Hurricane Rita Surge Inundation and Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps

Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana

FEMA has developed Hurricane Rita Surge Inundation and Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps (referred to as, “Rita Recovery Maps”) to aid Calcasieu Parish property owners to repair or rebuild structures to newly determined advisory coastal flood elevations. These maps are based on Flood Recovery Guidance for Calcasieu Parish (PDF, 118 KB) that FEMA published in November 2005.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find the Rita Recovery Map that shows my property?

Calcasieu Parish Image Map Thumbnail

To locate a particular property, the first step is to determine which detailed Rita Recovery Map panel applies to the area of interest. Users should first consult the Calcasieu Parish Index Map (PDF 0.8 MB), which shows which panels were produced and what area is covered by each. Panel numbers are shown in green text (e.g., PP25). Panels were only produced for areas where structures or other significant development could be observed on recent aerial photography.

Once the detailed Rita Recovery Map panel number is known, it can be opened by clicking on the corresponding panel number on the parish map immediately below. The panel will open up in the internet browser window using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. The Rita Recovery Map panels range in size from 1.3 MB to 2.2 MB.

FF21 FF20 FF19 FF18 GG33 GG32 GG31 GG30 FF29 GG29 GG28 FF28 FF27 GG27 FF26 GG26 GG25 FF25 FF24 GG24 FF23 GG23 GG22 FF22 GG21 HH33 HH32 HH31 HH30 HH29 HH28 HH26 HH25 HH24 HH23 HH22 HH21 HH20 GG19 GG20 HH19 HH18 GG18 II32 II31 II30 II29 II25 II24 II22 II21 II20 II19 II18 JJ21 JJ20 JJ19 KK22 KK21 KK20 KK19 LL23 LL22 LL21 LL20 LL19 MM23 MM22
FF18 FF17 FF13 FF12 FF10 FF9 FF8 FF6 GG12 GG9 GG8 GG7 GG6 HH18 GG18 GG17 GG16 HH17 HH16 HH15 GG15 GG13 GG14 HH14 HH13 HH9 HH8 HH7 II18 II17 II16 II15 II14 II7 II8 II9 II10 II13 II11 II12 JJ12 JJ11

Rita Recovery Maps are for advisory purposes only; they do not supersede effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). The Hurricane Rita-related data presented are preliminary and subject to update as additional data become available.

How do I determine what Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) applies to my property?

The Rita Recovery Maps depict ABFEs (that is, elevations that FEMA recommends be used for rebuilding) for defined areas or zones. The visual appearance of these advisory zones and elevations was intentionally made similar to the format of flood hazard data shown FEMA’s FIRMs. [Note: Individuals unfamiliar with FIRMs can view the online tutorial, “How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM).”]

On the Rita Recovery Maps, each ABFE zone is outlined in yellow and is labeled with the applicable advisory flood zone type and whole-foot elevation (e.g., ABFE Zone VE Elevation 16). ABFEs are measured relative to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD29), or roughly sea level. The whole-foot ABFE listed on each contour can be directly applied to properties located within the zone. On some maps, a thick yellow line marks the inland limit of the ABFEs; landward of this line, ABFEs do not apply.

I know my ABFE. How high above ground does this mean I have to elevate my structure?

Since the ABFEs are measured relative to NGVD29 (or roughly sea level), property owners will need ground elevations to determine how high above grade a structure should be elevated to meet the ABFE. Property owners are advised to consult with a licensed surveyor or professional engineer to determine ground elevations at their site. Once the ground elevation is known, it can be subtracted from the ABFE to calculate the height above grade that a structure’s first floor (in A Zones) or lowest horizontal structural member (in V Zones) should be elevated.

How did FEMA determine what areas got flooded by Hurricane Rita’s storm surge, and should I be concerned if I think the surge limits are inaccurate?

FEMA used the best data available at the time the recovery mapping was completed to estimate the extent and magnitude of Hurricane Rita’s storm surge. To develop this data layer, surge-only High Water Marks (HWMs) collected by FEMA shortly after the storm were compared to detailed, pre-storm topographic data provided by the State of Louisiana. In some areas, few or no HWMs were available to help guide the mapping; in these cases, surge inundation limits were interpolated from more distant HWMs, with coastal engineering judgment and eyewitness accounts (when available) used to complete the mapping. As a result of these and other data limitations, the mapped Rita surge limits may over- or underestimate the actual coastal flooding that occurred.

The ABFEs, not the estimated Rita surge limits or surge heights, are what FEMA is advising be used for rebuilding, so there should be no negative impact on property owners if the Rita limits were over- or underestimated. If property owners have detailed documentation concerning the height and/or extent of Rita’s surge flooding that differs from the data shown on the Rita Recovery Maps, they can submit this information through the recovery mapping helpline link listed below. Unless there becomes a need to completely reanalyze the Rita surge and remap large areas, FEMA will only be able to use submitted information to help improve the surge inundation modeling and mapping procedures for future recovery mapping efforts.

Download Plug-in

Some of the links on this page require a plug-in to view them. Links to the plug-ins are available below.

Click Here to Download Adobe Acrobat Reader Adobe Acrobat (PDF)

Last Modified: Wednesday, 21-May-2008 16:57:18 EDT