Post-Katrina Policy on Building Elevations
Release Date: February 6, 2006
Release Number: HQ-06-024FactSheet3
In order to ensure that communities affected by major disasters are rebuilt stronger, safer and less vulnerable to damages from future flooding disasters, FEMA will require communities to adhere to the elevation requirements established by Advisory Base Flood Elevations (ABFEs) in order to be eligible for FEMA-funding for certain mitigation and recovery projects. Following catastrophic disasters, when the situation warrants, FEMA conducts new flood risk assessments to analyze the most current and accurate flood-risk data available. ABFEs are based on those assessments.
FEMA policy links reconstruction to ABFE standards
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA conducted assessments of coastal flood elevations in Mississippi and Louisiana to provide State and local officials with more accurate data and to guide local decisions regarding reconstruction to make communities safer and stronger from future flooding.
FEMA’s new elevation policy requires Mississippi and Louisiana communities to use that new information, represented in the ABFEs, for all reconstruction activities paid for through the following FEMA grant programs: the Public Assistance program, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant program, Flood Mitigation Assistance program, and through implementation of Executive Order 11988 Floodplain Management.
These ABFE standards – while encouraged by FEMA – are not mandatory for rebuilding of private homes using FEMA’s Individual and Households Assistance housing reimbursement grants used for home repair. Local ordinances set the rebuilding levels for individual homes.
In cases when FEMA funds are not involved, existing National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) standards will apply. However, FEMA strongly encourages communities to adopt and use the ABFEs, when available, in making decisions about reconstruction and elevation requirements across all rebuilding efforts. By adopting stricter requirements, communities can ensure a greater level of protection to homes and businesses from future severe storms.
Additional guidance will be provided to assist communities and States applying for these FEMA grants. In addition, FEMA provides communities with technical assistance on how best to apply the ABFE standard.
ABFEs support safer, stronger, more flood-resistant rebuilding
FEMA has a responsibility to help ensure that communities affected by catastrophic events are returned stronger and less vulnerable to loss of life and property from future disasters, based on the best data available identifying the risk. In light of the devastating hurricane events in the Gulf Coast region, FEMA has gathered and is assessing available flood hazard data for the areas impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The ABFEs are higher than the base flood elevations (BFEs) shown on pre-Katrina flood maps, and extend farther inland than the Special Flood Hazard Areas on the existing maps.
As Katrina demonstrated, severe storms can far exceed the one percent chance flood event depicted on existing flood insurance rate maps. The new assessments were based on storm surge data from Hurricane Katrina, as well as tide and storm data from the past 25 years. The ABFEs are the most accurate depiction of current coastal flood risks along the Gulf Coast. A base flood elevation is the height, in relation to mean sea level, at which there is a one percent chance of flooding in a given year. It is the minimum building elevation standard under the National Flood Insurance Program.
Again, as Katrina demonstrated, severe storms can still exceed even the ABFEs and residents and business owners outside Special Flood Hazard Areas should always strongly consider the purchase of flood insurance.
Last Modified: Tuesday, 07-Feb-2006 12:45:29