National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Map Modernization History and Overview Bill Massey and Sam Crampton Dewberry South Florida Water Management District Floodplain Management Training May 2005

Legislative History of the NFIP

Dewberry Key Legislation u National Flood Insurance Act of 1968: l Established the NFIP l Requires mapping of floodprone areas l Makes flood insurance available in communities that adopt floodplain management ordinances that meet minimum NFIP criteria

Dewberry Key Legislation u Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973: l Mandates purchase of flood insurance for insurable structures within floodprone areas as condition of receipt of Federal or federally backed financing l Requires that no Federal or federally backed financing be made available in identified Special Flood Hazard Areas of non-participating communities within 1 year after hazards are identified

Dewberry Key Legislation u National Flood Insurance Reform Act (NFIRA) of 1994: l Strengthened flood insurance requirements l Required that a community’s NFIP maps be reviewed and assessed for map update needs at least once every 5 years l Established a Technical Mapping Advisory Council to advise FEMA on ways to improve the maps

Dewberry Historical Note u The first flood insurance legislation was passed in “National Flood Insurance Act of 1956”, however: l IT WAS NEVER FUNDED l IT WAS FOR FLOOD INSURANCE ONLY - NO FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT WAS REQUIRED

1. Over 80% of the natural disaster losses in the United States are caused by flooding! 2. Normal homeowners insurance does NOT cover losses caused by flooding! 3. Without floodplain management, flood insurance is just another government assistance program Why Do We Need The National Flood Insurance Program?

How the NFIP Works

Dewberry NFIP Overview u Purposes of the NFIP: 1. Make flood insurance available 2. Identify floodplain areas and flood risk zones 3. Provide framework for a community’s floodplain management ordinances 4. Requires something in return- Floodplain Management for Flood Insurance

Dewberry Flood Facts u NFIP program is self-funded u 4. 3 million policies in force countrywide u $607 billion in insurance coverage u 80% of all natural disasters are flood related

Dewberry Community Participation u How does a community participate? u What does non-participation mean?

Dewberry Program Phases Emergency Program u Entry-level u Flat Rates u Limited coverage u Flood Hazard Boundary Map Emergency Program u Entry-level u Flat Rates u Limited coverage u Flood Hazard Boundary Map Regular Program u Full Participation u Actuarial Rates u Add’l coverage u Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)

Dewberry u Reduces disaster-relief costs by having those most at risk of flooding bear the costs of recovery u 4.4 million policies currently in force ($599 billion in coverage) u Flood insurance is mandatory in the 1% annual chance floodplain as a condition of Federal or federally backed financing to protect financial interests of the Federal Government Make Flood Insurance Available

Dewberry Community Participation COMMUNITY COMMITMENT l Floodplain management means building ordinance control l Floodplain management reduces losses for new development and substantial damage/improvement in SFHA

Dewberry Community Participation u COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM l Provides incentives to a community for doing activities over minimum requirements l To develop extra measures to provide protection from flooding l To promote awareness of NFIP

Dewberry Community Participation u COMMUNITY PROBATION l $50 surcharge l All policies, new and renewal u COMMUNITY SUSPENSION l No new/renewal policies l No federal mortgage assistance in SFHA l No disaster assistance in SFHA

Dewberry Community Status List HOW TO OBTAIN: COUNTRYWIDE SERVICE CENTER SERVICE CENTER

Dewberry Identify Floodplain Areas and Flood Risk Zones u Over 82,000 map panels for approximately 17,500 communities u Over 100 million acres of floodplain mapped u Approximately 6 million acres of floodway along 40,000 stream miles u Aproximately 12,000 communities in the U.S. have detailed flood hazard studies

Dewberry It’s Required u MAKE u INCREASE u RENEW u EXTEND * Or at any time during term of loan

Dewberry Federal Agencies u OCC u OTS u FDIC u FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD u NCUA u FmHA u FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION u FNMA u FHLMC u SBA u FHA/HUD u VA

Dewberry Identify Floodplain Areas and Flood Risk Zones u Flood hazard maps are an important tool for flood mitigation u Knowledge of where flood hazards are located allows for wise land use decisions u More about identifying and mapping flood hazards later in this presentation

Dewberry Provide Framework for Floodplain Management u Communities must adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances that meet minimum NFIP criteria u It is the community that enforces the floodplain management ordinances, not FEMA u Ordinances pertain to siting of new construction, as well as the building methods and material

Dewberry Provide Framework for Floodplain Management u Goal is to not increase flood risk to existing structures and minimize future flood damage potential of new construction u Compliance saves estimated $800 million annually in building and contents damage

Dewberry Wise Floodplain Management u Adopt a floodway, which is the area to be kept free of obstructions, to allow a flood to pass through a community with minimal damage u Adopt building codes and land use ordinances that minimize structures’ exposure to flood damage

Dewberry The Floodway Concept FLOODWAY LIMIT OF 1% ANNUAL CHANCE FLOODPLAIN FLOODWAY—AREA TO BE KEPT FREE FROM ENCROACHMENT

Dewberry Elevation Requirements for Residential Structures

How Flood Hazards Are Studied and Mapped

Dewberry FEMA’s Flood Hazard Mapping Program KEY TERMS: u Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) l The area that has a 1% or greater chance of being inundated in any given year--the standard chosen for the NFIP u BFE l Base (1% annual chance) Flood Elevation

Dewberry FEMA’s Flood Hazard Mapping Program u Fundamental tenet is to provide up-to- date, accurate flood hazard information to communities, lenders, and homeowners u FEMA hires local engineering firms and other Federal agencies to conduct Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) u Finite mapping budget

Dewberry Components of Flood Insurance Study Step 1. Field Reconnaissance Step 2. AnalysisStep 3. Mapping

Dewberry Step 1. Field Reconnaissance u Locate/verify benchmarks to be used as study elevation reference marks u Perform cross section surveys u Gather/measure geometry of bridges, culverts, etc. u Establish roughness coefficients for channel and overbanks u Assess/evaluate flood mitigation structures

Dewberry Step 2. Analysis u Hydrologic analyses establish the volumetric rate of flow (how much water?) u Hydraulic analyses establish the extent of flood hazards (how high is the water?) u Computer programs used to model the flood hazards u BFEs/depths specified on the flood hazard maps

Dewberry Factors That Affect Flood Levels u Watershed characteristics u Channel and overbank geometry (cross sections) u Structures (bridges, culverts, dams) u Roughness of channel and overbanks (resistance to flow) u Flood levels at downstream cross sections

Dewberry Hydraulic Analyses: Sample Cross Sections

Dewberry Step 3. Mapping u Topographic Map: l Used to delineate floodplain boundaries and floodway based on computed flood elevations l Best available topographic information used l Community sometimes has its own topographic mapping available that can be used

Dewberry Step 3. Mapping u Base Map: l Source for physical features (e.g., roads) and political boundaries (e.g., corporate limits) l Supplements work map to provide complete coverage of community l Typical sources: u Community map (often uncontrolled) u USGS quadrangle maps

Dewberry Step 3. Mapping Base = Flood Data Topography Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map

Dewberry Importance of Updated Flood Hazard Information u Flood hazards are dynamic u Flood hazard map inventory must be continually updated and maintained u With up-to-date flood hazard data: l Map users can make prudent siting, design, and flood insurance purchase decisions l Communities can administer sound floodplain management programs

Dewberry Map Modernization Program u Will re-map the country with new digital flood data u Create new management tools to better manage the map modernization program to ensure success u Create new GIS tools and products for the end user u Create partnerships with states and local communities to better leverage data collection and map maintenance

Dewberry Map Modernization Program Map Use Maps used an estimated million times annually for: l Mandatory purchase determinations l Flood insurance rating l Floodplain management l Emergency management purposes l Planning and development

Dewberry Map Modernization Program Who Uses Flood Maps? u Insurance companies, agent and adjusters u Community floodplain managers and planners u Disaster and emergency response officials u Banks/lenders u Property owners u Engineers and land surveyors u Land development industry u Real estate professionals

Dewberry Map Modernization Program Why Update Flood Maps? u Reduce potential loss of life and property through sound floodplain management u Reduce national flood insurance program (NFIP) and disaster costs u Protect natural and beneficial values of floodplains u Assure accurate insurance rating

Dewberry Map Modernization Program Goals: u Eliminate backlog of map revisions u Incorporate emerging technologies u Increase local investment and ownership of maps u Provide better customer service u Increase public awareness of flood risk

Dewberry Map Modernization Program Importance of Base Map Updates Old Base Maps New Base Maps

Dewberry FEMA Maps Online u All FEMA-issued firms and FIS reports are available to view online or for purchase through FEMA’s flood map store at u Portions of FIRM panels can be printed out to scale using the “FIRMette” tool as described below: l Click on “FEMA flood map store” on the left-hand side of the screen

Dewberry Digital FIRM

Q UESTIONS ???????