 FEMA's Flood Map Modernization Program
Several important events occurred in the period from 1995 to 2002 that led to a FEMA Map Modernization Initiative to update flood insurance studies and develop digital flood hazard mapping nationwide over a five-year time frame. The completion of a Map Modernization Study in 2000 by the Technical Mapping Advisory Council recommended a multi-year national mapping program to update approximately 100,000 flood insurance map panels across the nation.
With the goal of targeting 20% of the nation’s population in the first year of the effort, FEMA Region VI has determined that Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties will be studied during the initial Map Modernization cycle (fiscal years 2004 through 2006). After 2006, additional counties in the NCTCOG region will be targeted for Map Modernization based on population metrics (for more information, see the Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan [MHIP] at http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/mh_main.shtm.)
The ultimate goal of these studies is to produce Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, referred to as DFIRMs (these maps will be digital in the sense that the components of the maps will be available as Geographic Information System layers with all the pertinent supporting data available in a corresponding database). Paper maps will be easily printed from the DFIRMs.
Nationally, the engineering firm Michael Baker Jr., Inc. (Baker), along with its team of subcontractors, has been awarded a five-year contract to serve as the National Service Provider (NSP) to develop, plan, manage, implement, and monitor the Map Modernization program for flood hazard mitigation across the United States and its territories.
Baker will help FEMA to work with state, local, and other Federal partners to develop digital flood and multi-hazard data for the entire United States, including the establishment of 10 Regional Management Centers across the country to manage and monitor flood studies locally and provide support to FEMA’s 10 regional offices. For assistance with information technology, Baker has subcontracted with IBM Business Consulting Services to aid in the development of a Multi-Hazard Information Platform (MIP). It is anticipated that the MIP will become a national digital depository that will store, manage, and provide remote access to all the information generated from the Map Modernization program.
 In the NCTCOG region, FEMA Region VI has contracted with Halff Associates for the studies in Dallas and Tarrant counties. For the studies in Denton and Collin counties, FEMA Region VI has contracted with Comprehensive Flood Risk Resources & Response (CF3R). CF3R is a Joint Venture comprised of Michael Baker, Jr., Inc. (Baker), Carter & Burgess, Inc. (C&B), CDM Federal Programs Corp. (CDM), and Moffatt & Nichol Engineers (M&N).
In order to reach the ultimate goal of producing DFIRMs, the work of Halff Associates and CF3R will involve some combination of the following types of sub-products: (1) new detailed studies, (2) enhanced approximate studies (3) re-delineation of effective studies (4) digital conversion of effective floodplains. In order to maximize the use of available funding, Halff Associates and CF3R conducted scoping activities with all local communities in the 4-county study area during the summer of 2004. The scoping effort resulted in a determination of additional flood hazard mapping needs and a prioritization of streams and watersheds. Because of fiscal constraints, all streams and watersheds will not be studied.
During the fall of 2004, FEMA Region VI, the NSP and the study contractors reached agreement on the proposed scope of work, and the studies were officially kicked off. The studies will assume a 2-phase process that will likely take 24 months. Once the preliminary DFIRMs are produced, all local communities will be asked to review and provide comments. Also during this conversion period, all local communities will need to revise their ordinances/court orders in order to adopt the new maps when they become effective. This conversion period will provide an excellent opportunity for local communities to incorporate more stringent (or “higher standard”) floodplain management measures into their ordinances/court orders.
To help make the most of available funding, FEMA Region VI, the NSP and the study contractors have requested the assistance of NCTCOG in a variety of ways. Over the past few years, NCTCOG, in conjunction with its members, has facilitated the cooperative purchase of digital orthophotography and LIDAR topography. Because the LIDAR topography is a consistent dataset across the 4-county study area and because the LIDAR topography is the best available topographic data in many parts of the study area, NCTCOG has coordinated an agreement with FEMA Region VI and the study contractors to integrate the LIDAR topography where needed. Additionally, FEMA Region VI, the NSP and the study contractors have looked to NCTCOG for help with DFIRM base mapping (particularly, regional vector-based information for stream lines, the transportation network, jurisdictional boundaries, etc.). Beyond mapping assistance, NCTCOG will continue to help FEMA Region VI, the NSP and the study contractors by providing support through various outreach and study coordination activities.
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