Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners
- Updated Version of APPENDIX C: Guidance for Riverine Flooding Analyses and Mapping is Available for Review
- Revised Draft Version of Data Capture Standards (DCS) Available for Review
- Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and DFIRM Database Information
- Document Control Procedures Manual
- FEMA Procedure Memorandums
- Diary of Revisions
- Document Organization
- Version Control
- Guidelines and Specifications Archives
- How to Submit Comments and Suggestions
- For More Information
In Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners (Guidelines), the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) defines technical requirements, product specifications for Flood Hazard Maps and related National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) products, and associated coordination and documentation activities. When it was distributed in February 2002, the Guidelines combined FEMA technical, programmatic, and administrative procedure publications, guidance documents (listed below), and memorandums regarding Flood Hazard Map production. In April 2003, FEMA updated the Guidelines to reflect current requirements for FEMA products and processes, including changes to the processes and products associated with implementation of Flood Map Modernization (Map Mod).
Updated Version of APPENDIX C: Guidance for Riverine Flooding Analyses and Mapping is Available for Review
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has developed a revised draft specification for Appendix C: Guidance for Riverine Flooding Analyses and Mapping of FEMA's Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners. This Appendix describes the standards and methods to be applied by Mapping Partners in the performance and presentation of results for riverine flooding analyses and mapping. The revised document will be available for public review and comment through February 20, 2009. The revised document and a summary of changes can be obtained via this link Revised Draft Appendix C. Written comments and suggestions may be submitted to FEMA electronically by sending an e-mail message to FEMACG&S@floodmaps.net. Alternatively, comments and suggestions may be mailed to the address below or transmitted by facsimile to the number below:
National Service Provider
3601 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304
Fax: 703-960-9125
Attention: Will Thomas
Revised Draft Version of Data Capture Standards (DCS) Available for Review
FEMA has developed a revised draft version of the DCS that are included in the Guidelines as Appendix N. The revised document is available for public review and comment through mid-December 2008. A Web forum is being used to allow interested parties to post questions and comments. A summary of common questions and answers will also be published periodically on the DCS Public Review Summary page. For information on accessing the Web forum, the revised DCS document, and implementation guidance, please go to the DCS Public Review Summary.
Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and DFIRM Database Information
The requirements for the production and processing of two key products of Map Mod—the DFIRM and the DFIRM Spatial Database—are documented in Volume 1 and Appendices K, L, and N of the Guidelines. FEMA has developed additional information on digital flood mapping products to support the FEMA product and process requirements detailed in Volume 1 and the appendices.
Document Control Procedures Manual
The FEMA Document Control Procedures Manual (Manual) is to be used in conjunction with the Guidelines. The Manual provides guidance to FEMA, mapping partner, and contractor staff for the processing of standard and non-standard documents used in FEMA-contracted studies/restudies, community-initiated map revisions, conditional and final map revisions based on conditions other than fill, conditional and final map revisions based on fill, conditional and final map amendments, Letter of Determination Review, and special conversions. The Manual also provides procedures and sample documents for use in tracking community compliance and documenting a community's entry into NFIP.
Because the Manual is a living document, FEMA encourages interested parties to submit ideas for improving this Manual. Please see How to Submit Comments and Suggestions.
FEMA Procedure Memorandums
When appropriate, FEMA has issued, and will continue to issue, Procedure Memorandums in the following situations:
- To implement updates to the Guidelines and the Manual.
- To provide additional clarification of procedures to be followed by FEMA, contractors, and mapping partners that are not documented in published guidance documents.
- To establish procedures and policies for FEMA, contractors, and mapping partners.
Diary of Revisions
When FEMA updates and re-issues the Guidelines, detailed Summaries of Changes are provided at the beginning of each affected section or subsection. A general list of changes made to components of the Guidelines also is provided in a Diary of Revisions.
Document Organization
The Guidelines have been organized into 3 volumes and 14 appendices as follows:
- Volume 1 explains the activities involved in the completion of studies/mapping projects and provides guidelines for performing those activities in five phases: mapping needs assessment; project scoping, topographic and flood hazard data development; map and report production; and Preliminary/Post-Preliminary processing.
- Volume 2 provides guidelines for conditional and final revisions and amendments to flood hazard maps initiated by communities and other mapping partners, including conditional and final Letters of Map Amendment, conditional and final Letters of Map Revision Based on Fill, conditional and final Letters of Map Revision, and Physical Map Revisions. Volume 2 also provides guidelines for revisions and amendments initiated by FEMA, including Coastal Barrier Resources System revisions, Notice to User revisions, and Letter of Map Change Revalidation letters.
- Volume 3 provides guidelines for the numerous support activities performed for FEMA by contractors and mapping partners in five general categories: program coordination, special technical and program support, public outreach activities, special correspondence support, and other program support.
- Appendices A through N provide additional guidelines and specifications for the processes and products associated with the following: aerial mapping and surveying (including airborne Light Detection and Ranging systems); datum conversions; hazard analyses and mapping of riverine, coastal, shallow, ice-jam, and alluvial fan flooding; evaluation and mapping of flood protection systems (i.e., levee systems); scoping for studies/mapping projects; Flood Insurance Study reports; Flood Hazard Maps; draft digital data and DFIRM databases; technical and administrative support data preparation and processing requirements; and DCS.
Version Control
FEMA will update and re-issue the Guidelines periodically. In the interim, FEMA will use the procedure memorandum process to add, revise, and supersede standards and guidelines when immediate changes to the Guidelines are warranted. FEMA Regional and Headquarters Office staff will notify mapping partners and contractors when changes are made.
To ensure FEMA mapping partners and contractors are provided with a controlled and current version of the Guidelines for Flood Hazard Map production and processing activities, FEMA implemented the following document control procedures:
- A new version of the Guidelines will be posted as warranted as a collection of PDF and TXT files.
- A header on each page will identify the version date.
- A footer on each page will provide the page number and major section number (e.g., 1.1, 1.2).
- A date (month and year) reflecting the last time the section or subsection was revised will appear to the right of the heading for each numbered section and subsection.
FEMA mapping partners and contractors will also be able to keep up to date on changes to the Guidelines through the Diary of Revisions discussed above.
Guidelines and Specifications Archives
To facilitate review by FEMA, mapping partner, and contractor staff, FEMA is maintaining a Guidelines and Specifications Archive that will contain superseded versions of the Guidelines.
How to Submit Comments and Suggestions
Written comments and suggestions may be submitted to FEMA electronically by sending an e-mail message to FEMACG&S@floodmaps.net. Alternatively, comments and suggestions may be mailed to the address below or transmitted by facsimile to the number below.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Mitigation Directorate, Risk Analysis Division
500 C Street, SW
Washington, DC 20472
Facsimile: 202-646-3755
Attention: Max Yuan, FEMA G&S Coordinator
For More Information
For more information or additional assistance:
- Please e-mail a Map Specialist.
- Please call a Map Specialist in the FEMA Map Assistance Center; toll free, at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627).
- Please register to receive updates on FEMA Flood Hazard Mapping activities via e-mail.
Last Modified: Wednesday, 24-Dec-2008 14:47:16 EST
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