The Flood Hazard
The Lummi Indian Reservation is located at the mouth of the Nooksack River and along the western border of Whatcom County, Washington. The Nooksack River drains a watershed of 786 square miles, flows through the Reservation near the mouth of the river, and discharges primarily to Bellingham Bay. The Reservation is also located at the southern extent of Georgia Strait and the northern extent of Puget Sound. This location means that Reservation is susceptible to both riverine and coastal flooding. A majority of the northern portion of the Reservation is floodplain for the Nooksack River and the Sandy Point Peninsula and the Gooseberry Point area are two of the main areas susceptible to coastal flooding. Please click here for an overview map of the floodplain on the Lummi Indian Reservation.
Most major floods recorded on the Nooksack River occurred form late October through February. The November 10, 1990 (Veteran’s Day) flood was typical of a severe Nooksack River flood. This flood was the highest on record at the Ferndale river gage, approximately two miles north of the Reservation. This flood caused the closure of five major roads including Marine Drive, Slater Road, and Haxton Way and flooded approximately 4,100 acres of the 12,500 upland acres of the Reservation. The flooding damaged 20 private residences, two businesses, and two natural resource production facilities.
Coastal flooding in Puget Sound occurs most frequently during the winter months, when the highest tides of the year combine with the storm surge and waves generated by winter windstorms. The areas with the greatest probability of coastal flooding are the Sandy Point Peninsula and the Neptune Beach area in the northwestern part of the Reservation and, to a lesser degree, Gooseberry Point and portions of the southeastern shoreline of the Lummi Peninsula. In December of 2000, the combination of 70 mph sustained winds and a high tide of 10.5 feet was estimated to have caused approximately $750,000 in damage along the Sandy Point Peninsula. Please see the Lummi Nation’s Multi Hazard Mitigation Plan for more information on historic flooding events.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) enables owners of property, located either inside or outside of the mapped floodplain, in participating communities to purchase flood insurance. Participation in the NFIP is based on an agreement between local communities and the Federal Government that states if a community will adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood risks, the Federal Government will make flood insurance available within the community as a financial protection against losses.
The Lummi Nation joined the emergency phase of the NFIP in 1997 and the regular phase on January 16, 2004 when the first FEMA floodmaps covering the Reservation were drawn and approved. FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) shows the floodplain boundaries, insurance risk zones, and the Base Flood Elevations (the height of the flood having a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year). The FIRMs for the Reservation (and all of Whatcom County) can be viewed at FEMA’s Map Service Center.
The Lummi Nation’s floodplain management ordinance is Title 15A of the Lummi Code of Laws. The overall purpose of the code is to protect human life and health and minimize the cost and disruptions from flooding damage. The ordinance provides methods and provisions for limiting dangerous or damaging uses of the floodplain, requiring protection against flood damage, and controlling alterations in the special flood hazard areas. Contact the Lummi Nation Planning Department for information on floodplain development and development permits.
Flood Insurance
Because the Lummi Nation is in good standing in the NFIP, flood insurance is available to owners of property on the Reservation. The purchase of flood insurance is mandatory as a condition of Federal or Federally-related financial assistance for acquisition and construction of buildings in the special flood hazard area (SFHA). The lender must check the flood maps to determine if the building is in the SFHA and must require the loan recipient to purchase a flood insurance policy on the building if it is. FEMA elevation certificates have been completed for some of the buildings on the Reservation – copies of these certificates can be obtained from the Lummi Nation Planning Department. Following the purchase of flood insurance, NFIP imposes a 30-day waiting period, so residents should purchase insurance before the onset of the rainy season to ensure coverage during the flooding season.
Please click here for an outreach letter sent to owners of parcels that are located within the floodplain.
Preparedness and Response
Individual preparedness for natural hazards is as equally important as community preparedness. Government services may not be able to reach you immediately and having your own supplies and protection measures in place can minimize damage to life and property and allow you to recover more quickly. Two important steps towards individual preparedness are the creation of a family disaster plan and the assembly and maintenance of a 72-hour emergency supplies kit. For assistance with these activities see:
· Family Emergency Preparedness Plan
· 72-Hour kit
Related Web Links:
· FEMA
· NFIP
· Whatcom County River and Flood Division
· Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management
· Nooksack River Gage at Ferndale
· Lummi NationTsunami Evacuation Route Brochure
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