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Consultants explain FEMA BCA, H&H requirements and timing to Coryell County officials
Summary
Consultants walked the court through the FEMA benefit-cost analysis (BCA) and hydrology/hydraulics (H&H) study requirements: BCA is required to demonstrate cost-effectiveness (≥1.0, FEMA prefers ≥1.1) and H&H work commonly follows BCA to size drainage or bridge work.
Mitigation consultants told county officials that FEMA requires the agency BCA tool for benefit-cost analyses and that H&H studies are used to substantiate project scope and sizing. They described three tiers of cost-effectiveness: automatic mitigation for components ≤15% of eligible repair cost, potential funding up to 100% for items in FEMA’s Appendix A/J, and BCA triggers when mitigation exceeds those lists or percentages.
"That number has to show that it's at least 1.0. Really like to see 1.1," said Judy Lankford, describing FEMA’s benefit-cost ratio threshold. Consultants recommended the county use FEMA’s online BCA tool early and have engineers ready to perform H&H as needed; the county may fund H&H up-front and receive reimbursement if the mitigation project is approved.
