An Overview of a FEMA Coastal Inundation Study for the Big Bend Region of Florida Jeff Gangai, CFM Management & Consulting Services Division Dewberry Fairfax, VA Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering Department University of Central Florida Orlando, FL Ron Bartel Resource Management Division Northwest Florida Water Management District Havana, FL T he Federal Emer- gency Management Agency (FEMA) has embarked on an ambitious efort to re-evaluate all of the nation’s coastal food hazards for the purpose of updating Flood In- surance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Tese coastal study updates will include storm-surge modeling, overland-wave-height propagation analysis, and coastal-hazard mapping. Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) is a Corporative Technical Partner (CTP) for FEMA and is one of the frst to perform a new coastal study. Te overall process is divided into two phases: the storm surge analysis with overland wave height analyses and mapping of the FIRMs. Te following issue will focus on the entire process of coastal inundation assessment for the Florida Big Bend region, namely Franklin, Wakulla, and Jeferson Counties. BACKGROUND Te National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) depicts the food risk, in the form of a FIRM, which is provided by FEMA to communities participating in the program. Local ofcials use the FIRM for permitting development and insurance personnel use the FIRM for developing a premium rating for insured property. Te dual functions served by the maps for regulating foodplain development and determining insurance rates merit periodic reviews of their precision in depicting food hazards. Ofen this review takes place in the wake of a major food event, when primary evidence of fooding patterns is readily available and economic resources may be available to update the maps. Hurricane Ivan and Katrina were two such events along the Gulf coast that indicated the real need to update the coastal hazard mapping and FIRMs along the Gulf region as well as the nation. Troughout the last 30 years FEMA has made many improvements and added additional components to a coastal food hazard analysis. With the inclusion of wave heights in 1979, Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) were updated between 1981 and 1984 to include additional fooding hazards from 1 An Overview of a FEMA Coastal Inundation Study for the Big Bend Region of Florida Jeff Gangai, CFM Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE Ron Bartel 4 A Digital Elevation Model for Franklin, Wakulla, and Jefferson Counties Florida David Coggin Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE Michael B. Salisbury, P.E. 11 Unstructured Mesh Development for the Big Bend Region (Florida) Michael B. Salisbury, P.E. Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE David Coggin Peter Bacopoulos, Ph.D. John Atkinson, Ph.D. Hugh Roberts, P.E. 15 Wave Modeling for the East Florida Panhandle Flood Study Donald N. Slinn, Ph.D. M. C. Robinson Go Fujita Lynda C. Charles 22 Deriving Frictional Parameters and Performing Historical Validation for an ADCIRC Storm Surge Model of the Florida Gulf Coast John Atkinson, Ph.D. Hugh Roberts, P.E. Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE Shan Zou, Ph.D. Peter Bacopoulos, Ph.D. Stephen Medeiros, P.E. John Weishampel, Ph.D. Zach Cobell 28 Production Runs for the Big Bend Region of Florida Gabriel R. Toro, Ph.D. Scott C. Hagen, Ph.D., P.E., D. CE, D. WRE John Atkinson, Ph.D. Chris Reed, Ph.D. SPRING 2011 Volume 4 • Issue 2 Continued on page 4 GANGAI HAGEN BARTEL