Senate File 370 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON REBUILD IOWA (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1289) Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to flooding by creating an Iowa flood center, 2 allocating duties between the Iowa flood center and the water 3 resources coordinating council, and making appropriations. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2304SV 83 6 tm/sc/5 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 466B.3, subsection 6, paragraph b, 1 2 subparagraph (7), Code 2009, is amended by striking the 1 3 subparagraph. 1 4 Sec. 2. Section 466B.9, Code 2009, is amended to read as 1 5 follows: 1 6 466B.9 RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. 1 7 The department and the department of agriculture and land 1 8 stewardship shall have the power and authority reasonably 1 9 necessary to carry out the duties imposed by this chapter.As 1 10 to the department, this includes rulemaking authority to carry 1 11 out the regional watershed assessment program described in 1 12 section 466B.5. As to the department of agriculture and land 1 13 stewardship, this includes rulemaking authority to assist in 1 14 the implementation of community=based subwatershed improvement 1 15 plans.1 16 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 466C.1 DEFINITIONS. 1 17 For purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise 1 18 requires: 1 19 1. "Center" means the Iowa flood center established 1 20 pursuant to section 466C.2. 1 21 2. "Council" means the water resources coordinating 1 22 council established in section 466B.3. 1 23 3. "Regional watershed" means the watershed of hydrologic 1 24 unit code scale 8. 1 25 4. "Subwatershed" means a watershed of hydrologic unit 1 26 code scale 12 or smaller. 1 27 5. "Watershed" means a geographic area in which surface 1 28 water is drained by rivers, streams, or other bodies of water. 1 29 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 466C.2 IOWA FLOOD CENTER. 1 30 1. The state board of regents shall establish and maintain 1 31 in Iowa City as a part of the state university of Iowa an Iowa 1 32 flood center. In conducting the activities of this chapter, 1 33 the center shall work cooperatively with the department of 1 34 natural resources, the department of agriculture and land 1 35 stewardship, the water resources coordinating council, and 2 1 other state and federal agencies. 2 2 2. The Iowa flood center shall have all of the following 2 3 purposes: 2 4 a. To develop hydrologic models for physically=based flood 2 5 frequency estimation and real=time forecasting of floods, 2 6 including hydraulic models of floodplain inundation mapping. 2 7 b. To establish community=based programs to improve flood 2 8 monitoring and prediction along Iowa's major waterways and to 2 9 support ongoing flood research. 2 10 c. To share resources and expertise of the Iowa flood 2 11 center. 2 12 d. To assist in the development of a workforce in the 2 13 state knowledgeable regarding flood research, prediction, and 2 14 mitigation strategies. 2 15 e. To conduct the activities required by this chapter in 2 16 cooperation with various state and federal agencies. 2 17 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 466C.3 REGIONAL WATERSHED 2 18 ASSESSMENT, PLANNING, AND PRIORITIZATION. 2 19 1. The center shall create a regional watershed assessment 2 20 program. The program shall assess all the regional watersheds 2 21 in the state. 2 22 a. Under the program, a statewide assessment shall be 2 23 conducted at the rate of approximately one=third of the 2 24 watersheds in the state per year, and an initial statewide 2 25 assessment shall be completed within three years. Thereafter, 2 26 the center shall review and update the assessments on a 2 27 regular basis. 2 28 b. Each regional watershed assessment shall provide a 2 29 summary of the overall condition of the watershed. The 2 30 information provided in the summary may include land use 2 31 patterns, soil types, slopes, management practices, stream 2 32 conditions, and both point and nonpoint source impairments. 2 33 c. In conducting regional watershed assessments, the 2 34 center may identify and facilitate local data collection to 2 35 support the assessment process. 3 1 2. In conducting the regional watershed assessment 3 2 program, the center shall provide hydrologic and geologic 3 3 information sufficient for the council to prioritize 3 4 watersheds statewide and for the various communities in those 3 5 watersheds to plan remedial efforts in their local communities 3 6 and subwatersheds. 3 7 3. Upon completion of the initial statewide assessment, 3 8 and upon subsequent assessment updates, the center shall 3 9 report the results of the assessment, and any updates, to the 3 10 council and the general assembly, and shall make the report 3 11 available to the public. 3 12 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 466C.4 COMMUNITY=BASED SUBWATERSHED 3 13 IMPROVEMENT PLANS. 3 14 1. After the center's completion of the initial regional 3 15 watershed assessment, and after the council's prioritization 3 16 of the regional watersheds, the council shall initiate the 3 17 organization of an interagency integrated water resources 3 18 committee to facilitate the development and implementation of 3 19 local, community=based subwatershed improvement plans. 3 20 2. In facilitating the development of community=based 3 21 subwatershed improvement plans, the interagency integrated 3 22 water resources committee shall, based on the results of the 3 23 regional watershed assessment program, identify critical 3 24 subwatersheds within priority regional watersheds and recruit 3 25 communities, citizen groups, local governmental entities, or 3 26 other stakeholders to engage in the assessment, planning, 3 27 prioritization, and implementation of a local community=based 3 28 subwatershed improvement plan. The interagency integrated 3 29 water resources committee may assist in the formation of a 3 30 group of initial local community=based subwatershed 3 31 improvement plans that can be implemented as pilot projects, 3 32 in order to develop an effective process that can be 3 33 replicated across the state. 3 34 Sec. 7. NEW SECTION. 466C.5 COMMUNITY=BASED SUBWATERSHED 3 35 MONITORING. 4 1 1. After completion of the statewide regional watershed 4 2 assessment and prioritization, and throughout the 4 3 implementation of local community=based subwatershed 4 4 improvement plans, the center shall assist communities with 4 5 the monitoring and measurement of local subwatersheds. The 4 6 monitoring and measurement shall be designed for the 4 7 particular needs of individual communities while considering 4 8 statewide watershed issues. 4 9 2. Local communities in which the center conducts 4 10 subwatershed monitoring shall use the information to support 4 11 subwatershed planning activities, guide supplemental local 4 12 data collection efforts, and identify priority areas needing 4 13 additional resources. Local communities shall collect data 4 14 over time and use the data to evaluate the impacts of their 4 15 management efforts. Data collected, as directed by 4 16 interagency integrated water resources committees, shall be 4 17 integrated into a digital regional watershed framework in 4 18 real=time, or near real=time, by the center for use in 4 19 assessment and planning by all the communities in the 4 20 watershed. The center shall integrate digital regional 4 21 watershed information into a digital statewide framework for 4 22 assessment and planning for state water resources planning. 4 23 Sec. 8. NEW SECTION. 466C.6 DEVELOPMENT OF ADVANCED 4 24 NUMERICAL TOOLS FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT. 4 25 1. After completion of the statewide regional watershed 4 26 assessment and prioritization, the center shall develop and 4 27 implement physically based hydrologic models to improve 4 28 watershed and community scale flood prediction and mitigation 4 29 planning. 4 30 a. Physically based hydrologic models shall be used to 4 31 improve understanding of frequency of flood occurrence within 4 32 the state and to guide risk=based flood mitigation planning. 4 33 b. Physically based hydrologic models shall be used in 4 34 conjunction with hydrologic sensor networks to provide 4 35 real=time river discharge forecasts to aid communities in 5 1 implementing flood response plans. 5 2 2. The center shall produce flood inundation maps relating 5 3 the spatial extent of flooding to predicted stream flows. 5 4 a. The center shall perform hydrodynamic simulations of 5 5 river flow to create detailed water surface profiles for use 5 6 in developing high=resolution flood inundation maps. A 5 7 library of inundation maps including but not limited to the 5 8 one hundred year and five hundred year recurrence intervals 5 9 shall be developed and made available along all rivers and 5 10 streams within each watershed. In addition to the static 5 11 library of flood inundation maps, the center shall provide 5 12 real=time forecasted flood inundation maps during the threat 5 13 of severe flooding for imperiled communities. 5 14 b. Flood inundation maps shall be stored in a geospatial 5 15 database and publicly distributed through web=based 5 16 applications. 5 17 Sec. 9. NEW SECTION. 466C.7 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND 5 18 TRAINING. 5 19 1. The center shall implement statewide programs to 5 20 educate Iowans on water quality, best management practices, 5 21 and flood risk and mitigation. 5 22 2. The center shall provide technical training through 5 23 regional workshops and short courses to water resources 5 24 professionals in state agencies, city and county 5 25 administrators, and private companies. Training shall focus 5 26 on application of hydrologic and water quality monitoring and 5 27 forecasting technologies. 5 28 Sec. 10. APPROPRIATION == IOWA FLOOD CENTER. There is 5 29 appropriated from the general fund of the state to the state 5 30 university of Iowa for the designated fiscal years the 5 31 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be 5 32 used for the purposes designated: 5 33 For the Iowa flood center, including salaries, support, 5 34 maintenance, and miscellaneous purposes: 5 35 FY 2009=2010 .................................. $ 1,300,000 6 1 FY 2010=2011 .................................. $ 2,300,000 6 2 Sec. 11. Sections 466B.5, 466B.6, and 466B.7, Code 2009, 6 3 are repealed. 6 4 EXPLANATION 6 5 This bill relates to flooding by creating an Iowa flood 6 6 center and allocating duties between the Iowa flood center and 6 7 the water resources coordinating council. 6 8 The bill requires the state board of regents to establish 6 9 and maintain in Iowa City as a part of the state university of 6 10 Iowa an Iowa flood center. The bill provides that the Iowa 6 11 flood center shall develop hydrologic models for physically 6 12 based flood frequency estimation and real=time forecasting of 6 13 floods, including hydraulic models of floodplain inundation 6 14 mapping, establish community=based programs to improve flood 6 15 monitoring and prediction along Iowa's major waterways and to 6 16 support ongoing flood research, share resources and expertise 6 17 of the Iowa flood center, and assist in the development of a 6 18 workforce in the state knowledgeable regarding flood research, 6 19 prediction, and mitigation strategies. 6 20 Currently, the department of natural resources and the 6 21 water resources coordinating council are responsible for 6 22 regional watershed assessment, planning, and prioritization; 6 23 community=based subwatershed improvement plans; and 6 24 community=based subwatershed monitoring. The bill moves many 6 25 of these duties to the Iowa flood center with some 6 26 modifications. 6 27 The bill requires the center to create a regional watershed 6 28 assessment program. The program shall assess all the regional 6 29 watersheds in the state. Under the program, a statewide 6 30 assessment shall be conducted at the rate of approximately 6 31 one=third of the watersheds per year, and shall be completed 6 32 within three years. The bill provides that, in conducting the 6 33 regional watershed assessment program, the center shall 6 34 provide hydrologic and geologic information sufficient for the 6 35 water resources coordinating council to prioritize watersheds 7 1 statewide and for the various communities in those watersheds 7 2 to plan remedial efforts in their local communities and 7 3 subwatersheds. The bill requires the center to report the 7 4 results of the assessment to the council and the general 7 5 assembly, and to make the report available to the public. 7 6 The bill provides that, after the center's completion of 7 7 the initial regional watershed assessment, and after the 7 8 council's prioritization of the regional watersheds, the 7 9 council shall initiate the organization of an interagency 7 10 integrated water resources committee to facilitate the 7 11 development and implementation of local, community=based 7 12 subwatershed improvement plans. The bill provides that, in 7 13 facilitating the development of community=based subwatershed 7 14 improvement plans, the interagency integrated water resources 7 15 committee shall, based on the results of the regional 7 16 watershed assessment program, identify critical subwatersheds 7 17 within priority regional watersheds and recruit communities, 7 18 citizen groups, local governmental entities, or other 7 19 stakeholders to engage in the assessment, planning, 7 20 prioritization, and implementation of a local community=based 7 21 subwatershed improvement plan. 7 22 The bill provides that, after completion of the statewide 7 23 regional watershed assessment and prioritization, and 7 24 throughout the implementation of local community=based 7 25 subwatershed improvement plans, the center shall assist 7 26 communities with the monitoring and measurement of local 7 27 subwatersheds. The bill provides that local communities in 7 28 which the center conducts subwatershed monitoring shall use 7 29 the information to support subwatershed planning activities, 7 30 guide supplemental local data collection efforts, and identify 7 31 priority areas needing additional resources. 7 32 The bill provides that, after completion of the statewide 7 33 regional watershed assessment and prioritization, the center 7 34 shall develop and implement physically based hydrologic models 7 35 to improve watershed and community scale flood prediction and 8 1 mitigation planning. The bill requires the center to produce 8 2 flood inundation maps relating the spatial extent of flooding 8 3 to predicted stream flows. 8 4 The bill requires the center to implement statewide 8 5 programs to educate Iowans on water quality, best management 8 6 practices, and flood risk and mitigation. The bill requires 8 7 the center to provide technical training through regional 8 8 workshops and short courses to water resources professionals 8 9 in state agencies, city and county administrators, and private 8 10 companies. 8 11 The bill appropriates moneys $1.3 million for FY 2009=2010 8 12 and $2.3 million for FY 2010=2011 from the general fund of the 8 13 state to the university of Iowa for the Iowa flood center. 8 14 LSB 2304SV 83 8 15 tm/sc/5