Advisory Base Flood Elevation Maps For Hancock, Harrison, And Jackson Counties Now Available On Fema Web Site
Release Date: November 17, 2005
Release Number: 1604-137
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JACKSON , Miss. -- The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has made Advisory Base Flood Elevation (ABFE) maps for Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties available on the Internet.
The purpose of issuing the ABFE maps is to help support Mississippi coastal communities by providing guidelines for safe elevations in the rebuilding effort to reduce future risk to life and property along the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.
"Our goal is to help state and local officials make the most informed decisions as they embark on the reconstruction of their communities," said Vice Admiral Thad Allen, principal federal official and for the Hurricane Katrina effort.
The ravaging effects of this hurricane demonstrated the vital need to update the maps. The results of the analysis show that the updated 100-year stillwater levels are 3 to 8 feet above the existing Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). These update the existing flood elevations (developed in the mid-1980's) and include tide and storm data collected from Katrina and other events over the last century.
"I have said since the very earliest hours after Hurricane Katrina struck that we will rebuild the Mississippi Coast bigger and better than ever. These new advisories are a necessary and positive step toward making our communities whole again, and I am pleased they are being made available in electronic format for everyone - from local officials to the public - to review," Governor Haley Barbour said.
FIRMs are based on the "100-year" flood level. The flood elevation is determined by the height above mean sea level at which there is a one percent chance in any given year that flood waters could reach (or exceed) that elevation.
Using the latest satellite mapping and engineering technology in this effort, FEMA and the state of Mississippi will continue detailed engineering studies during 2005 and 2006 to produce revised FIRMS in the next 18 months.
The resulting Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) may differ somewhat from the ABFEs. However, until the revised FIRMs are published by FEMA and adopted by communities, FEMA strongly encourages those communities to use the ABFEs to regulate redevelopment and construction. In the interim, flood insurance premiums will be calculated using the existing FIRMs.
FEMA provides advisory information to local governments, but ultimately it is state and local officials, working with their citizens, who make the final decisions on land use and other building code requirements.
FEMA strongly recommends communities build higher and stronger to reduce vulnerability from future flood events.
For more information about FEMA and the updated ABFE maps, visit www.fema.gov/recoverydata.shtm .
FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program.
Last Modified: Friday, 18-Nov-2005 09:47:11