First Colony Levee Improvement District

First Colony LID has joined the Fort Bend Economic Development Council (FBEDC) with other levee districts in the County to form the FBFMC (Fort Bend Flood Management Committee).

The purpose of this coalition is to come together to form a strong, collective voice to address federal, state, and local regulations and guidelines that affect leveed areas.  You can follow this committee on the FBEDC here.

The FBFMC has engaged consultants to work with the member districts to identify the issues and formulate legislative relief so we continue to benefit from the many years of successful flood management here in FBC.

In 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) changed how flood insurance (National Flood Insurance Program, NFIP) rates are calculated for your home and property.  A new rating system called Risk Rating 2.0 (RR 2.0) was introduced.  RR 2.0 supposably allows FEMA to determine premium rates per property based on factors such as proximity to a flooding source, 1^st floor elevation, replacement cost of rebuilding, etc.  This is not a complete list because FEMA has not disclosed exactly how the rate engine is formulated.

In the past, premium rates were determined by mapped flood zones.  In the 100-year floodplain (aka, special flood hazard area or SFHA) federally-backed or regulated lenders must require that flood insurance be purchased and maintained.  Leveed districts in Ft. Bend County are accredited by FEMA, thus avoiding the SFHA designation. As a result, homeowners received Preferred Rate Policies, saving hundreds of dollars, and were exempt from this mandatory purchase of flood insurance.

Under the new NFIP RR 2.0, flood insurance has become a major concern as premium rates have increased, policy holder numbers across the country have started to decrease, and new guidelines are being implemented that potentially could have a negative effect on us and other levee districts.

Some of the current steps being taken by the EDC and FBFMC to address this concern are:

1. Setting the goal of:  Affordable, voluntary flood insurance for 100-year accredited levee protected areas,
2. Requesting that accredited levees continue to exempt protected communities from SFHA designation and mandatory flood insurance purchase,
3. Requiring FEMA to be transparent with the RR 2.0 methodologies and disclose the full actuarial premium on all NFIP flood insurance bills,
4. Ensuring the data being used by FEMA to set RR 2.0 rates in leveed areas is correct.

Through our participation in the FBFMC under the EDC, this district will continue to monitor and challenge any change that goes against the best interest of our residents and businesses.

We trust you will stay engaged and support our efforts through this coalition on your behalf.

All FCLID property owners pay property taxes that provide for the maintenance, upkeep and debt service of the levee.  The construction of the levee was funded through the issuance of tax exempt bonds.

From Ready.gov

• Know what to do before, during, and after a hurricane.
• Prepare before hurricane season starts. Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1.
• Create an emergency communication plan with your family before a hurricane.
• Have emergency supplies in place at home, at work, and in the car.
• Consider purchasing flood insurance because damages caused by flooding are not covered under normal homeowner’s insurance policies.
• Learn how to prepare in the event of an evacuation.
• Listen to local officials.
• Sign up for alerts from the Fort Bend County Office of Emergency Management.

The most serious threat to property protected by the FCLID levee comes from weather events that involve heavy local rainfall, possibly in combination with high water events on the Brazos River.

The following weather events can significantly impact our area:

• Local rainfall that exceeds 12” in 24 hours in our area.
• Severe Brazos River flooding from upstream dam releases or lower basin rainfall that raises the water level in the Brazos River.
• Moderate river events where high water limits the gravity
  discharge rate from inside the levee combined with moderate
  to heavy local rainfall that raises water levels inside the levee protected area.

During heavy rain events it is advisable NOT to park vehicles in the street or set out trash bins. Our streets are designed as part of the overall drainage system for the District, and you should expect water to drain through the streets before it drains out of the District.