Happy almost end of summer!  It feels like we just hit the new year and now we are almost to back to school! Where has the time gone???

Hurricane season is also picking up.  I know everyone has been watching to see what Debby does!  Hopefully by the time this newsletter reaches you, we are well past the storm with little to no impacts.

In other news, I have accepted an appointment to the Dam Safety Act Workgroup on behalf of VEMA.  This workgroup is comprised of various stakeholders who own, operate, or are impacted by dams as well as members of other state environmental agencies. The appointment invitation came just days before the first meeting which was July 23rd.  The purpose of this workgroup is to review Administrative Code Title 4 Agency 50 Chapter 20 – Impounding Structure Regulations  and primarily focus on clarifying the Department’s emergency powers during an active dam failure, providing financial assistance for dam owners, streamlining enforcement procedures, and reviewing the requirements for low hazard dams. It was made very clear that recommendations made do not equal code changes as I’m sure you are all aware. We have four more meetings:  8/27/24, 9/17/24, 10/29/24, and 11/12/24.

I have received some input and feedback from the board about issues that even if it doesn’t make it into the legislative updates, I will at least try to put it on a radar or at least get some answers.  One such topic that has been near and dear to my dam loving little heart has been the ability of homeowners to know if they live in an inundation zone. How do homeowners know?  How do they find out? Where do they go to research?  I know real estate agents don’t have to disclose that information as part of a sale. The inundation zone maps to my knowledge aren’t as readily available as FEMA flood maps and there is no requirement for flood insurance on federally backed mortgages for these properties either that I am aware of.

I did bring this topic up at the first meeting to get some answers from DCR leadership that was helpful. As an emergency manager, it’s not really what I wanted to hear, but it is better than not knowing and it could be a future advocacy initiative.  Buyers of residential properties are specifically told that the existing owner makes no representation about the property being in a dam break inundation zone, flood plain, or whether the purchasing the property will make someone an owner of a dam. There are usually several bills introduced each year in the General Assembly that attempt to make the disclosures "active" - where the owner is required to inform the prospective buyer about certain things - but those types of bills have struggled. The Code section is 55.1-703. 

The Virginia Flood Risk Information System (VFRIS) was mentioned in the meeting. I was not aware of this resource. I just knew of DSIS, which isn’t public facing. There is a data layer in VFIRS that relates to dams in that system. It will only show the dam inundation zone maps for dams DCR has information for (Swift Creek Reservoir for instance). You do have to turn the layer on. Here is the link for VFRIS (in case you don't have it) - https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/dam-safety-and-floodplains/fpvfris.

So, in closing as I go onward with the Dam Workgroup I will make sure to keep the Board and membership apprised of updates as I am there to represent you!

Jess Robison, VEMA President