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Guidance and Policy

 

 

 

This web page provides access to existing and newly released policy and guidance relating to levee certification, inspections and other flood risk management related matters, including:

USACE Information, Regulations and Guidance Pertaining to Levee Certification

  • USACE Levee Certification
    A fact sheet describing levee certification under the National Flood Insurance Program
  • Risk Analysis and Levee Certification
    A presentation by USACE's Hydrologic Engineering Center on Risk Analysis and Levee Certification
  • September 12, 2007, Draft Engineer Technical Letter (ETL) 1110-2-570, Certification of Levee Systems for the National Flood Insurance Program
    This document describes USACE procedures for performing a levee system certification determination for NFIP proposes.
  • September 12, 2007, FAQs for Draft Engineer Technical Letter (ETL) 1110-2-570, Certification of Levee Systems for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
    This documents contains Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to the USACE ETL for Levee Certification.

 

USACE Levee Inspection, Inventory and Assessment Activities

Levee Safety Program

  • Levee Safety Program Implementation
    The purpose of this memorandum is to provide initial guidance for establishing the USACE Levee Safety Program.

USACE Levee Inspection

  • NonFed Levee Owner's Manual
    the Levee Owner's Manual for Non-Federal Flood Control Works under the USACE Rehabilitation and Inspection Program
  • Memo Sharing flood risk information
    A USACE memo encouraging the sharing of levee inspection reports and other flood risk information with the public and private sector
  • Jan 1, 2000 Guidelines for Landscape Planting and Vegetation Management at Floodwalls, Levees, and Embankment Dams
    Jan 1, 2000 Guidelines for Landscape Planting and Vegetation Management at Floodwalls, Levees, and Embankment Dams
  • Policy Guidance for Prioritization of FY 07 Inspection of Completed Works (ICW) Operations & Maintenance, General (O&M Gen), Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) and Flood Control & Coastal Emergencies Inspection Accounts
    On September 26, 2006, USACE issued policy guidance for inspection of levee systems in USACE programs. The guidance helps clarify USACE and FEMA responsibilities for notifying levee owners of levee conditions. FEMA and USACE collaboratively developed this guidance and FEMA PM No. 43, which are intended to be companion documents for situations where levees in USACE programs are being evaluated for accreditation on NFIP maps.
  • Supplemental Policy Guidance for the USACE 26 September 2006 Policy Guidance for Prioritization of FY 07 Inspection of Completed Works (ICW) Operations & Maintenance, General (O&M Gen), Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T) and Flood Control & Coastal Emergencies Inspection Accounts
    On September 26, 2006, USACE issued policy guidance for inspection of levee systems in USACE programs. On January 18, 2007, USACE issued supplemental guidance for the inspection of levee systems. The purpose of this guidance is to provide a one-time only "maintenance deficiency correction period" of 1 year, to allow public sponsors of levee projects time to correct maintenance deficiencies before a project is placed in an "inactive" status in the USACE Rehabilitation and Inspection Program and becomes ineligible for Public Law 84-99 rehabilitation assistance.

USACE Levee Inventory and Assessment

  • USACE Levee Database
      A USACE presentation providing an overview of the National Levee Database
    • USACE Levee Database(pdf, 2.16 MB)
  • May 1, 2006 USACE Levee Inventory Memo
  • USACE Levee Assessments
      A USACE presentation describing a risk-informed methodology for levee assessment.
    • USACE Levee Assessments(pdf, 205 KB)

 

FEMA Information, Regulations and Guidance Pertaining to Levees and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Headquarters and Regional Office staff have developed, and will continue to develop, informational and guidance materials pertaining to levees and to the flood risks posed to people and property in the areas behind levees.  FEMA has developed, and will continue to develop, levee-related materials for various NFIP stakeholder groups.  Please select one of the links below to see materials that are accessible through the FEMA Website:

Some of the documents that may be found on the FEMA Website are listed below:

  • Living Behind Levees
    A FEMA fact sheet providing flood risk information for property owners living behind levees.
  • The National Levee Challenge: Levees and the FEMA Flood Map Modernization Initiative
    This report, prepared by the Interagency Levee Policy Review Committee, contains a series of recommended actions for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Mitigation Directorate to consider as a means of addressing the challenge of assessing the flood protection capabilities of levees and levee systems and accurately assessing the flood risk posed to citizens and property located behind those levees and levee systems.

Levee Accreditation

  • Mapping Areas Protected by Levees
    Regulatory language found in the Code of Federal Regulations describing FEMA's regulatory requirements for mapping of areas protected by levee systems, including levee certification requirements
  • The National Flood Insurance Program and Levees FAQ
    A fact sheet providing information about the levees, the risks associated with levees and levee certification and accreditation issues under the National Flood Insurance Program.

Provisionally Accredited Levees (PAL)

  • Provisionally Accredited Levees Brochure
    A brochure providing detailed information on Provisionally Accredited Levees and the guidance provided in Procedure Memorandum 43.
  • Provisionally Accredited Levees Answers to Questions about Revised Procedure Memorandum 43
    A brochure with answers to questions about FEMA levee evaluation and mapping practices with a focus on Procedure Memorandum No. 43 and Provisionally Accredited Levees.
  • March 16, 2007 Revised Procedure Memorandum 43 and Attachments
    A Procedure Memorandum providing guidance for identifying Provisionally Accredited Levees and mapping levee-affected areas.
  • Provisionally Accredited Levees - Mapping Scenarios for Procedure Memorandum No. 43
    A brochure that presents information on the various mapping scenarios for Provisionally Accredited Levees as described in Procedure Memorandum 43.

Floodplain Mapping and the MapMod Program

  • MapMod Overview
    An overview of FEMA's Map Modernization Program
  • Aug 22, 2005 Procedural Memorandum 34
    A copy of FEMA's Procedural Memorandum 34 which clarifies the levee owner's responsibility to provide documentation regarding levee design, structural integrity, and other requirements for crediting a levee with providing a 1-percent-annual-chance flood protection.
  • Mapping Information Platform
    A FEMA web site that enables the management, extraction, sharing, and production of flood hazard data and maps.

Tools

  • DFIRMs Tools
    A website containing GIS tools available to produce Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs).

Terminology

 

 

Revised 9/4/2007

  
   
National Flood Risk Management Program