Thank you for visiting the Mississippi Coastal Mapping Project Web site.  This site has been developed through the combined efforts of the Project Team members—the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ).

The restudy of flood hazards and risks in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties was completed in 2007 and Preliminary versions of modernized National Flood Insurance Program maps, called Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), and associated Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports were presented to, and discussed with, community officials and the public during meetings held in December 2007. Since that time, the DFIRMs and FIS reports have been available for viewing or download by visiting the Preliminary DFIRMs page and following the instructions provided. The Preliminary versions of the DFIRMs and FIS reports provided the best available flood hazard and risk information for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties because they were developed using the latest engineering analysis methods and state-of-the-art technology, and they were based on current conditions.

Subsequent to issuing the Preliminary versions of the DFIRMs and FIS reports, some of the communities in the three counties requested that the Project Team members revise the information presented on the DFIRMs. In response to those comments, the Project Team has provided updated copies of the DFIRMs to community officials for review. To learn more about the activities that have taken place since the end of 2007, planned activities and milestones for 2009, and where you may view the updated copies of the DFIRMs and FIS reports, we encourage you to visit the Calendar/Schedule page. To view a paper copy of the DFIRM panels covering your community, you can view them at your local Community Map Repository.

Please note: The Preliminary versions of the DFIRMs should not be used for flood insurance rating purposes; Also, the Preliminary versions of the DFIRMs should not be used for floodplain management purposes unless or until communities choose to formally adopt them. Please consult your local floodplain administrator if you have questions about which flood map(s) or elevation(s) to use during the rebuilding process along the Gulf coast.

To explain the choices that exist for those individuals who would like to change the flood hazard and risk information shown on the DFIRMs and FIS reports, we have created a page on map change options.   As mentioned above, some communities have already taken advantage of the options available before the DFIRMs and FIS reports became effective. Other options to consider once they become effective are provided for community officials and property owners to consider.