GZA GeoEnvironmental, Inc. 104 West 29th Street, 10th Floor New York, New York 10001 212.594.8140
GZA Presents....
A Presentation & Networking Seminar
"Flood Hazards in the Urban Environment: Implications for Critical Facilities"
Storm events such as Superstorm Sandy have demonstrated the potential impacts to urban communities due to flooding, and the importance of defining and mitigating flood risk. Climate change, including sea level rise and the occurrence of intense coastal storms and extreme precipitation events, will result in greater impacts in the future than historically experienced. In September 2013, four researchers published a paper in Nature Climate Change that ranked New York City and Newark, New Jersey globally among 136 major coastal cities, as having the 3rd greatest risk of present and future flood losses. Further, recent proposed changes to the National Flood Insurance Program, including proposed changes to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps and increases to the flood insurance rates (Biggert-Waters Act 2012 and Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014), may increase the cost of flood insurance.
GZA's presentation will provide a summary of the key concepts needed to understand flood risks, including:
FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
Assessment of Flood Hazards using methods currently utilized by FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers, including state-of-the-practice numerical hydrodynamic models
Understanding Flood Risk (both flood hazard and financial risk) and making "Risk-Informed Decisions" during site selection and design
Implications of Climate Change on proposed development projects
Flood Resistant Design
Professional Development Hours:
Our seminar will provide 1.0 Professional Development Hours for attendees.