This page provides information for home builders, developers and/or construction professionals regarding the ongoing coastal analysis and mapping effort for coastal areas across the United States and how this effort relates to building codes/standards, client/buyer hazard risks and expectations and sustainability of projects. This page also provides information about how professionals can research flood risk in their area and apply flood-resistant building standards to properties that can reduce risk--potentially lowering flood insurance premium and protecting the property from coastal storm damage.
Point Pleasant, N.J., Feb. 25, 2013 -- Construction is underway for Jenkinson's boardwalk projected to be completed by Memorial Day of 2013. FEMA works with federal, state and private sector, to assist people impacted by the storm.
FEMA is conducting an in-depth, large-scale series of studies to re-examine flood hazards and related risks in the coastal communities. This will result in new Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) and associated Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that will reflect up-to-date coastal flood hazard information.
As a result, property owners throughout the U.S. will have up-to-date, reliable and internet-accessible information about their flood risk. Some residents and business owners will learn that their flood risk is designated as higher—or lower—than on the previous FIRM.
As a home builder, developer and/or construction professional, it is important for you to understand flood zones and how they relate to building codes/standards, client/buyer hazard risks and expectations and ultimately the sustainability of your projects. There are steps you can take in the siting, design and construction of your properties that can reduce risk--potentially lowering flood insurance premium and protecting the property from coastal storm damage.
What You Should Know and Why
As part of the Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) effort, FEMA has undertaken a scientific and engineering effort to update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) in populated coastal areas nationwide. This FEMA-led effort is being undertaken in cooperation with other federal agencies, state agencies, regional entities, non-profit organizations (including universities and professional associations), local communities and tribal entities. To learn more about this multi-year effort, click on the following link to the Coastal Flood Risk Study Process page.
As the coastal engineering analyses are completed, each jurisdiction hosts a formal meeting and/or open house where FEMA and their federal, state and regional partners present the new versions of the digital FIRMs to community officials and the general public. To find out the progress of your community’s coastal mapping project, please visit the Risk MAP Progress Website through the Risk MAP webpage. This website offers an interactive map that allows users to zoom in, locate their community and click to learn about the project status (i.e. time frame for their preliminary and effective maps). To use this tool, you may be required to download a browser plug-in.
The currently effective FIRM is available on the FEMA Map Service Center website. Here is a tutorial on how to read a FIRM.
Take advantage of free FEMA technical guidance for building stronger and safer along the coast. In some cases, this guidance goes above local building code requirements. If you are a premium quality developer, this guidance enables you to offer significant risk reduction to discerning buyers willing to go the extra step toward disaster resilience.
Introduction to Residential Coastal Construction (Independent Study Course IS-386)
Mitigation of Flood and Erosion Damage to Residential Buildings in Coastal Areas (FEMA 257)
Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio (Hurricane Katrina) -- find stories of what others have done to reduce or prevent damage from Hurricane Katrina or rebuild stronger and safer afterward.
NFIP Technical Bulletins provide technical recommendations for flood-resistant design techniques based on FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team and partner research.
Building code-related information:
Flood Resistant Provisions of the 2012 International Code Series (January 2012)
I-Codes Sample Checklists for Flood Hazards. This document contains a Plan Review Checklist for Flood Hazard Area Application Review and an Inspection Checklist for Flood Hazard Area Inspections in both A Zones and V Zones. The checklists are from Reducing Flood Losses Through the International Code Series (4th Edition)
Quick Reference Guide: Comparison of Select NFIP & Building Code Requirements for Special Flood Hazard Areas. This guide illustrates the similarities and highlights the differences between the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) minimum requirements and the requirements of the International Code Series (I-Codes) and Flood Resistant Design and Construction (ASCE 24) for most residential and commercial buildings
CodeMaster for Flood Resistant Design (2011). Provides designers with an easy-to-use desk reference that identifies the flood provisions in the 2009 and 2012 International Building Code® (IBC®) and International Residential Code® (IRC®), as well as the flood requirements of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) standards 7-05, 7-10 and 24-05. The eight-page guide provides sections on preliminary considerations and design process, key flood terminology, a 12-step process to incorporate flood resistance in the design of a building, an example showing the 12-step process being executed and information on additional FEMA mitigation resources related to flood-resistant design. This guide can be purchased from the International Code Council.
FEMA Mitigation Assessment Team (MAT) Reports include technical and engineering design recommendations for structures based on findings from a number of natural disasters. Click here to read the FEMA MAT Reports.
Steps You Can Take
Recommend that your clients build outside of the high-risk SFHAs and/or build to flood-resistant standards using the above-listed resources.
Understand the coastal flood risk study process so you can correctly advise clients on the correct way to build in coastal areas.
Know the Letter of Map Change process, if you believe the flood zone is incorrect or if your development activities will change the floodplain.
Adhere to NFIP and accepted industry building codes for hurricane and flood-resistant design.
Learn how you can reduce flood risk and increase the community’s disaster resilience by reviewing case studies on how others have built or rebuilt smarter, safer and stronger in the Best Practices and Case Studies Portfolio.
For More Information
The FloodSmart Coastal Webpages provide basic information on coastal flooding, flood insurance, flood mapping and other coastal hazards.
Visit FEMA's Flood Insurance Reform webpage for information on the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 and other reforms.
Access the final FIRM at your community’s local map repository and online through FEMA’s Map Service Center.
Contact a Map Specialist at the FEMA Map Information eXchange toll free, at 1-877-336-2627 or by email at FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com.
Learn about what resources, grants and other information is available when Rebuilding After a Coastal Storm.
Find answers to many of your questions by visiting our Coastal Frequently Asked Questions page.
The Coastal Flood Risk Resources page, organized by resources type, contains links to useful fact sheets, flyers, brochures and other helpful documents produced by FEMA, other federal agencies, state agencies, water management districts and other entities.
Subscribe to the Coastal Flood Risks email updates.