Volume 32, No. 2 | Autumn 2025

A newsletter for Connecticut's Floodplain Managers

MyCoast Connecticut

MyCoast is a tool for reporting coastal flooding events from storms and high tides. In Connecticut, this is a pilot project in the communities of Groton, New London and Stonington. The MyCoast Connecticut project was implemented through a partnership with Connecticut Sea Grant, the Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve (CT NERR) and the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation (CIRCA).

A project kickoff webinar was held on April 10, 2025, click here to view a recording and find slides from this event. A partner workshop was held on June 25, 2025, click here to view a recording of this event.

To participate in MyCoast Connecticut, download the MyCoast app for Apple iOS devices, or for Android devices, then make an account and upload images of these flooding events to the Connecticut database.

MyCoast invites residents and property owners in these three southeast Connecticut communities to take photos of flooding and storm damage, creating an important record of how your community experiences these events. Submission of photos and data will support local planning and emergency management efforts, striving to build a more resilient shoreline and make better decisions.

Severe Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council Report

On June 30, 2025, the Connecticut Severe Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council issued its final report, outlining a detailed framework for strengthening the state’s resilience to increasing weather-related risks.

Established in October 2024 by the Connecticut Insurance Department, the Advisory Council brought together a cross-sector group of public, private, nonprofit, and academic leaders to develop actionable recommendations that reduce risk and protect Connecticut residents, homes, and businesses from the impacts of severe weather.

The final report outlines immediate steps Connecticut can take as well as long-term solutions to strengthen resilience over time. Key recommendations Include:

Launching a pilot program to support resilient home upgrades, including Fortified roof retrofits in high-risk areas.
Building partnerships with organizations to expand mitigation access.
Creating a statewide education and outreach campaign to improve insurance literacy and consumer awareness.
Exploring future incentives for homeowners, such as tax credits and catastrophe savings accounts.
Establishing training programs and contractor pipelines to support a growing resiliency workforce.

The Connecticut Insurance Department will work closely with state agencies, community leaders, and industry partners to implement recommendations and ensure Connecticut continues to lead on climate resilience.

CAFM Conference November 20!

The Connecticut Association of Flood Managers (CAFM) will convene its 12th Annual Conference and Meeting at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Connecticut on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Registration is now open. Click here for the registration form and anticipated program schedule.

A cornerstone of CAFM’s mission is to educate a broad range of professionals regarding recent flooding concerns and other issues and problems associated with managing flood risk, making communities more resilient, disaster recovery, and the protection of floodplains. Our goal for this conference is to examine the current challenges facing Connecticut and share experiences and lessons learned as flood managers and municipal officials.

NVCOG Flood Resource Guide

In response to the historic flooding in the Naugatuck River Valley on August 18, 2024, the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) created a Flood Resource Guide to assist those impacted by the event. This guide includes information from various state agencies, frequently asked questions, and other links and tools to help flood victims navigate the complex aspects of disaster recovery.

Although geared toward this specific flood event and location within Connecticut, the Flood Response Guide provides an excellent template and references for all communities within our state to assist with flood recovery.

Connecticut River Museum Art Exhibit

The Connecticut River Museum in Essex opened a special art exhibit on August 15, 2025 entitled "Watermark: Capturing the Connecticut". The exhibit closes on October 19, 2025. This exhibit includes artists Evie Lovett, Janet Pritchard, Guy Russell, and Nancy O. Albert—one from each of the states that borders the Connecticut River. Each artist brings their own subject and style, but their work will respond to the exhibit’s overarching themes: the natural and built landscape, environmental changes, and people’s relationship with the Connecticut River and its Valley. The Connecticut River Museum located at 67 Main Street, Essex is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. It is closed on Mondays.

Training Opportunities

CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

October 23, 2025: The Most Important Fish in The Sea, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut River Lecture Series, Lyme Art Association, 90 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, 5:00-6:00pm.

October 28, 2025: Massachusetts Association for Floodplain Management (massFM) Annual Conference.

October 29-30, 2025: Restore America's Estuaries (RAE) 2025 Living Shorelines Tech Transfer Workshop, New Haven.

November 6-7, 2025: Southern New England American Planning Association (SNEAPA) 2025 Conference, Newport, RI.

November 14-20, 2025: International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM) Annual Conference, Louisville, KY.

November 19-20, 2025: National Disaster Resilience Conference 2025, Clearwater Beach, FL.

November 19, 2025: Atmospheric CO2 and the Global-to-Regional Climate, Connecticut Audubon Society, Connecticut River Lecture Series, Old Lyme Town Hall, 52 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, 5:00-6:00pm.

November 20, 2025: Connecticut Association of Flood Managers (CAFM) 12th Annual Conference, Central Connecticut State University (CCSU), New Britain.

January 21-23, 2026: 2026 Integrated Watershed Management Planning Workshop, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL.

March 10-12, 2026: ResCon International, New Orleans, LA.

April 27-May 1, 2026: National Association of Wetland Managers (NAWM) Annual State/Tribal/Federal Coordination Meeting, NCTC Shepherdstown, WV.

May 12-14, 2026: National Adaptation Forum, Pittsburgh, PA.

May 31-June 4, 2026: Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI.

ASSOCIATION OF STATE FLOODPLAIN MANAGERS (ASFPM)

The ASFPM Training and Knowledge Center offers webinars and an online university as a professional development resource for floodplain management professionals.

NFIP 101 Training Course - This on-demand nine unit course covers flood maps and studies, flood regulations, compliance, flood insurance, substantial improvement/substantial damage, and pre/post disaster floodplain management. The combined course duration for all nine units is approximately 14-17 hours to complete. There is a twenty question exam at the end of the course with unlimited retakes. The course can be completed at your own pace.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WETLANDS MANAGERS (NAWM)

'The NAWM posts past webinar recordings on its website. Register here for any upcoming webinars.

EPA SOAK UP THE RAIN WEBINARS & WATERSHED ACADEMY

Soak Up the Rain is a U.S. EPA stormwater public outreach and education program to raise awareness about the costly impacts of polluted stormwater runoff and encourage compliance with stormwater rules and requirements through nature-based solutions such as green infrastructure and low impact development. To view watch recordings of past webinars, visit their webinar archive. The U.S. EPA Watershed Academy offers training and resources on watershed management, including a new Hazard Mitigation Planning and Water Resource Management training module, intended for water quality and hazard mitigation professionals that are interested in integrating water quality issues and/or nature-based solutions into state or local Hazard Mitigation Plans.

NATURAL HAZARDS CENTER

The Natural Hazards Cente r, posts past webinar recording s on its website.

EXPLORING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS WEBINAR SERIES

Past webinar recordings are posted on the CTDEEP Climate Change website.

CENTER FOR LAND USE EDUCATION & RESEARCH (CLEAR)

Upcoming Workshops & Trainings:

October 2025: Basic Training for New Commissioners, Virtual 12:00pm-1:00pm, October 16, 23, 2025.

RESILIENT NATION PARTNERSHIP NETWORK (RNPN)

FEMA's Resilient Nation Partnership Network (RNPN) brings together a diverse network of stakeholders committed to help communities act and become more resilient toward natural disasters and climate-related events.

VIDEOS

New Elevation Certificate and Dry Floodproofing Certificate webinars: Elevation Certificate webinar: https://youtu.be/8_iYHiouQMA (57 minutes) Floodproofing webinar: https://youtu.be/Zs06JIQ3W00 (35 minutes)

FEMA Region I Flood Mapping 101 Skill Share Virtual Workshop - On August 8th, 2022, FEMA Region 1 hosted a two-hour Flood Mapping 101 Skill-Share Virtual Workshop for state and local floodplain management and permitting officials in New England. Topics covered included: history of the flood mapping program, overview of flood insurance rate maps and flood insurance studies, Map Service Center tutorial, how to read flood maps and how different flood zones affect local communities, the fl