SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS WERE HELD WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES TO HELP SUBSTANTIATE THE NEED TO REVISE THE FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS (FIRM). AREAS THAT ARE DESIGNATED FLOOD PRONE ON THE MAPS, WHICH IN REALITY ARE PROTECTED BY THE LEVEES AND LATIONS. WE HAVE A LETTER FROM THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION STATING THAT THEY ARE MIDWAY IN A LEVEE ARMORING PROJECT WHICH WILL BRING THE LEVEES UP TO THEIR FULL DESIGN STANDARDS BASED ON A FLOOD FLOW OF 140,000 CUBIC FEET PER SECOND. THEY ALSO STATE THEY ARE REQUIRED BY LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING THE COLORADO FRONT WORK AND LEVEE SYSTEM, TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEES. OUR REQUEST TO MODIFY THE FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS (FIRM), ALONG WITH A COPY OF THIS LETTER FROM THE BUREAU, WAS FORWARDED BY THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) REGIONAL OFFICE ON JULY 13, 1983 TO THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, D. C. TO THIS DATE WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER. THE RAMIFICATIONS OF NOT REVISING THE FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS (FIRM) WILL BE A CURTAILMENT OF DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE AREAS DESIGNATED IN THE FLOOD PLAIN. THE HIGHER COST OF CONSTRUCTION TO COMPLY WITH THE FLOOD PLAIN REGULATIONS MAKES DEVELOPMENT AN ECONOMICAL HARDSHIP. THERE ARE OTHER GROUPS HERE WHO WILL TESTIFY AND EXPAND ON THIS STATEMENT. OUR OTHER MAJOR CONCERN IS THE EXISTING FEDERAL GUIDELINES THAT EXCLUDE FEDERAL FLOOD INSURANCE TO DAMAGES CAUSED BY GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE. THE LATEST INFORMATION WE HAVE IS THAT THE WAIVER REQUESTED FROM THESE GUIDELINES HAS BEEN DENIED. AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS BEING CONSIDERED IS AN AMENDMENT TO THESE GUIDELINES FOR UNIQUE FLOODING SITUATIONS SUCH AS WE HAVE HERE ON THE CLAIM HAS BEEN FILED FOR DAMAGE CAUSED BY GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE, THIS AMENDMENT MAY NOT BE SUCCESSFUL. WHAT SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IS THAT THE BUREAU 1984. THESE SUSTAINED HIGH WATER FLOWS ON THE RIVER WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE AND CONSEQUENTLY CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE TO WATER SYSTEMS, SEPTIC TANKS, ROADS, SEWER FACILITIES, AND AGRICULTURE AREAS. WE, THEREFORE, URGE YOU TO HELP US CONVINCE THE FEDERAL INSURANCE ADMINISTRATION TO FAVORABLY CONSIDER THE AMENDMENT EXTENDING FLOOD INSURANCE TO COVER DAMAGE DUE TO GROUNDWATER SEEPAGE CAUSED BY THE FLOODING OF THE COLORADO RIVER. WE ALSO ASK FOR YOUR HELP IN CONVINCING THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY TO UPDATE THEIR ENGINEERING STUDY OF OUR FLOOD PLAIN AREA, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION LEVEE WORK, AND MODIFY THE FEDERAL INSURANCE RATE MAPS (FIRM) ACCORDINGLY. STATEMENT OF ROBERT B. TANGUY BEFORE THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES YUMA, ARIZONA I am the State Director of the Arizona Division of Emergency Services (ADES). My responsibilities include development of plans to meet any condition constituting a state of emergency and to coordinate the use of state personnel, equipment, services and facilities in support of that state of emergency. In the very early stages of this disaster (mid-June), the flow of factual information from federal agencies to local authorities along the river was poor. This was also the same period of time when weather forecasts of rates of snow melt and water flow in the Colorado River were changing drastically. However, the flow of information and status reports of water releases improved following the meetings of senior federal, state and local officials on June 17 at Lake Havasu City and June 25 in Yuma. At the Yuma meeting, Governor Babbitt specifically requested that the Bureau of Reclamation share the plans for water releases and the methods used to arrive at decisions with state and local authorities on a real time basis. Another problem in the early stages was the amount of inertia that had to be overcome since many people along the river did not believe that flooding was about to occur, even though their properties were only a few feet above the existing river level. There had not been flooding of this magnitude in an entire generation. As an example, offers by local and state officials to relocate mobile homes and household effects were rejected as late as June 19. Following the June 15 Bureau of Reclamations announcement of water releases that would approach 40,000-45,000 cfs, the Counties of Mohave, La Paz and Yuma proclaimed states of emergency. The Governor then signed a proclamation declaring a state of emergency for those counties and set aside $100,000 in state emergency fund monies. Emergency operations centers were opened in all three counties as well as the state emergency operating center in Phoenix. The Red Cross set up shelters in three counties. Immediate assistance was rendered to individuals and businesses. Over 200,000 sandbags were brought in, filled and placed and numerous other emergency actions were taken to prepare for the imminent flooding. Arizona National Guardsmen provided trucks, engineering expertise, sand bagging and security. The Department of Public Safety added patrols upon request by County Sheriffs. The Department of Transportation stabilized roads and banks. The Departments of Health Services and Economic Security provided assistance to their counterparts at the local government levels. The Department of Corrections furnished prisoners for flood fighting. With damages mounting rapidly and estimated to become very severe, the Arizona State Emergency Council authorized an additional $400,000 for the Colorado River flooding. This made a total allocation of $500,000 of emergency funds. On June 24 the Governor asked President Reagan to declare a major disaster as the situation was beyond the State's capability. On July 1, the President declared a major disaster for the Colorado River states. The Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) implemented Federal individual. disaster assistance. (A Fact Sheet on the current status of that assistance is contained in Attachment 1.) On the first of July, a Health Services Task Force consisting of state and county public health officials was organized to identify and respond to health hazards from flooded septic systems, wells, water and sewer systems, and the threat of growing mosquito populations. The Federal Center for Disease Control (CDC) was asked to assess the current and potential risk of mosquito-borne encephalitis. CDC recommended immediate commitment of resources for monitoring and evaluating the increase of mosquito populations, assessment of virus activity and funds to conduct mosquito control work. Over $600,000 was authorized for vector control from Arizona State Emergency Funds. On July 18, with public damage growing in excess of $2,000,000 and rapidly beyond the capabilities of Arizona and its various subdivisions, the Federal Emergency Management Agency was asked to implement Federal public assistance to the Counties of Mohave, La Paz and Yuma as authorized by the Presidential declaration of July 1. On August 23, FEMA advised Arizona with the following message that public assistance was not warranted: "This is to inform you that the Deputy Associate Director, The This is not a denial of your request and when the water has It appears that FEMA reviewed our request for public assistance in the conventional sense; that is, they state that a complete survey will be made when the water has receded. This is not a conventional situation; the Federal Bureau of Reclamation estimates that the river may remain at flood levels as late as December or January. In the meantime, the groundwater continues to rise outside the levees (particularly serious in the Yuma area) and move |