Sea Level Rise and Risk MAP

Sea level rise is a complex coastal hazard to incorporate into existing FEMA products (whether a regulatory or non-regulatory product). In order to improve Risk MAP non-regulatory products to help coastal communities, future changes to the flood risk data due to sea level rise could accompany FEMA coastal studies to look at future risks to flooding beyond the effective coastal flood data depictions on the FIRM. The coastal processes influenced by sea level rise are more complicated than just a rising tide, the elevated water levels could inundate new floodplains, and expose currently flood protected areas to increased risks of coastal wave and flood damages. FEMA would likely benefit from collaborating with Federal and State partners with expertise in and data on sea level rise to help maintain a coordinated nationwide and/or regional approach on assessments and mapping of sea level rise risks. It would also help maintain a consistency of approach and regional agreement in establishing the projected sea level scenarios to be applied in coastal mapping products. If technically feasible, a sea level rise product would even more beneficial if it could also address other sea level rise impacts, such as changes in wave effects and erosion response at the shoreline and within coastal floodplains.