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The National Flood Insurance Program is administered by FEMA, who is the entity charged with determining rates (premiums) for individual flood insurance policies. Historically, FEMA has developed rates based predominantly on Flood Insurance Map Rate (FIRM) zones and base flood elevation. However, FEMA has announced that it intends to rehaul its methodology for determining individual flood insurance rates through a program called Risk Rating 2.0.

FEMA has indicated that Risk Rating 2.0 will be implemented in 2020, with new premiums going into effect by October 2020. However, at this time, the actual components of Risk Rating 2.0 remain unknown. Initial announcements on Risk Rating 2.0 indicate that FEMA will take into consideration (among other factors) distance from potential flood source and cost to rebuild. If sufficient consideration is not given for the quality of flood protection afforded by local levee systems (such as the one protecting LID 15), individual homeowner flood insurance premiums within areas, such as LID 15, could increase due to Risk Rating 2.0.

LID 15, together with Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant, support efforts to require FEMA to provide transparency and opportunity for stakeholder input in developing Risk Rating 2.0 prior to its adoption and implementation. As an interested member of the community, if you would like to support this effort, you may sign the Commissioner’s petition (with a copy of his letter to Congress) at this link:

FEMA Risk Rating 2.0

For more information:

• Risk Rating 2.0 Overview – May 2019
• Risk Rating 2.0 FAQs – May 2019
• NFIP Transformation and Risk Rating 2.0

Alleviating the risk of flooding to homes and property from heavy rains and storm events that stress the capacity of our current reserves is a priority for district staff and board directors.

To mitigate future widespread flooding and potential damage to property and waterways, we have taken measures to increase drainage capacity and water runoff into the existing levees.

New development and increased capacity plans for a heavy rain event include the following measures.

FBCLID 15

In Lid 15, five additional mobile pumps were purchased for the Alcorn Bayou station with a total pumping capacity of 40,000 gallons per minute. Currently, 150,000 gallons per minute pumping capability is maintained at the Alcorn Bayou pump station with all pumps running.
A new pump station at Snake Slough will be completed by the 2020 hurricane season with a total capacity of 50,000 gallons per minute.

FBCLID 15 and FBCLID 19 Combined

At present, the Steep Bank Creek pump station has a capacity for 80,000 gallons per minute with all pumps running. An additional 12 mobile pumps have been purchased, adding a total capacity of 81,000 gallons per minute. These units will remain deployed at Steep Bank throughout hurricane season.

Design for expansion of the Steep Bank Creek pump station is underway and will increase capacity to 150,000 gallons per minute. Construction for the expanded watershed is planned to commence in the first quarter of 2020.

While these measures will go a long way to alleviate some of the risks of flooding, residents are encouraged to prepare themselves and their property for any future emergency. Staying abreast of extreme weather events and having a plan for evacuation or sheltering in place ahead of an emergency are vital steps. For detailed information on how to prepare for emergency weather, please visit https://fbcoem.org/prepare/build-a-kit/#.

Beginning Monday, August 19, 2019, the LID 15 Board of Directors will host board meetings from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Club at Riverstone (18353 University Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas 77479). Board meetings will be held at The Club at Riverstone on the 3rd Monday of each month, with the exception of June, July and August (these excepted months begin in 2020).

During the months of June, July and August, board meetings will move to the offices of The Muller Law Group, 202 Century Square Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas 77478.