to Arid Regions page
on the Floods.org website of ASFPM.
 Special guest Bill Nechamen Vice Chair of ASFPM visited the committee
meeting. He spoke for several minutes and presented the ASFPM
organizational hierarchy and the general process by which the Association
frameworks floodplain policy changes, and where Policy Committees fit into
this effort.
 Briefed the attendees on ongoing efforts the committee members are or
have been working on over the last year. One effort included development of
a draft Riverine Erosion Hazard Whitepaper. Another effort included the
establishment of a subcommittee on Alluvial Fan Issues. This subcommittee
is now having separate conference calls, focusing on these issues. The regular
Tuesday monthly conference call hopes to be able to be able to report on the
status and progress of Alluvial Fan subcommittee efforts.
 Arid Regions Triennial Conference 2013
 The venue has been set for October 13-17, 2013 at the Fort McDowell
Radisson Resort and Casino just east of Scottsdale, Arizona. The resort has
two 18 hole golf courses.
 A Save the Date Card was passed out. A Conference Theme Statement has
been established: “Every Drought…. Ends in a Flood”. These cards were
handed out to many of the San Antonio conference attendees at the
Welcome Fest on Sunday night.
 A written agreement has been drafted and accepted by AFMA and the Arid
Regions Committee setting forth key responsibilities related to the
conference planning. The technical program planning will now move
forward. A call for papers will coming in upcoming months.
 Arid Regions 2012 Workplan Survey and results
 About 108 responses were received from the survey. This represents about
20% of population to whom the surveys were distributed. Surveys were sent
to over 500 members of ASFPM who have expressed interest in the Arid
Regions Policy Committee.
 The top 3 highest priority ranked issue items were:
i.
Review NFIP regulations and recommend appropriate higher
standards for arid regions.
ii.
Research and make recommendations for analyzing hydrology and
hydraulics in arid regions projects.
iii.
Research and recommend tools and techniques for communicating
the risks related to erosion.
 To keep the issue items to a manageable level for this year’s workplan, it was
recommended that only the top three issue items be considered for inclusion
in to the 2012-2013 Arid Regions Policy Committee workplan. A show of
hands was requested to concur with this recommendation. A consensus was
agreed to by those present.
3. Additional Suggestions to consider in the future from attendees on Arid issues and/or
concerns in local or regional areas:
 Higher regulatory standards, including environmental considerations.
 People are very wary of influencing economic development (Pioneer Attitude).
 Updates with Risk Map, Hydrology.
 Alluvial fan issues. Get consensus on state of practice for delineations.
 Clearly identify why Arid Regions floodplain management concerns are different.
Political? Property values higher as we get near waterways.
 Irrigation ditches – Clean Water Act, stormwater. Discussions are ongoing regarding
how roadway v-ditches may become jurisdictional.
 Levee-like structures, canal stability issues.






LAMP (Levee Analysis and Mapping Approach) - There has been little discussion of
alluvial fan flooding and Zone D SFHA application. Doug Bellamo from FEMA should
be coming out with Zone D guidelines soon.
Better guidance is needed regarding vegetation growing or not growing on levee or
levee-like structures and how this is related to channel stability.
There still are many maps which do not realistically reflect flooding.
If the engineering community could get FEMA to accept residual risk, it would really
help with risk and Zone D issues.
Actuarial versus change policy
Over time old channels are getting smaller with development and weathering,
causing an increase in overbank flooding. Awareness should be raised regarding this
concern.