The Federal Emergency
Management Agency's
Flood Hazard Mapping Web Site
John F. Magnotti, III (1),
Keith W. Steury (2), and Janice J.
Roper (3)
Table of Contents
Abstract
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as the administrator
of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), is responsible for
mitigating and mapping flood hazards. FEMA utilizes the
NFIP to form effective partnerships with local governments, public
officials, and communities to reduce flood losses and foster prudent floodplain
management.
In 1997, FEMA introduced its Map Modernization Plan, with the goal of
modernizing the flood hazard mapping effort. The basic components of this plan include the
improvement of map accuracy and completeness, map utility, map production, and
public awareness and customer service. FEMA, with the support of its
Flood Map Production Coordination Contractors (FMPCCs), is increasingly
utilizing the World Wide Web to help fulfill the modernization initiative. This paper will
identify FEMA's Internet presence and describe its current focus on
information dissemination.
This paper will also discuss FEMA's vision to expand the content and
usability of their current site to more efficiently exploit the potential of the Internet
as a customer service tool. Future developments will likely include "self-service"
access to Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), Q3 Flood Data maps,
engineering data, and other flood hazard mapping products via the World Wide Web to State
and local governments, floodplain managers, and the general public.
Background
of the National Flood Insurance Program
In 1968, the United States Congress passed the National Flood Insurance Act,
which created the NFIP. Congress recognized that the success of this
program required that community participation be widespread, that studies be conducted
to accurately assess the flood risk within each participating flood-prone community,
and that insurance premium rates be established based on the risks involved
and accepted actuarial principles. To meet these objectives, the 1968 Act called
for:
- The identification and publication of information within five years for
all floodplain areas that have special flood hazards; and
- The establishment of flood-risk zones in all such areas to be completed
over a 15-year period following the passage of the act.
The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973, which also amended the 1968 Act,
required that flood-prone communities be notified of their flood hazards to
encourage program participation. This notification was accomplished through
the publication of Flood Hazard Boundary Maps for all communities that were
identified as containing flood hazard areas. Flood Insurance Studies that used
detailed hydrologic and hydraulic analyses to develop Base (1% annual chance)
Flood Elevations and designate floodways and risk zones were subsequently developed
for most NFIP communities. Over 10,000 communities have now been
provided detailed Flood Insurance Studies (FISs).
FEMA is now investigating new ways to improve its services and
products. A key component of this initiative is the Map Modernization Plan. This plan,
which was introduced in 1997, focuses on the improvement of map accuracy and completeness,
map utility, map production, and public awareness and customer service.
FEMA is actively working with its FMPCCs to utilize
its Flood Hazard Mapping (FHM) Web site as one vehicle to help fulfill
this modernization initiative.
Where We Are
The Technical Services Division (TSD)
FHM Web site (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd)
highlights a significant amount of the overall responsibilities of the FEMA
Mitigation Directorate. The site focuses on information dissemination to specific
users, as well as the general public. It serves as a valuable reference for
homeowners, insurers and lenders, engineers and surveyors, floodplain managers,
and a host of other user groups interested in data concerning the mitigation
and mapping of flood hazards. The FHM
Web site includes several sections, the contents of which are described briefly
below:
What's New (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/WN_main.htm)
This section of the site highlights some of the latest developments in the NFIP
and flood hazard mapping. Items addressed in this section include the release
of new software, descriptions of FEMA
partnerships, dissemination of various FEMA
guidelines and protocols, and Cooperating Technical Communities (CTC)
spotlight pieces. A listserve, which allows interested users to sign up for e-mail
updates about new content on the FHM
Web site, is also included on this page.
Map Modernization
(http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/MM_main.htm)
The FEMA Mitigation
Directorate's TSD has embarked
on an ambitious Map Modernization program. The core goal of Map Modernization
is to streamline the process for updating and disseminating floodmaps through
programmatic changes, as well as the use of digital mapping and Internet technology.
The basic components of this initiative include the improvement of map accuracy
and completeness, map utility, map production, and public awareness and customer
service.
The Map Modernization section includes progress on this important
FEMA initiative. "Work In Progress," a newsletter that was initially
distributed in hard copy format, is one vehicle for these updates. The main Map
Modernization page also includes an e-mail address created specifically for the purpose of
handling comments, suggestions, and questions about the initiative.
Frequently
Asked Questions (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/FQ_main.htm)
The Frequently Asked Questions section of the FHM Web site provides
categorized questions by specific user group to help users find the answers they need.
Questions commonly asked by homeowners, engineers and surveyors, insurers and lenders,
and floodplain managers are addressed in this section. Icons specific to the
four user groups are utilized to help the user determine to whom a given question
pertains. Multiple icons are used for questions that apply to more than one
user group.
All pages linked from this section include the telephone number for
FEMA's Map Assistance Center (FMAC) [1-877-
FEMA MAP]. FMAC provides additional customer support
and information. FMAC is addressed again later in this paper.
Status
of Map Change Requests (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/ST_main.htm)
FEMA handles numerous map change requests at a time. The status of
these changes are tracked and stored in databases by FEMA's
FMPCCs. Select information on the status of map change requests is made
available from the FHM Web site. Users select a state, enter a case
number or select a community name from a pull-down menu, and submit their request. The
community name, case number, and a brief status update are returned. These abbreviated
status updates are updated two times each week.
Forms,
Documents, and Software (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/FRM_main.htm)
FEMA protocol and procedures have lead to the creation and use of
several forms, documents, and software programs that are pertinent to the
NFIP. Forms offered from this page help requesters to gather all of the
information that is necessary for a given submittal to FEMA.
FEMA documents provide valuable information concerning the
NFIP, the Map Modernization initiative and other related topics.
Several programs utilized in the NFIP are available, at no cost, from this section of the
FHM Web site.
General background information is provided about each individual form, document,
and software program linked from this site. The actual documentation and programs
are provided in either a WinZip archive or as an Adobe Acrobat file. Informational
links are provided off of individual pages to instruct less-savvy web users
on how to obtain copies of WinZip and the free Acrobat Reader. A comment form has been created
to facilitate the transmission of questions or concerns about CHECK-RAS and RASPLOT,
two of the Beta version software packages offered from these pages.
Map
Examples (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/MP_main.htm)
FEMA uses various types of maps and map data that provide important
information about past disasters caused by natural hazards and the potential for future
events caused by natural phenomena. Some examples of these maps are provided
in this section of the FHM Web site.
The Map Examples section is currently being redesigned. An Online Training
section is planned to replace this section in the near future. More information
about this proposed update is available later in this paper under the "Online
Tutorials" heading.
Homeowners (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/HM_main.htm)
Floodmaps are the tool FEMA uses to determine the flood risk
homeowners face. Prior to the enactment of the NFIP, homeowners had no mechanism to
protect themselves from the devastation of flooding and in many parts of the United States
unchecked development in the floodplain was exacerbating the flood risk. In addition to
providing insurance to property owners, the NFIP requires participating
communities to enact local floodplain management ordinances that minimize floodplain
development and encourage initiatives to reduce flood risk. This section of the
FHM Web site helps homeowners locate and obtain copies of their
floodmaps, understand how to read them, and request map changes that they believe are
warranted.
Insurers
and Lenders (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/IN_main.htm)
Insurers and lenders are an important part of the NFIP. Insurers
provide homeowners with the opportunity to purchase federally subsidized flood insurance.
Lenders must require flood insurance for any loan that has as collateral a structure
located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. This has increased the
number of flood insurance policies and helped reduce financial losses to the
NFIP after floods.
This section of the FHM Web site provides valuable information
concerning insurer and lender involvement in the NFIP. Resources
provided include information about the National Flood Insurance Reform Act
(NFIRA) of 1994, useful forms, an alphabetical listing of flood zone
determination companies, and Compendium of Flood Map Change archives from the Federal
Register.
Engineers
and Surveyors (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/EN_main.htm)
As the agency responsible for administration of the NFIP,
FEMA's TSD conducts hydrologic and hydraulic
analyses to identify flood hazards in communities throughout the United States. Many of
these analyses are performed by private engineering firms and Federal and State agencies,
under FEMA guidelines. This section of the FHM Web
site outlines some of the products, services, and publications available to engineers and
surveyors through FEMA's Flood Hazard Mapping Technical Services
Division.
Floodplain
Managers (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/FP_main.htm)
The work of Floodplain Managers is fundamental to the effective management of
floodplain resources and the mitigation of floods. FEMA recognizes this
and seeks to support their efforts through NFIP guidance documents,
flood maps and associated studies, and other activities. This section of the
FHM Web site includes links to other agencies that work with
FEMA in flood mitigation and mapping and a list of key contacts for
floodplain managers (including FEMA and FMPCC personnel).
Cooperating
Technical Communities (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/CTC_main.htm)
There are over 18,000 communities in the NFIP. As a result, keeping
FEMA’s floodmaps up to date is a significant challenge. The
CTC initiative is an innovative partnership between
FEMA and NFIP communities, and state and regional
agencies that have advanced digital mapping and water resources engineering capability.
FEMA is seeking
qualified communities, state agencies, and regional agencies to partner with in
maintaining up to date DFIRMs.
The CTC initiative takes
advantage of local expertise to speedily update FIRMs.
If your community uses digital technology in maintaining your floodmaps, you may
be a candidate to become a Cooperating Technical Community -- with direct involvement
in, and possibly funding for, updating your local flood map. Details, including
a CTC
Guidance Document, is available on-line.
Technical Mapping Advisory Council (http://www.fema.gov/mit/tsd/TMC_main.htm)
The Technical Mapping Advisory Council (the "Council") was established by Congress
in the NFIRA of 1994
to provide recommendations to FEMA
on how to improve the accuracy, quality, distribution, and use of FIRMs.
The Council generally meets eight times per year, four times face-to-face and
four times via teleconference. The meetings of the Council are open to the general
public. The Annual Report to the Director and meeting minutes are prepared and
made available to the public from this section of the FHM
Web site.
Links to Other Sections of FEMA's Web Site
Links are provided on the sidebar of the FHM Web site to three other
sections of the FEMA Web site. These links include:
Project Impact (http://www.fema.gov/impact/)
In the past 10 years, FEMA has spent $20 billion to help people
repair and rebuild their communities after natural disasters. And that is not the total
cost. Insurance companies spent additional billions in claims payments; businesses
lost revenues; employees lost jobs; other government agencies spent millions more. Worst
of all, however, is the loss that can never be recovered: human life.
The increasing number and severity of natural disasters over the past decade demands
that action be taken to reduce the threat that hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms,
floods and fires impose upon the nation's economy and the safety of its citizens. With
Project Impact-Building a Disaster Resistant Community, FEMA is
changing the way America deals with disasters. Project Impact helps communities protect
themselves from the devastating effects of natural disasters by taking actions that
dramatically reduce disruption and loss.
Mitigation
(http://www.fema.gov/mit/)
Mitigation is the cornerstone of emergency management. It's the ongoing effort
to lessen the impact disasters have on people and property. Mitigation involves
keeping homes away from floodplains, engineering bridges to withstand earthquakes,
creating and enforcing effective building codes to protect property from hurricanes
-- and more.
Mitigation is defined as "sustained action that reduces or eliminates long-term
risk to people and property from natural hazards and their effects." It describes
the ongoing effort at the Federal, State, local, and individual levels to
lessen the impact of disasters upon our families, homes, communities and economy.
Through the application of mitigation technologies and practices, our society
can ensure that fewer Americans and their communities become victims of natural
disasters. For example, mitigation measures can be applied to strengthen your
home, so that your family and belongings are better protected from floods,
earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural hazards. They can be utilized to
help business and industry avoid damages to their facilities and remain operational
in the face of catastrophe. Mitigation technologies can be used to strengthen
hospitals, fire stations, and other critical service facilities so that they
can remain operational or reopen more quickly after an event. In addition,
mitigation measures can help reduce disaster losses and suffering so that
there is less demand for money and resources in the aftermath.
Map Service
Center (http://www.fema.gov/mit/msc/)
The Map Service Center portion of the FEMA Web site is just one of a
suite of online services planned to expedite the dissemination of
FEMA's flood map and insurance products that support
FEMA, its customers, and the user community. The
MSC Web site is a dynamic, customer-based service designed to
provide the latest information and support services to users as part of
FEMA's contribution to the National Information Infrastructure.
The MSC distributes NFIP materials to a broad
range of customers, including Federal, State, and local government officials; real
estate professionals; insurance providers; appraisers; builders; land developers; design
engineers; surveyors; lenders; and the public.
MSC products include DFIRMs, FIRMs, FIS reports, Digital Q3 flood data,
Community Status Book, Flood Map Status Information Service, Letters of Map Change, and NFIP Insurance
Manuals.
The MSC's mission is to improve service to its customers while
streamlining operations using the latest technical innovations. Visit this site to get
more information.
Links
Outside the FEMA Site
Some links to FEMA information take the user off of the
FEMA server. Two of the most significant of these include links to
select content for the Status and DFIRM databases. These data are
housed on FMPCC servers in support of FEMA and the
NFIP. Other outside links highlight FEMA
partnerships, an example of which is described below:
- Online
Hazards Maps--ESRI (http://www.esri.com/hazards/)
FEMA and ESRI signed a Project Impact National
Partnership agreement to launch multi-hazard maps and information via the
FHM Web site beginning on June 8, 1999. Flood hazard maps are
available for all areas where FEMA has prepared Q3 flood data. The
information provided on this Web site is intended to assist FEMA in
building disaster resistant communities across the country.
Increased
Customer Service
FEMA is focused on increasing customer service. The
FHM Web site helps to further this vision with e-mail points of contact
listed for key topics. The recent establishment of the toll-free FEMA
Map Assistance Center (FMAC), [1-877-FEMA
MAP], is also contributing to this initiative.
Where We Are Going
The FHM Web site is a very dynamic component of
FEMA’s overall Internet presence. As new initiatives, programs,
software packages, etc., are introduced, the World Wide Web is increasingly being utilized
to quickly disseminate information to a large audience.
The addition of a significant amount of new web content is planned over both
the near and long term. Some of the items in development, or projected for the
future are described below:
Online Tutorials
Several tutorials are currently being developed for inclusion on the
FHM Web site. These tutorials are intended to teach users about
FEMA products, concepts, initiatives, and software packages. Proposed
tutorials and information pages include:
- How to Get a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)
- How to Read a FIRM
- How to Read a FIS Text
- How to Get a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)
- How to Use the National Flood Frequency (NFF) Program
- How to Use the Quick-2 Version 2.0 Program
- How to Use the CHECK-RAS
Program
- How to Use the RASPLOT
Program
- How to Map Coastal Flood Hazards
- How Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are used for NFIP
Purposes
- How to Accredit a Levee
- Explanation of the New Study Process
- Alluvial Fans
- Coastal Surge
- Wave Heights
- Levee Failure
- Ice Jams
- Tsunamis
- Hurricanes
- Ways to Prevent Blocked Culverts
- Riverine Flooding
- How to Read Flood Profiles
- Understanding the 100-Year Flood
- Understanding Lowest Adjacent Grade
- Understanding the Floodway
* Hyperlinks indicate items that are currently documented on the FHM Web
site.
Animations and multimedia will be employed to enhance these teaching aids.
"Self-Service" Functionality
FEMA is actively investigating the automation of some labor-intensive
manual processes with the ultimate goal of making many of the traditional paper
products available via the World Wide Web. Some examples of planned/projected
products that FEMA would like to provide via the Web include:
- DFIRMs
- Q3 Flood Data maps
- Engineering back-up data
- Other Flood Hazard Mapping products
- The ability to view map activities utilizing Web-based GIS
technology
- The ability to apply for and receive a LOMA online
Increased
Coordination Between Players in the Mapping Process
FEMA will increasingly rely on its FMPCCs to
ensure that all of the players in the mapping process (e.g. Study Contractors,
CTCs, state and local officials, floodplain managers, and the general
public) work in coordination to efficiently produce FEMA products. The
FMPCCs will expand existing Web resources in support of
FEMA to fulfill this role.
Summary
FEMA, with the support of its FMPCCs, is
increasingly utilizing the World Wide Web to effectively disseminate information and
provide better customer service. As Web technology expands, FEMA’s use
of the Internet will continue to evolve. Dissemination of static information will soon be
augmented by more interactive and ultimately more useful information and applications.
List
of Acronyms and Abbreviations
- CTC - Cooperating Technical Communities
- DFIRM - Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map
- ESRI - Environmental Systems Research Institute
- FEMA - Federal Emergency Management Agency
- FHM - Flood Hazard Mapping
- FIRM - Flood Insurance Rate Map
- FIS - Flood Insurance Study
- FMAC - FEMA Map Assistance Center
- FMPCC - Flood Map Production Coordination Contractor
- GIS - Geographic Information System
- LOMA - Letter of Map Amendment
- LOMR - Letter of Map Revision
- MSC - Map Service Center
- NFF - National Flood Frequency
- NFIP - National Flood Insurance Program
- NFIRA - National Flood Insurance Reform Act
- TSD - Technical Services Division
Authors
1. John F. Magnotti III
Project Engineer, Mitigation Directorate,
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C. Street, SW,
Washington, DC, 20472.
Phone: 202-646-3932
FAX: 202-646-4596
E-mail: john.magnotti@fema.gov
2. Keith W. Steury
Special Projects Analyst,
Dewberry & Davis
8401 Arlington Boulevard,
Fairfax, Virginia 22031-4666.
Phone: 703-849-0387
FAX: 703-206-0836
E-mail: ksteury@dewberry.com
3. Janice J. Roper
Public Outreach Manager,
Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.
3601 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, Virginia, 22304.
Phone: 703-317-6253
FAX: 703-960-3468
E-mail: jroper@mbakercorp.com
Maintainer: AWRA Webserver Team
Copyright © 1999 American Water Resources Association
Content produced by U.S. Government employees as part of official duties is not subject to copyright.
