Problem: The National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 provides that the Dept.  of Housing and Urban Development operate a flood insurance program through the Federal Insurance Administration.  HUD needs flood studies in selected areas to determine applicable flood insurance premium rates.

Objective: To aid in the administration of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 and the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1979 by investigation of the existence and severity of flood hazards in assigned communities. Initial use of this information will be to convert the community to the regular program of flood insurance by FIA. Further use of the information will be made by local and regional planners in their efforts to promote sound land use and flood plain development.

Relevance and Benefits: An important part of the USGS mission is to provide scientific information to minimize the loss of life and property from natural disasters. To effectively accomplish this mission, the USGS provides reliable, impartial, and timely information needed for understanding flood hazards. The information enables the Federal Emergency Management Agency to prepare, modify, or verify its Flood Insurance Rate Maps. These maps are used by other governmental agencies, lending institutions, businesses and industry, and the public for making informed decisions about land use in areas potentially subject to flood hazards. The USGS works to improve field and analytical flood-plain mapping methodologies and uses the information generated by flood-plain mapping activities to advance the scientific understanding of hydrologic processes related to flood hazards. The information is also used for planning, for resolving potentially contentious situations, and for protecting life and property. The flood-plain mapping done in this State is an integral part of the nationwide flood-plain mapping network.

Approach: Make a flood frequency analysis for the study area to determine the discharges of the 10, 50, 100, and 500 year floods.  Conduct ground surveys by contract where efficient or by using district personnel.  Using step-backwater computer program compute flood profiles for the 10, 50, 100, and 500 year floods.  Prepare draft flood insurance study and work map showing flood boundaries, floodway boundaries, and flood insurance zones. Draft material follows FIA specification.