Basics of the National Flood Insurance Program

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Basics of the National Flood Insurance Program

• Kansas Department of Agriculture
• Division of Water Resources

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Basics of the NFIP

• Is the property in a SFHA?
• If the property is in a SFHA, they have to apply
  for a permit.
• What is the BFE?
• What is the construction type?
• Inspect the development.
• Obtain a final Elevation Certificate.

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TYPES OF MAPS

• Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM)
• Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)
• Flood Boundary Floodway Map (FBFM)

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Flood Hazard Boundary Maps FHBM
No Elevations Shown
May be used until a community enters the regular
phase of the program, then may be converted to a
FIRM or revised
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Flood Hazard Boundary Maps FHBM
Typical FHBMs give only those areas subject to
flooding. There are no base flood elevations
provided.
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Flood Insurance Rate Maps FIRM
Adopted when a community enters the regular phase
of the program
Elevations rounded to the nearest foot shown for
studied streams
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(No Transcript)
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FINNEY COUNTY - FIRM
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Flood Boundary and Floodway Map FBFM
Shows same 100-year floodplain boundaries as FIRM
with additional information on the floodway for
segments of studied streams
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HAYS - Flood Boundary Floodway Map
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HAYS - Flood Insurance Rate Map
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Floodplain Development Permit
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Determining Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) in an
Unnumbered A Zone
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Requirements for Obtaining BFE Data

• 44 CFR 60.3 (b) (4)
• Obtain, review, and reasonably utilize any base
  flood elevation and floodway data available from
  a Federal, State, or other source

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Use of Draft or Preliminary Flood Insurance Study
Data

• The data from a draft or preliminary flood
  insurance study constitutes available data
  under Subparagraph 60.3 (b) (4).
• Communities are given discretion concerning the
  use of draft or preliminary only if the data is
  currently part of a valid appeal concerning the
  accuracy of the data.

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Requirements for Obtaining BFE Data

• 44 CFR 60.3 (b) (3)
• Require that all new subdivision proposals and
  other proposed development (including proposals
  for manufactured home parks and subdivisions)
  greater than 50 lots or 5 acres, whichever is the
  lesser, include within such proposals base flood
  information data

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Proposed 76 Lot Subdivision
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Proposed 6.7 Acre Subdivision
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Proposed 76 Lot Subdivision
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Proposed 5.6 Acre Subdivision
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Use of Draft or Preliminary Flood Insurance Study
Data

• The data from a draft or preliminary flood
  insurance study constitutes available data
  under Subparagraph 60.3 (b) (4).
• Communities are given discretion concerning the
  use of draft or preliminary only if the data is
  currently part of a valid appeal concerning the
  accuracy of the data.

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Requirements for Obtaining BFE Data

• 44 CFR 60.3 (a) (4)
• Review all permit applications to determine
  whether proposed building sites will be
  reasonably safe from flooding. If a proposed
  building site is in a floodprone area, all new
  construction and substantial improvements shall
  (i) be designed (or modified) and adequately
  anchored to prevent flotation, collapse, or
  lateral movement, (ii) be constructed with
  materials resistant to flood damage, (iii) be
  constructed with methods and practices that
  minimize flood damages, and (iv) be constructed
  with electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing,
  and other service facilities that are designed
  and/or located so as to prevent water from
  entering or accumulating within the components
  during conditions of flooding.

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Obtaining Existing Base (100-Year) Flood
Elevations

• Watershed Concepts - FEMAs Contractor for the
  Regional Mapping Center
• Erin Cobb
• Watershed Concepts
• 2405 Grand Boulevard, Suite 1000
• Kansas City, MO 64108
• 816-502-9420 extension 4951
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Kansas City District
• Chief, Emergency Management Branch
• 601 E. 12th Street Rm 746
• Kansas City, Mo 64106
• 816-983-3283

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Obtaining Existing Base (100-Year) Flood
Elevations, cont

• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Tulsa District
• 1645 S. 101st E. Ave.
• Tulsa, OK  74128-4609
• 918-669-7366
• U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological
  Survey
• 4821 Quail Crest Place
• Lawrence, KS 66049-3839
• 785-842-9909

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Obtaining Existing Base (100-Year) Flood
Elevations, cont

• U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources
  Conservation Service
• 760 S. Broadway
• Salina, Kansas 67401-4642
• 785-823-4500
• Kansas Department of Transportation
• 915 Harrison, Room 754 - Docking State Office
  Building
• Topeka, KS 66612-1568
• 785-296-3585

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Obtaining Existing Base (100-Year) Flood
Elevations, cont

• Kansas Department of Agriculture, Division of
  Water Resources
• 109 SW 9th St, Second Floor
• Topeka, KS 66612
• 785-296-2933
• Whichever engineering firm originally studied
  your community.

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• BREAK

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How to Elevate Your Floodplain Building
Elevate on Foundation Walls
Elevate on Fill
SERVICE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS UTILITIES AND
ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS
SERVICE EQUIPMENT SUCH AS UTILITIES AND
ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS, ABOVE FLOOD LEVEL
OPENINGS IN WALLS ALLOW WATER TO FLOW IN AND
DRAIN OUT
LOWEST FLOOR
CRAWLSPACE
COMPACTED FILL
BFE
RECOMMENDED 10 15 BEYOND HOUSE
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THE ELEVATION CERTIFICATE

• Its Role in Mitigation
• Its Role in Map Revisions and Amendments

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ITS ROLE IN MITIGATION

• Provides Elevation Information to Ensure
  Compliance

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BUILDINGDIAGRAMS
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Lowest Floor
...means the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed
area, including basement. An unfinished or flood
resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of
vehicles, building access or storage in an area
other than a basement area is not considered a
buildings lowest floor, provided that such
enclosure is not built so as to render the
structure in violation of the applicable
non-elevation design requirements of this
ordinance.
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SLAB ON GRADEBLDG DIAGRAM 1
Watermark
a
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WITH BASEMENTBLDG DIAGRAM 2
a
b
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SPLIT LEVEL BELOW GRADEBLDG DIAGRAM 4
a
b
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ELEVATED BUILDING NO OBSTRUCTIONSBLDG DIAGRAM 5
b
a
(V zones only)
c
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ELEVATED BUILDINGWITH ENCLOSUREBLDG DIAGRAM 6
b
a
(V zones only)
c
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WALKOUTBLDG DIAGRAM 7
a
g
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ELEVATED WITH OPENINGSBLDG DIAGRAM 8
possible
g
possible
a
Watermark
Openings
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Duties of the Local Floodplain Administrator

• Review Applications
• Provide Base Flood Data
• Review Plans Specifications
• Ensure that All Other federal, state and local
  permits are obtained
• Notification of Watercourse Alterations
• Issue or Deny Permits
• Inspect Development
• Record Keeping
• Remedy Violations

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Whats Not on the Duties List

• Flood Zone determinations for lenders and
  insurance agents
• Communities are not expected to provide flood
  insurance-related information to the public

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NFIP GOALS

• Reducing loss of life and property caused by
  flooding
• Reduce rising disaster relief costs caused by
  flooding
• Make Federally backed flood insurance coverage
  available to property owners

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ACCOMPLISHING NFIP GOALS

• Require new construction and substantial
  improvements to be flood resistant
• Guide future development away from flood hazard
  areas
• Transfer flood loss costs from taxpayers to
  floodplain property owners
• Prohibit new development in designated floodways
  that would increase flood heights

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FLOOD RISK

• Flood losses in the U.S. since October 1994
• 66,300 paid losses from the NFIP insurance fund
  
• 1.4 billion dollars paid
• Average payment is about 21,600
• The four States with the most paid losses?
• Louisiana (575 million), Florida (313 million),
  Texas (213 million) and California (106
  million)

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Flood Risk Stats

• There is a 5 chance that a house will catch fire
  during the life of a 30-year mortgage.
• For a house located within the Special Flood
  Hazard Area, there is a 26 chance that it will
  be inundated by a 100-year flood during the life
  of a 30-year mortgage...
• Over a 50 year period, the probability increases
  to 39.

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TRUE/FALSE Wrap-up

• The reference level for elevating structures in
  compliance with NFIP regulations is the first
  finished floor.
• The 100-year or base flood is the flood which is
  expected to occur once every 100 years.
• Residential basements are prohibited within the
  Special Flood Hazard Area.

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TRUE/FALSE - Continued

• Development in the floodway must not increase the
  base flood elevation more than one foot at any
  point.
• The lowest floor of substantially improved
  residential structures which are located within
  the Special Flood Hazard Area must be elevated to
  or above the base flood elevation.

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TRUE/FALSE - Concluded

• The FEMA Elevation Certificate can be used for
  waiving the flood insurance requirement.
• Only non-residential structures may be
  floodproofed.
• Flood insurance premiums are the same in all NFIP
  communities.

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How to Write a Floodplain Management Ordinance
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Why do we write floodplain ordinances?

• Because our community wants to participate in the
  National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
• To update our regulations for managing
  development in a special flood hazard area
• To define what we want to see in our flood prone
  areas
• To allows our community to set standards above
  the minimum required by the NFIP
• To identify the effective map
• To clearly defines the rules for local regulation

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Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)

• 44 CFR Identifies Emergency Management and
  Assistance Criteria
• Part 60 sets out criteria for land management and
  use for floodplain management regulations

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Types of Ordinances

• Ordinance A FEMA has not defined a special
  flood hazard area within a community but the
  community has indicated the presence of such
  hazards by submitting an application to
  participate in the program
• Ordinance B FEMA has designed areas of special
  flood hazards (A zones) but has not produced
  water surface elevation data nor identified a
  floodway
• Ordinance C - FEMA has identified flood
  elevations for one or more SFHA on the
  communitys FIRM but has not identified a
  regulatory floodway
• Ordinance D FEMA has identified base flood
  elevations and has established a regulatory
  floodway

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Where do you begin?

• To identify the flood hazard in your community
  ask if
• FEMA has identified the boundaries of a flood
  hazard area
• FEMA has identified Base Flood Elevations
• A floodway has been identified

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Designing an Ordinance

• What are the minimum standards that have to be
  included in the ordinance?
• What are the needs of my community?
• What are the long-term goals of my community?
• What other water issues need to be addressed
  including stormwater/detention, water quality,
  water quantity and wetlands?

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What does your ordinance have to address?

• Article 1 Statutory Authorization, Findings of
  Fact and Purposes
• Article 2 General Provisions
• Article 3 - Administration
• Article 4 Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction
• Article 5 Floodplain Management Variance
  Procedures

• Article 6 Penalties for Violation
• Article 7 - Amendments
• Article 8 - Definitions
• Article 9 Certificate of Adoption

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Article 1 Statutory Authorization, Findings of
Fact and Purpose

• Statutory Authorization
• Approval of Draft Ordinance by Kansas Chief
  Engineer Prior to Adoption
• Kansas Statutory Authorization
• Findings of Fact
• Flood Losses Resulting from Periodic Inundation
• General Causes of the Flood Losses
• Methods Used to Analyze Flood Hazards
• Statement of Purpose

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Article 2General Provisions

• Lands to which ordinance applies
• Compliance
• Abrogation and Greater Restrictions
• Interpretation
• Warning and Disclaimer of Liability
• Severability

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Article 3Administration

• Floodplain Development Permit
• Designation of Floodplain Administrator
• Duties and Responsibilities of Floodplain
  Administrator
• Application for Floodplain Development Permit

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Article 4Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction

• Section A General Standards
• Compliance with Regulations
• Unnumbered A Zones
• Development when there is no Floodway Designation
• New Development Construction Standards
• Storage, Material, and Equipment
• Nonconforming Use

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Article 4Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction

• Section B Specific Standards
• Residential Construction
• Non-Residential Construction
• Section C Manufactured Homes
• Elevated and anchored
• Location of Manufactured Home
• Elevation requirements

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Article 4Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction

• Section D Areas of Shallow Flooding
• AO Zones
• AH Zones
• Section E Floodway
• Establish floodway boundaries
• Prohibit encroachments
• Comply with existing regulations
• Utilize other information from Federal, State or
  other sources

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Article 4Provisions for Flood Hazard Reduction

• Section F Recreational Vehicles
• Be on the site for fewer than 180 consecutive
  days, or
• Be fully licensed and ready for highway use or
• Meet the permitting, elevation, and anchoring
  requirements for manufactured homes

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Article 5 Floodplain Management Variance
Procedures

• Section A Establishment of Appeal Board
• Section B Responsibility of Appeal Board
• Section C Further Appeals
• Section D Floodplain Management Variance
  Criteria
• Section E Conditions for Approving Floodplain
  Management Variances

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Article 6Penalties for Violation

• Establishes fines for violating regulations

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Article 7Amendments

• Establishes public process for amending flood
  hazard regulations

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Article 8Definitions

• Exercise

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Article 9Certificate of Adoption

• Chief Engineer Draft Approval Seal
• Community Approval Seal

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When do you write an ordinance?

• When you decide to join the NFIP
• When your map has changed and you have a SFHA

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When do you update your ordinance?

• New Effective Map
• You have additional regulations that you want to
  incorporate
• New Map Information
• When federal or state statutes are changed
• Higher Regulatory Standards