Thousands at Risk: 9/11 Security Measures and Climate Change Create Dam Dangers Unseen Since Katrina

Conflicting Policies Endanger Thousands

Complex federal policies are putting thousands of residents at risk by raising flood insurance costs or leaving them unaware of potential dangers from upstream dams. An Associated Press review highlights how national security measures post-9/11 have compounded the issue.

Communities face challenges in meeting FEMA’s flood insurance discount criteria due to restrictions on dam information by other federal agencies. This information lockdown has persisted for years, despite warnings about its severe implications.

A presentation to FEMA’s National Dam Safety Review Board in 2020 emphasized that restrictive information-sharing procedures could cost lives. Yet, it took over two years for these meeting minutes to be made public.

While the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has started sharing flood maps, other agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Bureau of Reclamation remain tight-lipped, citing security risks.

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Communities Struggle with Compliance

Sacramento, California, one of the most flood-prone areas in the U.S., exemplifies the struggle to meet FEMA’s insurance discount criteria due to restricted dam information. The situation is similar in other communities, affecting their ability to inform residents about potential dangers.

For example, Sacramento County achieved a high score in FEMA’s rating system but failed to get the top discount because the Bureau of Reclamation’s policies hindered their outreach efforts. This has led to higher insurance premiums for residents.

The city of Sacramento faces the same problem, causing significant financial impact on homeowners. Higher costs often result in fewer people purchasing insurance, leaving them unprotected against potential dam failures.

The broader implications are alarming:

• Increased financial burdens on residents
• Lower insurance uptake
• Uninformed citizens about potential flood risks

Climate Change Intensifies Risks

As climate change accelerates, the threat of dam failures grows. Recent storms have already damaged or breached dams in several states, leading to evacuations and expensive repairs. The financial toll is immense, with floods causing $108 billion in damages since 2000.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program provides coverage to millions, but participation has declined. Only a fraction of communities benefit from premium discounts under FEMA’s Community Rating System, which incentivizes flood mitigation efforts.

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Despite the potential savings, many communities do not participate due to the complexity and cost of the rating system. Only two cities, Roseville and Tulsa, have achieved the highest discount level, underscoring the system’s challenging nature.

Roseville managed to navigate the restrictions by creating overlapping flood maps, but this is an exception rather than the norm. Most jurisdictions struggle to meet FEMA’s criteria due to limited access to necessary information.

Security vs. Public Safety

Post-9/11 security concerns have led to stringent controls over dam information, with agencies like the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission categorizing such data as sensitive. They argue that public access could aid potential attacks, justifying the need for non-disclosure agreements.

However, the Army Corps of Engineers has shifted its stance, now sharing dam inundation maps publicly, believing the benefits outweigh the risks. The Bureau of Reclamation plans to follow suit but the process will take years to complete.

FEMA recognizes the importance of public access to these maps for effective risk communication. Dam failures can have far-reaching impacts, spreading floodwaters beyond typical high-risk zones and affecting multiple communities.

Despite ongoing reviews and calls for reform, significant changes to FEMA’s Community Rating System are not expected until 2026. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has suggested a substantial overhaul, highlighting the system’s current inadequacies.

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