Data for the Preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for Jackson County, Oklahoma and incorporated areas has been done by Watershed Concepts in Austin, Texas, and despite the fact that many agencies and departments were consulted in this process of evaluating our flood risk, that information was not used.

In the process of refining flood plain areas, as mandated by the Dept. of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Jackson County and surrounding areas has changed. Well, it's not a geographic or topographic change, but one that will be felt by many of us in our wallets, nonetheless.

On Monday, Dec. 14, several people gathered to hear about the DFIRM and FIS data and how it may affect us here in Jackson County. Moderator, David Braddock, of the City of Altus Economic Development Commission (EDC), presented basic information regarding the updating of the 1980 and 2005 engineering data of Jackson County. Traditionally, Altus has been located at 1377.00 feet in elevation. Since the comparison of old data to new, Watershed Concepts puts us at 1377.51 feet above sea level. We have not been lifted those 6 inches, but the reference point of mean sea level used to measure elevation has changed. But, a small change mathematically can bring big effects. In addition to this little data change, there have been errors in data and in methodology. If this had been a simple conversion of old data to digitalized data, these problems may have been avoided.

According to Phil Beauchamp, with the City of Altus, we residents of Altus and Jackson County will be impacted by these decisions in the DFIRM.

Gary Brickley, of Fox & Drechsler, said that there has been no actual change in flooding depth here, but in parts of the area, it appears that the elevation dips 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet from actual position marked in previous surveys. Brickley says that there may have been many reasons for these fluctuations in data: the Dept. of Homeland Security rounds up for a cushion of safety; drafting methods may have been sloppy; and use of a mix of map data. They (Watershed Concepts) did not use updated hydraulic data, did not consider any improvements, and no "ground truthing". Ground truthing, Brickley explained was the process of overlaying the new maps over aerial photographs. If they had done that, they'd see obvious mistakes in their data. One big problem is that they tried to mix low resolution and high resolution data. They're apples and oranges.

So, what has FEMA given us, besides a stocking full of sticks and coal? This DFIRM will affect the sale of homes in areas now designated as flood plains. It may stop some projects already in progress. Mortgage companies can insist on flood insurance for people with only 1 square inch of property within a flood plain, thereby adding to mortgage payments. This may keep people from affording a potential home. This decreases taxes available to the city and the county. If a person's home is designated in a flood plain they may be able to hire an engineer to counter that data, but how many individuals have money to hire professionals for hours of unnecessary hassle?

Are we the only ones who've had this happen? No, not according to Jeff Wilson, of Senator James Inhofe's office. Eastern Oklahoma has been affected by flood plain changes too. Inhofe is already aware of the situation.

What can we, as a community do about this? Brickley says we have 3 things to do: protest, protest, protest. We can't, according to the rules, Brickley said, protest the boundaries, only the elevations.

How long do we have to grieve this process? We had 90 days to submit a protest to FEMA. Since we received the DFIRM and FIS on Dec. 1, that means we have until March 1 to present a unified community protest.

How can Joe and Jane Q. Citizen do something about this situation? They can notify their federal and state senators and representatives that something needs to be done about DFIRM and FIS. Each communication a congressman receives represents 1000 people, 999 of whom have not written or emailed. These communications help give your representative or senator clout to get things done. Contact information is included here for your convenience.

Federal

US Senator Tom Coburn (R - OK)

172 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-5754

Tulsa (918) 581-7651

OKC (405) 231-4941

coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContactSenatorCoburn.Home

Federal

US Senator James Inhofe (R - OK)

453 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

(202) 224-4721

Tulsa (918) 748-5111

OKC (405) 608-4381

inhofe.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=ConstituentServices.ConstituentCasework

Federal

US Representative 3rd Congressional District Frank Lucas (R - OK)

2342 Rayburn House Office Building

Washington, DC 20515

(202) 225-5565

http://www.house.gov/lucas/contact-form.shtml (to get contact form)

State

OK State Senator Michael Schulz, District 38 (R)

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd Rm 415

OKC, OK 73105

(405) 521-5612

schulz@oksenate.gov

Altus 16830 SCR 209, Altus, OK 73521

State

OK State Representative Charles Ortega, District 52 (R)

2300 N. Lincoln Blvd Rm 537

OKC, OK 73105

(405) 557-7369

charles.ortega@okhouse.gov

Altus 1509 N. Main Private Mail Box 292, Altus, OK 73521