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Risk Rating 2.0 is the name for the program revising national flood insurance rates by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Initially, the plan was to see the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which oversees the NFIP, deliver rates for single-family homes by October 1, 2020.

NFIP decided last year to delay the release of the rates to October 1, 2021. This year’s October date will be for all new policy rates.

Why is this Important?

The current methodology for determining a property’s flood risk and insurance pricing was developed in the seventies. In the forty-plus years since development, climate and other factors have fundamentally changed the environment to analyze. Risk Rating 2.0 plans to use current modeling to evolve FEMA’s ability to forecast risk.

This progression of the technology used to forecast creates a view of the home as a unique property and not a group of comparable homes. Modernizing the process means they will use current actuarial practices to set rates. Finally, the new program is supposed to be more straightforward in explaining the process to assist agents and policyholders.

The lack of transparency in the process has created concerns for areas along the US coastline and, importantly, here in Fort Bend. Our area homes are protected by levees that are built and maintained to an extremely high technical standard.

What are the concerns?

Risk Rating 2.0 will be the most notable change in over four decades, and the guidance from FEMA has been slow. Many of the answers given have raised additional questions. One of the consequences of this could be a significant rise in flood insurance premiums, even for property protected by well-maintained, high-quality levee systems. At this point, we are not sure of the outcome of this new process for our property owners.

What is LID 19 doing for Risk Rating 2.0?

In March, FEMA provided an update which unfortunately did little to clarify the potential October impact to Fort Bend. With the deadline just six months away, your LID 19 board and their consultants have been in touch with regional politicians and the congressional representation in the area for guidance.

You reach out to your area congressional representation so they can hear your questions and understand your concern regarding this change.

Link for Congressman Troy Nehls
https://nehls.house.gov/contact

As you are likely aware, the weekend forecast calls for continue rain in our area. All of LID 19’s drainage systems are fully operational, and we expect to maintain gravity flow throughout the weekend.

It is essential to note that we may see short periods of heavy downpours. In these instances, temporary street ponding may occur until the rain slows. As with all weather events where intense rainfall may occur, we encourage residents to move parked cars off the streets and to avoid driving in any high water.

This month, Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District 19 (LID 19) broke ground on expanding the Steep Bank Creek pump station. Initially, the pump station was designed to remove 80,000 gallons of water per minute (GPM) out of LID 19 during a weather event. The expansion will add three permanent 50,000 GPM pumps each with backup power generation. When adding the twelve portable pumps that the District added in 2019, the total pumping capacity will increase to over 310,000 GPM. This represents a significant improvement since Hurricane Harvey.

“We made a promise to this community that we would thoughtfully expand our capabilities. We have carefully evaluated different options, and this expansion is one of many upgrades to improve the flood resiliency of our community.” Kalapi Sheth, President, LID 19.

The total cost of the expansion project will be approximately $8.9 million. As they share the watershed, the expense is shared by both levee districts that serve the Riverstone Community; LID 19 and LID 15.

The project broke ground with an estimated completion in May 2022. Construction will be executed by Garney Companies, Inc. with oversight by the District’s consultants. The construction will be executed in a manner that will not compromise the safety of LID 19 during construction.

From left to right: Glenn Wong (LID 19), Sreekanth Pannala (LID 19), Dean Cooper (LID 19), Chad Hablinski (Costello), Nancy Carter (Muller Law Group), Fort Bend County Commisioner Ken DeMerchant (Precinct 4), Rohit Sankholar (LID 15), Fort Bend County Commisioner Grady Prestage (Precinct 2), Jeff Perry (LMS), Matt Reed (Schwartz Page Harding), Jeff Anderson (LID 15) and Phil Martin (Mike Stone Associate).

About Levee Improvement District 19 – Fort Bend County Levee Improvement District #19 is primarily responsible for providing flood protection and stormwater discharge management. LID 19 maintains a flood protection system that includes a levee and other related flood protection infrastructure, including a pump station. Additional information about the District can be found on the District’s website, https://www.fblid19.com, and Facebook page.