INITIAL NOTIFICATION LETTER, SCENARIO E: 

LEVEE IN FEDERAL SYSTEM (DATA PROBLEM) 

 

[Mr./Ms.] (Full Name of Levee Owner) 

(Title of Levee Owner) 

(Levee Owner Address) 

(City, State Abbreviation, and Zip Code)

 

Dear [Mr./Ms.] (Last Name of Levee Owner): 

 

This is in regard to the (Name of Levee) shown on the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and in the 
effective Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for (County or Community Name). As you may know, the 
Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), [is in the process 
of/will be] producing a countywide FIS report and Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) for 
(County or Community Name). This effort [is being/will be] undertaken as part of the FEMA Flood Map 
Modernization program. 

 

As part of the FEMA effort to produce the DFIRM, it was determined that the flood hazard information presented 
on the effective FIRM and in the effective FIS report is based, in some areas, on flood protection provided by the 
(Levee Name). Based on the information available and on the mapping standards of the National Flood 
Insurance Program (NFIP) at the time that the FIS was performed, FEMA accredited the levee with providing 
protection from the flood that has a 1-percent-chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. This 
1-percent-annual-chance flood also is referred to as the base flood. 

 

Based on coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), it has been determined that (Name of 
Levee) no longer provides protection from the base flood. In accordance with the Code of Federal Regulations, 
Title 44, Section 65.10, FEMA will initiate a map revision to redesignate formerly protected areas as Special 
Flood Hazard Area, the area subject to inundation by the base flood . Therefore, the mandatory flood insurance 
purchase requirements of the NFIP will apply to these areas when the DFIRM becomes effective. 

 

If you have additional questions regarding this letter, please contact (Regional Engineering Contact Name) of 
my staff, either by telephone at (Regional Engineering Contact’s Telephone Number: (###) ###-####) or by 
facsimile at (Regional Engineering Contact’s Fax Number: (###) ###-####). 

 

Sincerely, 

 

 

 

 

(Regional Mitigation Division Director’s Name) 

[Director/Acting Director], Mitigation Division 

 

cc: (Community CEO) 

 (Community Floodplain Administrator) 

 (State NFIP Coordinator) 

 (USACE Point of Contact) 

 Senator (Senator’s Last Name)’s Washington, DC, Office 

 Senator (Senator’s Last Name)’s Washington, DC, Office 

 Representative (Representative’s Last Name)’s, Washington, DC, Office