Report Prepared by: Ken F. Elwin, PE, Director of Public Works
Title
SUBJECT: Authorization to Submit Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant Applications for Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) for Fahrens Creek and Black Rascal Creek/Le Grand Canal
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers granting retroactive authority for submittal of FEMA grant applications due December 9, 2018 for the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program and Flood Mitigation Program for Fahrens Creek and Black Rascal Creek/Le Grand Canal.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion granting retroactive authority to the City Manager for submittal of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Grant Applications due December 9, 2018 for Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) for Fahrens Creek and Black Rascal Creek/Le Grand Canal.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve as recommended by staff;
2. Approve, subject to conditions outlined by Council;
3. Continue to a future meeting;
4. Deny.
AUTHORITY
City of Merced Charter, Section 200 - Powers.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Not applicable.
DISCUSSION
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has provided funding for two separate grant programs to be coordinated through the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) programs provide funding opportunities to State and local communities for mitigation programs and planning activities to help reduce the risk of future disasters and thereby reducing reliance on Federal Funding, as well as reducing or eliminating claims under the National Flood Insurance Program.
City staff, in coordination with Merced County and the Merced Irrigation District (MID), identified two major streams within the County in need of planning studies, Fahrens Creek and Black Rascal Creek/Le Grand Canal. City Staff is seeking authority to act as lead agency for the purposes of the grant applications, tying these efforts to the City’s existing adopted Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was a base requirement of the grant programs. Two grant applications, “Flood Diversion and Storage Optimization” and “Flood Conveyance Improvements”, were submitted by the City for each of the two streams, for a total of four grant applications.
The Flood Diversion and Storage Optimization grant applications seek to perform planning studies investigating the feasibility of diverting flood discharges from Fahrens Creek upstream during the wet season, with the diverted flows being temporarily stored in Lake Yosemite and then released slowly into Le Grand Canal and Black Rascal Creek once the floods have receded. Fahrens Creek runs through the City of Merced and experiences severe flooding due to overflows. The potential project benefits include over 400 residential structures within the city and county.
The Flood Conveyance Improvements grant applications seek funding to perform planning studies investigating the feasibility of structural alternatives to stormwater infrastructure along Fahrens Creek. A project feasibility study is expected to demonstrate significant flood risk reductions that will determine the potential level of protection for proposed versus existing conditions. An array of project alternative designs will be investigated to identify the most effective and potentially feasible approaches to improve flood conveyance and reduce flood frequency and elevations within the study area. Following successful planning activities, the selected project alternative will be presented to the City of Merced, Merced County, and Merced Irrigation District for formal approval.
Grant applications were due to FEMA on December 9, 2018. In order to meet this deadline, applications were submitted on Friday, December 8th. Staff is seeking retroactive authority for submittal of the grant applications.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
If awarded the grants, the non-Federal share of each grant application is 25%. Combined cost of all four grant applications is $799,932; the non-federal share for these applications is $199,983. MID has offered to commit to the non-federal share until such time as a sharing agreement can be finalized between the City, MID, Merced County and other partners within the Merced STREAMS Group.
Any city required share will be funded by Fund 553-Wastwater Operations and will come back to the City Council at a later date for appropriation.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Project Area Map
2. PDM Grant Application - Flood Diversion and Storage Optimization
3. FMA Grant Application - Flood Diversion and Storage Optimization
4. PDM Grant Application - Flood Conveyance Improvements
5. FMA Grant Application - Flood Conveyance Improvements