preliminary conference program - Floodplain Management

Foyer 7:30 – 5:00 Registration 

PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE PROGRAM 

Tuesday, September 3, 2013 

7:30 – 8:30 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 

CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS AND SYMPOSIUM 

9:00 – 12:30 Mitigation: the Key to Smart, Safe, Strong Communities. Instructors: Ed Curtis and Edie 

Lohmann, FEMA Region 9; others (TBD). This workshop is geared towards community officials 

and other stakeholders who face this challenge in a dynamic setting where there are map 

changes. It will offer an overview of how to stay informed of FEMA’s effective and ongoing 

studies/mapping efforts through its online platforms/tools and outreach mechanisms. 

Processes available when maps change will be discussed including online Letter of Map 

Change processes, other revision/amendment procedures, Out As Shown (OAS) provisions, 

and how lenders/flood determination agencies approach map changes. Insurance implications 

of map changes and Biggert-Waters 2012 implications will be presented along with a 

discussion of FloodSmart.gov resources. The key to tying it all together - mitigation actions to 

reduce risk – will be discussed with a focus on the key role that local communities play for 

community resilience; how communities can identify mitigation actions when map changes 

occur; what mitigation resources are available to communities; and how can communities use 

existing planning mechanisms to implement mitigation actions. The Community Rating System 

(CRS) opportunities/synergies for mitigation action within the FEMA Risk MAP program will 

also be addressed. The workshop will conclude with an open discussion on how to take this 

information back to your community to help create safe, strong communities. 

9:00 – 5:30 CFM Refresher Course. Jim Eto, PE, CFM, Bill Hom, PE, CFM, and Ricardo Pineda, PE, CFM, 

California Department of Water Resources. Note: if you wish to take the CFM exam, you 

must register separately with ASFPM at www.floods.org at least 3 weeks prior to the exam. 

The CFM exam is scheduled on Friday, September 6, at 8:30 a.m. at this conference. 

9:00 – 5:30 2-D Modeling Symposium. More information coming soon. 

9:00 – 5:30 USGS Flood Frequency Analysis Workshop. Instructors: Nancy A. Barth, Hydrologist, 

California Water Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey; Andrea Veilleux, Office of Surface 

Water, U.S. Geological Survey; and Marie Peppler, Wisconsin USGS Water Science Center. 

Want to know where the 1-percent probability flood comes from Flood-frequency analysis of 

USGS peak streamflow records provides the essential hydrologic input for floodplain mapping. 

This first of a two-part workshop will provide an overview and refresher on flood-frequency 

analysis of streamflow records and methods for handling complicated flood series that include 

censored/interval discharge data, outliers, and historical information. 

1:00 – 5:30 Community Rating System Workshop. Instructor: Dave Arkens, CFM, ISO/CRS Specialist, ISO 

Community Hazard Mitigation. This workshop will briefly cover the requirements to join the 

CRS program plus a review of most CRS activities that communities can receive credit for. The 

main focus of this workshop will be the changes occurring in the 2013 CRS Coordinator’s 

1


Manual which is now in effect. The Community Rating System (CRS) provides flood insurance 

premium discounts in those communities that implement floodplain management activities 

above and beyond the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program 

(NFIP). The CRS has been proven to help motivate elected officials and residents to support 

flood protection programs. To date 83, of California's 518 communities in the NFIP are in the 

CRS. They have 64% of the flood insurance policies in the State, so these 83 represent the 

majority of California's flood problems. These communities are saving California residents 

more than $14 million each year. 

1:00 – 5:30 Central Valley Flood Risk Summit: From Central Valley to California Statewide – Practice and 

Integration. In the past 6 years, a lot of effort was put into the Central Valley (CV) to improve 

flood management. There have been many forward-thinking requirements, innovative 

approaches, and ground-breaking collaboration implemented throughout the process. The 

question becomes: how much these would translate into statewide practice or inspire broader 

integration The Summit offers a series of interactive panels examining lessons learned and 

opportunities for statewide policy and standards to improve floodplain management. 

1:00 – 5:30 Modifications of Stream Restoration Techniques for Arid and Semi-Arid Environments. 

Instructor: David T. Williams, PhD, PE, PH, CFM, CPESC, D.WRE, President, DTW and 

Associates, LLC. Most stream restoration design techniques have been developed for areas 

with climates and associated hydrology that are unlike those found in arid to semi-arid 

environments. The application of these techniques to arid environments will not work 

without appropriate adjustments, experience in arid environments, and understanding the 

underlying basis of the techniques and how they differ in arid areas. In fact, some techniques 

are not transferable to arid environments and alternative design techniques must be 

developed. This presentation/workshop will present the differences in these restoration 

techniques as they relate to climate differences in hydrology, regime relationships, channel 

forming discharge, equilibrium slope, design channel width and depth, and vegetative 

stabilization techniques. 

5:30 – 7:30 – EXHIBIT HALL OPENING RECEPTION! 

2


Wednesday, September 4, 2013 

Foyer 

Exhibit Hall 

7:30-5:00 Registration 

7:30-8:30 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 

8:30 – 4:30 CRS One-on-One Sessions - By appointment only. If you are a currently a CRS community or a 

community interested in the CRS program please contact ISO/CRS Specialist Dave Arkens at 

dmarkens@iso.com or (702) 354-4674 for an appointment. Dave will discuss the upcoming CRS 

Manual changes with you or general CRS questions and concerns. Appointments are available 

each half hour. Contact Dave as soon as possible to reserve your time slot. 

8:30 – 10:30 PLENARY: Managing Flood Risk through Integrated Water Management 

Welcome from the Chair: Marty Teal, FMA Board Chair, WEST Consultants 

Introduction of Conference Chairs and Committee: Iovanka Todt, Executive Director, FMA 

Josephine Axt, Josephine R. Axt, Ph.D., Chief of Planning, Los Angeles District, USACE 

Edie Lohmann, CFM, National Insurance Specialist, FEMA Region 9 

Gary Bardini, Deputy Director, California DWR 

Dusty Williams, General Manager, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation 

District 

Celeste Cantu, Executive Director, Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority 

10:30 – 11:00 BREAK – Exhibit Hall 

11:00 – 12:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS 

USACE Forum. This interactive session will discuss USACE policy and practice in flood risk 

management. More information to follow. 

ADVANCES IN FLOODPLAIN MAPPING 

Project Management for Risk MAP CTP’s – Define, Plan & Execute: The Keys to Delivering 

Quality Projects on Time, on Budget and Meet Expectations. Jeanne M. Ruefer, CFM, PMP, 

Accenture Federal Services and Alisa M. Sauvageot, CFM, Michael Baker Jr. Inc. 

California Deployment and Mapping Master Plan – A Collaborative Effort between FEMA 

Region IX and CA DWR. Ann Bechtel, PE, CFM, Senior Engineer II, Atkins 

Mapping All Floodplains in Calaveras County on a Budget. Leo Kreymborg, Atkins 

COASTAL ANALYSIS - SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA 

Sea Level Rise Vulnerability and Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in San Francisco Bay. Carlos 

Diaz, PE, Senior Associate Engineer II and Jeremy Lowe, Senior Coastal Geomorphologist, 

ESA PWA 

Coastal Hazard Analysis in Southern Alameda County Using a Two-Dimensional Modeling 

Approach. Rohin Saleh, Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 

3


 

Sensitivity of Extreme Still Water Level to Length of Record in San Francisco Bay, 

California. Matt Brennan, PhD, PE, ESA PWA 

TUFLOW PRODUCTS DEMONSTRATION 

The TUFLOW Demonstration session returns to FMA. The session will discuss floodplain 

modeling fundamentals and the pros and cons of different approaches, considering accuracy, 

ease of use, efficiency and communications with stakeholders. This will also address technical 

aspects such as computational performance and stability and how to accurately represent 

structures and functionality. The second half of the session will describe the latest features of 

the three TUFLOW Products (Classic, FV and GPU); features that further enhance the modeler’s 

experience and expand the range of application. Presenters: Bill Syme and Chris Nielsen. 

ADVANCED MODELING SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL FLOOD RISK I 

Hydraulic and Hydrologic Model Integration. Victor de Loza, Santa Clara Valley Water 

Disctrict 

Modeling Interior Urban Floodplains Dependent on Pumping. Daniel Schaaf, PE, Principal, 

Schaaf & Wheeler Consulting Civil Engineers 

Advanced Floodplain Modeling Techniques in Rohner Creek, Fortuna California. Greg 

Garrison, EIT, Project Engineer, GHD Inc. 

WORKSHOP: Integrative Floodplain Design. Presenters: Stefan Lorenzato, Coordinator, 

Riparian Habitat Joint Venture, Dr. Tom Griggs, Senior Ecologist, River Partners, Inc. and Dr. 

Chris Bowles, President, CBEC Eco Engineering. Integrative Floodplain Design will bring 

together the science of riparian restoration and flood risk reduction. This workshop looks at the 

interplay of plants and floodplain hydraulics, the adaptations of plants to floods and how these 

adaptations can be used to our advantage when designing and operating flood management 

systems. Key considerations in plant community structure to support endangered species and 

the feedback cycles between plant communities and ecosystem processes will be discussed. 

Tapping these relationships to reduce risks associated with flooding will be illustrated through 

the application of computer models for conceptual and existing floodway designs. The notion of 

reconciliation design will be presented and examples of developing project goals and objectives 

consistent with the integration of plant community structure and flood conveyance will be 

presented. A set of key design criteria will also be presented. 

12:30 – 2:00 INNOVATION AND AWARDS LUNCHEON 


Keynote Speaker: Susan Gilson, Executive Director, National Association of Flood and 

Stormwater Management Agencies 

PANEL: Understanding and Communicating Flood Risk. Moderator: Stuart McKibbin, Chief, 

Regulatory Section, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. More 

information to follow. 

4


COASTAL FLOOD RISK ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION I 

Building Coastal Resilience Through Adaptive Sea Level Rise Planning - A Case Study: Jacobs 

Avenue, Eureka, CA. Evan Wisheropp, Humboldt State University 

Going Above and Beyond… What Coastal Communities Can Do to Become More Resilient 

and Lower Flood Insurance Costs. Vince Geronimo, PE, CFM, Senior Project Manager, 

BakerAECOM 

Effect of Storm Surge on Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Flood Stages. Dennis Huff, HDR 

Developing Long-Term Coastal Erosion Hazard Maps in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Jeremy 

Mull, AECOM Water 

EPA SWMM5/PCSWMM Demonstration Session. More information to follow. 

ADVANCED MODELING SOLUTIONS FOR LOCAL FLOOD RISK II 

Managing Floods and Sedimentation in Alameda Creek by Use of 1D and 2D Modeling 

Tools. Julio A. Zyserman, PhD, DHI Water & Environment, Inc. 

Investigating Flood Alternatives for the Yolo Bypass using the HEC 2D Model. William E. 

Fleenor, PhD, Center for watershed Sciences, University of California, Davis 

Flood Control Infrastructure Data Web-Access. Dan Matthies PE CFM and Cheng Soo PE, 

CFM, Wood Rodgers Inc. 

CENTRAL VALLEY FLOOD PROTECTION PLAN - CONSERVATION STRATEGY 

The Benefits of Multi-Objective Projects to Flood Protection and the Ecosystem Affected in 

the Central Valley Flood Protection Plan. Heidi Hall, Calif. Dept. of Water Resources, 

Floodway Ecosystem Sustainability Branch 

Central Valley Flood System Conservation Strategy: Species-focused Conservation Planning. 

Ron Melcer Jr., California Dept. of Water Resources 

Assessment of Floodplain Lowering and Levee Setback Actions to Support the Central 

Valley Flood System Conservation Strategy Program. Kevin Coulton, PE, CFM, cbec, inc. 

WORKSHOP: Understanding Foundation Flood Vents and FEMA’s Technical Bulletin 1. 

Presenter: Michael J. Graham, Smart Vent Products, Inc. This course provides insight into the 

importance of proper foundation flood vents and compliance with Building Codes and FEMA 

standards and how they can effectively prevent major damage to buildings due to flooding. 

The course will review applicable codes pertaining to foundation flood venting, including a 

complete review of FEMA’s new Technical Bulletin TB-1. After the course, participants will 

have a thorough understanding of the difference between non-engineered openings and 

engineered openings and the important role they play in designing a sustainable structure. 



COASTAL FLOOD RISK ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION II 

5


 

 

 

Remapping the Coastal Hazards of California: Big Changes along the Pacific Coastline. 

Nicole Metzger, Oceanographer and Project Manager, Michael Baker Jr., Inc. 

What a New 50-Year Wave Hindcast Reveals About 1982-83 Winter of Extreme Storminess 

Along California Coast. Darryl Hatheway, BakerAECOM Water 

Fluvial Flood Risk in Response to Climate Change on the Santa Clara River and Ventura 

River in Ventura County, CA. James Gregory, MS PE, Fluvial Hydrologist, ESA | 

Environmental Hydrology 

INNOVATIVE APPLICATIONS OF 2D MODELING 

Integrated 1D/2D and 2D models for Emergency Response and Planning. Anthony Kuch, 

Vice President North America XP Solutions 

Silicon Valley BART Extension - An Analysis of Flood Hazard Impacts Using Two- 

Dimensional Modeling. Charles D. Anderson, PE, Principal, Schaaf & Wheeler Consulting 

Civil Engineers 

Eagle P3 Adverse Impact Analysis – Constructing a $2 Billion Transportation Corridor 

Across Drainage Mayhem. Don Jacobs, PE, Enginuity Engineering Solutions 

IMPROVING LEVEES FOR CERTIFICATION AND A HIGHER LEVEL OF PROTECTION 

The Winding Road to Levee Rehabilitation in Ventura County. Ike Pace, PE, Program 

Manager, Tetra Tech Inc. 

2015 Is Approaching – Do You Have a Plan for Attaining 200-year Flood Protection 

Kimberly Brown, HDR Engineering 

Raise Levees for FEMA Accreditation Without Raising Roadways - An Innovative Approach 

and Case Study. Steve Harris, Area Manager, FloodBreak 

OVERCOMING THE HURDLES OF FLOODPLAIN REGULATIONS 

Maintaining Compliance with the NFIP: Community Lessons Learned. Anthony D. Barry, 

PE, CFM, County of San Diego Flood Control Engineering 

City of Livermore Stream Maintenance Permit – First Step to Watershed-wide Public 

Stewardship and Seamless Watershed Management. Pamela Lung, PE, CFM, Associate Civil 

Engineer, City of Livermore and Jeff Thomas, ICF Jones & Stokes 

Regulation Quagmire. Tory R. Walker, PE, CFM, LEED GA, Tory Walker Engineering 

POST-WILDFIRE FLOODING: THE HAZARD ISN'T OVER YET! 

Sediment Management Strategies for Fire-Debris Preparedness: Pacoima Reservoir, Los 

Angeles County. Ira Artz, Divisional Vice President, Tetra Tech 

Postfire Flood Hazard Modeling from a Pre-fire Planning Perspective, Southern California. 

Jeremy T. Lancaster CEG, California Geological Survey 

Assessing Post-Wildfire Flood Hazard Potential - The Station Fire Revisited. Philip Shaller, 

Exponent, Inc. 

Exhibit Hall 

5:45 – 7:45 GRAND RECEPTION AND NETWORKING 

6

7:30-5:00 Registration 


Thursday, September 5, 2013 

7:30-8:30 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST - Exhibit Hall 

7:30-9:30 INNOVATION SESSION: DWR and USACE California Interactive Roundtable: Crafting 

California's Flood Future - Moving Forward in Managing the State's Flood Risk. More 

information to follow. 

7:30 – 11:30 CRS One-on-One Sessions - By appointment only. If you are a currently a CRS community or 

a community interested in the CRS program please contact ISO/CRS Specialist Dave Arkens at 

dmarkens@iso.com or (702) 354-4674 for an appointment. Dave will discuss the upcoming 

CRS Manual changes with you or general CRS questions and concerns. Appointments are 

available each half hour. Contact Dave as soon as possible to reserve your time slot. 


WORKSHOP: Floodplain Mapping in HEC-RAS. Presenter: Mark Jensen, M.S., Senior 

Hydraulic Engineer, Hydrologic Engineering Center, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army 

Corps of Engineers. The Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System (HEC-RAS) is 

widely used for computing water surface elevations with results processed to determine 

inundation extent and flood depths. These floodplain boundary and flood depth results are 

used to establish flood insurance rate maps, analyze severe flood events, establish 

emergency action plans, estimate flood damage losses, and evaluate habitat restoration 

alternatives. The new delineation capabilities in HEC-RAS allow the modeler to visualize the 

resulting floodplain directly, providing a more efficient environment for hydraulic model 

refinement than post-processing results in GIS. These dynamic mapping capabilities are 

particularly useful for refining models in 1D and 2D analysis. New capabilities in floodplain 

delineation can store maps in GeoTiffs format for use in other GIS programs, publish maps to 

a TMS (tile maps server) or public maps to a WMS (web map server). The TMS capability 

allows for flood maps to be viewed without any special software in a general web browser 

(computer, tablet or smart phone). The WMS capability allows for computed hydraulic results 

to be viewed in Google Earth. 

COMBINING 1D AND 2D MODELING & OTHER APPLICATIONS 

2-Dimensional Overland Flow for Storm Drain Infrastructure Design. Jay Sullivan, PE , 

RBF Consulting, a Baker Corporation 

Lower San Joaquin River Embedding in FLO-2D Model: A Comparative Study with 

Unsteady HEC-RAS Model. Om Prakash, Ph.D., Senior Engineer, WEST Consultants, Inc. 

2D Hydraulic Modeling of Innovative Streambank Protection Measures. Venkat 

Gummadi, PE, Engineer, Geosyntec Consultants and Trevor Alsop, PE, Senior Engineer, 

Geosyntec Consultants 

7


RESTORING RIVERS, STREAMS AND WATERSHEDS 

Effects of Native Establishment in Late Summer. Joseph Paternoster, DriWater, Santa 

Rosa, CA 

Lower Squaw Creek Design – A Case Study Of Hydro-Geomorphic Restoration. Mike 

Liquori, Arnie Thompson and Pam Boyle, Sound Watershed 

Interagency Collaboration: Working Together Towards Watershed Restoration in 

Northern California. Ryan Teubert, Flood Risk Coordinator, Western Shasta Resource 

Conservation District 


LEVEE HAZARD AND BREACH ANALYSES 

A New and Innovative Methodology for Determining the Integrity of Levee / Bank 

Slope and Toe Protection. Chris Bowles, PhD, cbec eco engineering 

Hidden Erosion Hazards on the Lower Sacramento River Levees. Thomas W. Smith, PE, 

GE, President, RiverSmith Engineering, Inc. 

Review of Existing San Francisco Bay Restoration Levee Breaches: Breach Width 

Progression, Channel Depth, and Average Annual Rate of Widening. Rohin Saleh, PE, 

Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District and Matthew Powers, 

PE, GEI Consultants, Inc. 

INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND APPROACHES IN FLOODPLAIN HYDROLOGY I 

Optimizing Flood Mitigation for Detention Basin Designs and Design Retrofits. Andrew 

Ronnau, PhD, PE, Project Manager, Pacific Advanced Civil Engineering, Inc. 

Detention Basin Efficiency Analysis and Policy Effectiveness. David Laak and Richard 

Gleason, Kasraie Consulting 

Updated Regional Curves of Creek Hydraulic Geometry for Marin and Sonoma 

Counties of the San Francisco Bay Area. Roger Leventhal, PE, CFM, Marin County Public 

Works 


INTERACTIVE LEGAL PANEL: 2012 NFIP Reform: Legal Implications for Public Entities 

Andrea P. Clark, Attorney at Law, Downey Brand 

Edie Lohmann, National Flood Insurance Specialist, FEMA Region 9 

Roy Brewer, Attorney at Law, Brewer Lofgren 

Phyllis Helt, Selective Insurance 

LOCAL FLOOD CONTROL AND DRAINAGE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT 

Achieving Regional Flood Impact Mitigation through Hydromodification and Peak 

Flow Management - A Case Study for the City of Salinas. Harvey Oslick, PE, CFM, 

CPSWQ, Senior Associate, RBF Consulting, A Baker Company 

8


 

 

Unionhouse Creek Flood Control Improvement Project: A Local-Level Approach to 

Urban Flood Control Improvements. Jesse Patchett, Project Engineer, Peterson 

Brustad Inc. 

Using a Dynamic Approach for a Dynamic Project Site. Mark Seits, PE CFM, Vice 

President, HDR; John Chun, PE, Deputy Chief Harbor Engineer, Port of Long Beach; Kai 

Wang, PE, Project Engineer, HDR; Yuying Li, Senior GIS Analyst/Programmer, HDR 

COMBINING 1D AND 2D MODELING: SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS 

FLO-2D – EPA SWMM Integration: Surface Water - Storm Drain Exchange 

Enhancements. Noemi Gonzalez-Ramirez, PhD, Senior Hydraulic Engineer, FLO-2D 

Software, Inc. 

An Efficient and Fully Conservative Method to Couple 1-D and 2-D Hydraulic Flexible 

Mesh Models. Reinaldo Garcia, 2Hydronia, LLC 

Combined 1D and 2D Hydraulic Modeling with HEC-RAS. Gary W. Brunner, PE, D.WRE, 

Hydrologic Engineering Center, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers 

RESTORING ECOSYSTEMS AND INTEGRATING MULTIPLE FUNCTIONS TO FLOOD 

CORRIDORS 

Riparian Habitat Enhancement Improves Flood Conveyance Performance of the 

Pajaro River Flood Protection Project. Brad Hall, Principal, Northwest Hydraulic 

Consultants 

Ballona Wetlands Restoration: Integrated Habitat Restoration and Flood 

Management in Los Angeles. Nicholas Garrity, PE, Southern California Manager, ESA 

PWA 

DWR’s Flood Corridor Program – Restoring Floodplain Functions While Reducing 

Flood Risk. Ron Unger 

Chief, Environmental Support Section, Flood Corridor Programs & Environmental 

Support Branch, California Department of Water Resources - Division of Flood 

Management 

REAL TIME FLOOD MODELING APPLICATIONS 

Delta Flood Emergency Response Real-Time Modeling Tool Developed for DWR’s 

Delta Flood Emergency Preparedness and Response and Recovery Program. Jeffrey E. 

Twitchell, PE, GEI Consultants; John F. DeGeorge, PhD, PE, Resource Management 

Associates, Inc.; Martin W. McCann, Jr., Jack R. Benjamin & Associates, Inc.; and Dustin 

J. Jones, PE, CA Department of Water Resources 

30 Years of Flood Detection System Operation in Orange County, California – Key 

Milestones and Lessons Learned. Chris Crompton, Manager, Water Quality 

Compliance, County of Orange 

Real Time Flood Forecasting with PCSWMM, NEXRAD and SWMM5. Karen Finney, 

Computational Hydraulics International 

INNOVATIVE TOOLS AND APPROACHES IN FLOODPLAIN HYDROLOGY II 

ARkStorm: A Plausible Catastrophic Emergency Response Scenario in Ventura County, 

California. Brian J. Trushinski, BES, MA, CFM, Floodplain Manager, County of Ventura 

Sergio Vargas, PE., Deputy Director, Ventura County Watershed Protection District 

9


 

 

Developing New Design Storms in the Arid Southwest. David C. Curtis, PhD, WEST 

Consultants 

Truckee River Flood Management Authority Regional Hydrologic Model. Jeffrey 

House, National Director of Water Resources, Manhard Consulting 

11:30 – 1:00 BUFFET NETWORKING LUNCH – Exhibit Hall 


FEMA INTERACTIVE PANEL AND FORUM: Risk MAP and Discovery Meetings in 

Communities / Improving Flood Resilience through Risk MAP. More information to 

follow. 

FINANCING STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS IN FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT 

The Hybrid Integrated Flood Insurance Entity (HIFIE) – An Innovative Alternative to 

the National Flood Insurance Program. Jeffrey A. Adams, PhD, PE, Associate, ENGEO 

Incorporated 

Department of Water Resources’ Flood Grant Programs for Flood Projects and 

Evaluations in the Central Valley and Statewide. Michael Sabbaghian, Project 

Development Branch Chief, Flood Projects Office, Division of Flood Management 

Funding the Future of Flood Control – Local and Regional Finance Strategies. Seth 

Wurzel, MBA, President, Seth Wurzel Consulting 

IMPROVING 2D MODELING RESULTS 

Strategies for Successful 2D Model Management and Review. Brian Rowley, PE, CFM, 

Senior Water Resources Engineer, ATKINS 

Automated Adjustment of the Manning n-values in the FLO-2D Model. Jimmy S. 

O’Brien, PE, Ph. D., President, FLO-2D Software, Inc. 

Regulatory Compliance in the Age of 2-D Modeling. Mark Glidden, PE, CH2M HILL, Inc. 

The Importance of Using Flexible Meshes to Simulate Flooding over Complex Terrain 

with Two-Dimensional Models. Reinaldo Garcia, 2Hydronia, LLC 

MULTI-OBJECTIVE APPROACHES IN FLOOD RISK MITIGATION 

Beyond Mitigation: Effective Integration of Environmental Stewardship Goals into 

Flood Management Projects. Elizabeth Andrews, PE, ESA PWA 

High Water, Dry Feet, and Low Lands: Opportunities and Barriers to Multiple Layers 

of Safety in the Netherlands and the United States. Jessica Ludy, Water Resources 

Planner, Arcadis-US 

Gobernadora Multipurpose Basin Project: Integrated Success! Joey Soto, MS, 

Consultant, Soto Resources and Don Bunts, PE, Chief Engineer, Santa Margarita Water 

District 

INTEGRATED PLANNING I 

Proactive versus Reactive Floodplain Management – The Diverse Consequences of 

the 2011 Australian Floods. Bill Syme, Associate, BMT WBM Pty Ltd 

10


 

 

Upper Calleguas Creek Watershed Management Strategy Study. Brian Murphy, PE, 

PH, CFM, Water Resources Engineer, CDM 

Regional Watershed Planning Tool for Application of Integrated Flood Management 

(IFM). Bruce Phillips, Senior Vice President, Stormwater Management, PACE Advanced 

Water Engineering 



FLOOD RISK EVALUATION AND MAPPING ON ALLUVIAL FANS 

Use of Two-Dimensional Models for Flood Hazard Assessment on Active Alluvial Fans. 

Jonathan Fuller, PE, RG, PH, CFM, D.WRE 

East Ojai Floodplain Mapping – An Integrated Approach to Assess Mixed Alluvial Fan 

and Riverine Flooding Risks. Sergio Vargas, Deputy Director, Planning & Regulatory 

Division, Ventura County Watershed Protection District 

A Comparison of Analytic Methods for Hydrologic and Sediment Transport Analysis 

on Alluvial Fans in the Arid Western United States. David A. Jaffe, PhD, PE, D.WRE, 

AECOM 

(NOTE: This session ends at 5:45 p.m.) 

PANEL: Managing Flood Risk on the West Coast: the Final Frontier. Panelists will share 

their experiences with local sea level rise analyses, discuss the key elements required for a 

statewide ‘proof of concept’ and make recommendations to chart a path toward a 

defensible Advisory SLR Map for California. 

Moderator: Ricardo Pineda, PE, Chief, Floodplain Risk Management Branch, California 

DWR 

Ed Curtis, PE, CFM, Senior Civil Engineer, FEMA Region IX Mitigation Division 

Moira McEnespy, Deputy Manager, State Coastal Conservancy, South Coast Program 

Lesley Ewing, PE, Senior Coastal Engineer, California Coastal Commission 

Patrick Barnard, PhD, Coastal Geologist, USGS 

Doug Marcy, Coastal Hazards Specialist, NOAA National Ocean Service / Coastal 

Services Center 

Abe Dougherty, Project Specialist, California Ocean Protection Council 

FLOOD AWARENESS INITIATIVES AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOLS 

Flood Risk, Flood Reform and Engaging Community Action. Bruce Bender, FloodSmart 

California Flood Preparedness Week – Community Outreach Tools. Judy Soutiere, 

CFM, Flood Risk Manager, Sacramento District, US Army Corps of Engineers and Maria 

T. Lorenzo-Lee, PE, CFM, Department of Water Resources, FloodSAFE Communications 

High Water Mark Initiative - Know Your Line. Representative, FEMA Region 9 

Immigrant Public Engagement in Emergency Management. Wendy Chang, Public 

Relations Specialist, BakerAECOM 

WHY THE DIFFERENCE COMPARING AND EVALUATING RESULTS IN 2D MODELING 

11


 

 

 

 

Dam Breach Inundation Comparison using HEC-RAS 4.2 and FLO-2D. Cameron 

Jenkins, PE, Hydraulic Engineer, WEST Consultants Inc. 

Overland Flow Routing: Validating HEC-RAS Storage Area Results Using FLO-2D. Pani 

Ramalingam, PhD, PE, Senior Project Engineer, HDR Engineering 

Comparison of 2-D Modeling Results for Overland Flow. Michael Konieczki, PE, Brian 

Brown, PE, Tom Molls, PE, PhD - David Ford Consulting Engineers, Inc. 

Multi-Frequency Comparison of 2D Models in an Urban Area. Brent Siemer, City of 

Simi Valley Public Works Department and Hassan Kasraie, Kasraie Consulting, Ventura, 

CA 

SOLVING MODELING CHALLENGES FOR THE CVFED PROGRAM 

Resolution of Instabilities in Complex Unsteady HEC-RAS Models. Alan Turner, PE, 

CFM, CH2M HILL, Inc. 

Enhancing the Complex Lower Sacramento River System Using 1D- and 2D- Hydraulic 

Modeling Techniques. Chris Ferrari, PE, and Shyamal Chowdhurry, PE, Wood Rodgers 

Applying GIS Technology to Hydraulic Model Scenario Management. Sheng Tan, GISP 

and Kyle Morgan, Wood Rodgers, Inc. 

INTEGRATED PLANNING II 

The Evolution of Flood Risk in the South Orange County IRWMP. Patti Sexton, PE, 

CFM, Program Manager, Tetra Tech Inc. and Marilyn Thoms, Manager, Watershed 

Management, Orange County Public Works 

Planning, CA Style! Leveraging CA Planning Initiatives to Streamline Hazard 

Mitigation. Rob Flaner, CFM, Tetra Tech, Inc. 

The Time is Now—Responding to State Flood Risk Legislation and General Plan 

Amendments. Tracey Ferguson, Project Manager, Integrated Water Resources, ATKINS 

LEVEES: SPECIAL TOPICS 

Singing off the Same Sheet of Music: Synchronizing Levee Information Management 

for FEMA and USACE. Xing Liu, Michael Baker Jr. Inc. 

Dealing with the Uncertainty Associated with Modeling Levee Breaches. John 

Pritchard, PE, CFM, Wood Rodgers, Inc. and Bill Syme, BMT WBM, Pty Ltd 

Advanced Hydrodynamic Modeling in Riverine Applications: Flood response, Levee 

Breach, Structures, Morphology and Advanced Hydrodynamics. Chris Nielsen, 

Associate, BMT WBM Pty Ltd 

4:30 – 8:00 CALIFORNIA DISNEY ADVENTURE! Join your colleagues exploring your 

choice of either the Disneyland Park or California Adventure Park. Note: Free Admission 

Tickets included in Full Conference Registration Only. 

12


7:30 – 5:00 Registration 

7:30 – 8:30 CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 

Friday, September 6, 2013 

8:00 – 9:00 FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT POLICY FORUM – State and National Topics 

8:30 – 12:00 CFM Exam. Advance registration with ASFPM required. 

9:00 – 10:30 CONCURRENT SESSIONS AND FIELD TRIP 

PANEL: Integration of Flood Management, Hydromodification, Habitat and Water 

Quality – Finding Common Goals and Practical Solutions. The focus of this interactive 

forum is to first identify from a panel of experts from various state and local agencies the 

challenges to integration of flood management, water quality and hydromodification goals. 

From the discussion of the challenges, potential common goals will be identified and 

examples where practical solutions should be pursued. 

Moderator: David H. Pohl, PhD, PE, Senior Program Manager, ESA PWA 

Cid Tesoro, San Diego County Dept. of Public Works 

Eric Bernstein, California Water Resources Control Board 

Eileen Takata, USACE, Los Angeles District 

Terri Grant, County of Los Angeles Public Works 

Jason Uhley, Riverside County Flood Control and Water Conservation District 

TOPICS IN 2D MODEL VALIDATION 

2D Model Calibration of 1998 El Niño Storm, Hassan Kasraie, Kasraie Consulting, 

Ventura, CA 

The Effect of Orientation of Square 2D Grid Elements on Possible Hydraulic Bias in 

Multiple-Direction Flow Hydraulic Models, Neil M. Jordan, PE, DWRE, Hromadka & 

Associates and Theodore Hromadka, Department of Mathematical Science, United 

States Military Academy, West Point, NY 

Benchmarking SWMM5/PCSWMM 2D Model Performance, Rob James, 

Computational Hydraulics International 

SPECIAL AGENCY MEETING: Southern California Silver Jackets Kick-Off Summit 

FIELD TRIP: Dominguez Wetlands Restoration. The $7 million treatment wetlands and 

spreading grounds project is the latest in a series of regional, multi-benefit projects 

implemented by the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, including the Sun Valley 

Park and Tuxford Green projects in the Sun Valley Watershed and the Tujunga Wash 

Greenway and River Restoration project in the San Fernando Valley's Valley Glen 

community. The wetlands project is one of the top five demonstration projects of the Los 

13


Angeles River Master Plan. It maintains the integrity of flood protection along the urban 

lower reaches of the river, while introducing new water quality elements, groundwater 

recharge, restoration of native habitat, pedestrian and equestrian trails, environmental 

education, and river bike trail enhancements. 

10:30 – 12:00 2-D Roundtable: What have we learned Join the 2D Modeling “Geeks” in this lively and 

interactive forum on solutions and next steps for federal, state and local policy and 

regulation. Hosted by the FMA Modeling Committee. 

We look forward to seeing you next September in Santa Clara, 

California! 

14

preliminary conference program - Floodplain Management

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?