California Floodplain Management Association

California Floodplain Management Association
Name	California Floodplain Management Association
Founded	1975
Type	Nonprofit professional association
Headquarters	Sacramento, California
Region served	California
Focus	Floodplain management, flood risk reduction, floodplain mapping

California Floodplain Management Association is a nonprofit professional association focused on floodplain management, flood risk reduction, and related policy in California. It brings together practitioners from federal agencies, state departments, local jurisdictions, engineering firms, consulting companies, academic institutions, and nonprofit organizations to coordinate floodplain mapping, planning, mitigation, and outreach. The association acts as a forum connecting stakeholders from agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, California Department of Water Resources, United States Army Corps of Engineers, and local entities including county flood control districts and city public works departments.

History

Founded in 1975, the association emerged amid shifting responsibilities among agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Weather Service, United States Geological Survey, and the United States Army Corps of Engineers for floodplain mapping and disaster response. Early interactions included partnerships with academic programs at University of California, Berkeley, California State University, Sacramento, and Stanford University to advance technical guidance. Over subsequent decades the group engaged with policy developments such as the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, reforms linked to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, and updates to the NFIP administered by Federal Emergency Management Agency. The association expanded as state efforts involving the California Department of Water Resources and regional organizations like the Delta Stewardship Council increased emphasis on integrated flood management and ecosystem resilience.

Mission and Activities

The association’s mission emphasizes best practices in floodplain mapping, flood risk reduction, evacuation planning, and floodplain regulation implementation. Members include professionals from Federal Emergency Management Agency, California Department of Water Resources, United States Geological Survey, United States Army Corps of Engineers, the Central Valley Flood Protection Board, and county agencies such as Los Angeles County Flood Control District and Sacramento County. Activities range from producing technical guidance and model ordinances to advocating positions before the California State Legislature, the United States Congress, and regulatory entities like the California Coastal Commission and State Water Resources Control Board.

Organizational Structure

The association is governed by a volunteer board comprised of representatives from private sector firms, municipal agencies, and federal and state partners including Federal Emergency Management Agency staff, engineers from firms like AECOM and HDR, Inc., and academics from University of California, Davis and California State University, Long Beach. Committees address topics tied to floodplain mapping, mitigation grants from agencies such as the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and technical standards referenced by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Chapters and regional groups align with counties and regions including the Sacramento Valley, San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles County, and the San Joaquin Valley.

Programs and Initiatives

The association runs programs on floodplain mapping improvement, integration of LiDAR mapping used by the United States Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and initiatives responding to climate-driven sea level rise advised by the California Climate Change Assessments. Initiatives include outreach for implementing the Community Rating System managed by Federal Emergency Management Agency, pilot projects coordinated with the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the California Department of Water Resources for nature-based flood management, and technical workshops on Hurricane Sandy-inspired coastal resilience methods promoted by organizations such as the Urban Land Institute and the Association of State Floodplain Managers.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The association collaborates with federal entities like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Geological Survey, and United States Army Corps of Engineers; state bodies including the California Department of Water Resources, State Water Resources Control Board, and the California Coastal Commission; academic centers such as the University of California, Berkeley, California State University, Sacramento, and Stanford University; and nonprofit partners including the The Nature Conservancy and the Environmental Defense Fund. Regional collaboration extends to agencies like the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and the Delta Stewardship Council.

Conferences and Training

Annual conferences convene practitioners, policymakers, and researchers from institutions like Federal Emergency Management Agency, United States Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Water Resources, University of California, Davis, and consulting firms such as HDR, Inc. and AECOM. Sessions cover topics including mapping with LiDAR and GIS tools from the Esri user community, grant programs such as the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, flood insurance topics with National Flood Insurance Program administrators, and case studies involving events like the 1997 California floods and broader trends from the California droughts. Training partnerships include credentialing with organizations like the Association of State Floodplain Managers and technical courses developed with American Society of Civil Engineers instructors.

Impact and Advocacy

Through technical guidance, model ordinance development, and coordinated advocacy before entities such as the California State Legislature and United States Congress, the association has influenced adoption of updated floodplain maps, improved mitigation grant prioritization with FEMA, and accelerated incorporation of climate change projections into regional planning led by the California Department of Water Resources and the Delta Stewardship Council. Collaborations with academic partners including University of California, Berkeley and Stanford University have advanced research translation on topics tied to the National Flood Insurance Program and resilience strategies promoted by organizations like the Urban Land Institute and the American Society of Civil Engineers.

Category:Flood control in California Category:Non-profit organizations based in California