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Welcome community officials and emergency management personnel. This is your portal to view flood data, get outreach materials, submit a LOMC/LOMA, or view project status. In the Floodplain Regulation section you will find model ordinances, information about how to submit an appeal, obtain an elevation certificate as well as tutorials on how to read a FIRM and/or FIS.

Need to determine flood risk for a property? Want to view the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for your community? This page provides access to the Georgia Flood MAP Program's flood risk data including regulatory Special Flood Hazard Areas, FIRMs and FISs, Flood Risk Products and more.

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The Flood Risk Snapshot provides a detailed look at flood risk for a property, including the flood zone designation, how deep flooding could be at the location, and the percent chance of flooding over the course of a 30-yr mortgage. Example Address: 123 Water St, Floodtown, GA 30000, or City of Decatur, GA

 

The primary feature of flood maps are flood zones, which are geographic areas that FEMA has defined according to varying levels of flood risk and type of flooding. These zones are depicted on the published Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM). For step-by-step instructions on how to read a flood map, you may view the tutorial How to Read a Flood Insurance Rate Map. For definitions of Flood Zones, visit the Flood Zones webpage on the FEMA website.

Flood Risk Products go beyond the basic flood hazard information on regulatory flood hazard products. Flood Risk Products provide a deeper and user friendly analysis of flood risks within a Risk MAP Flood Risk Project.

Flood Risk Products help community members and officials view and visualize their local flood risk, allowing communities to make informed decisions about reducing flood loss and mitigating potential damage from flood hazards.

For more information, please visit: Risk MAP Flood Risk Products

The Georgia Flood MAP Program provides FEMA flood study models for download. Where available, hydraulic models are provided in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ HEC-RAS format, which meet all FEMA NFIP guidelines and specifications. Please note, modeling extents may vary from what is shown on FEMA’s regulatory products. It is recommended that users compare downloaded models with the latest effective regulatory products published by FEMA before use. By accepting the download disclaimer, the user agrees that the model is provided as-is for use and analysis.

The Flood Model Search provides stream based flood models for counties with effective dates after 6/07/2017. Please check the FIRM/FIS Search for county FIS and FIRM Panel effective dates.

The Flood Model Inventory contains flood models for counties with effective dates between 5/20/2010 to 6/07/2017. Please check the FIRM/FIS Search for county FIS and FIRM Panel effective dates.

The Georgia Flood MAP Program has developed a tool that helps homeowners quickly determine their flood risk using a web-based mapping tool.

Users can quickly locate a property, either using a known address or by clicking the map, to identify the flood risk status, the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map, and even create a flood hazard report that captures all of this information and presents it in an attractive and sharable format, the Flood Risk Snapshot.

Outreach is a critical component of any project, especially when the public may be affected and must be kept informed and educated. For Georgia Flood MAP Program mapping projects, it is important to communicate the impacts and benefits of the project, how and where the risk will change/be affected at both the community and property level, and what options the community and property owner can take to reduce that risk and the benefits of those actions (e.g., more resilient; lower flood insurance rates).

Featuring the Guidebook for Community Officials, the resources below contain valuable information to make sure your community is receiving timely, on-message communications throughout the mapping project life cycle. You will also find tutorials, webinars, our video library and templated outreach materials designed specifically for Georgia communities.

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To help local officials reach out to their citizens during the mapping project and explain the benefits of the new flood maps as well as their potential affects, Georgia DNR has created an Outreach Guidebook to provide suggested outreach activities and example materials for each phase of the mapping project. The Guidebook is organized according to the major phases of the State’s process associated with the preparation and approval of the flood maps. For each phase, the following information is presented:
Overview – A description and purpose of each phase, the need for outreach, and typical activities performed by FEMA, the State, and/or the local governments are provided.
Mapping Activities – Information is provided about mapping activities including required procedures and standing practices by the State.
Outreach Activities – Information is provided about outreach activities performed by the State and FEMA as well as suggested activities that could be performed by the local government during the different phases of the mapping project.
Suggested Outreach Materials – The Guidebook includes outreach templates and sample materials that can be customized by the local government as it goes through each phase of the flood mapping project. Generic language is included, but other elements such as timelines, contact information, logos, etc., are intended to be added by each county or city as appropriate. In addition, general outreach materials that are currently available and applicable nationwide are included.

Links to this resource and more are listed below:

This section provides tutorials including the use and application of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and how to submit a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) using the MT-EZ form and Letter of Map Revision- Based on fill (LOMR-F) using the MT-1 form.

Explore our video library to learn more about flood risk in Georgia. Learn the difference between myth and fact in 'The 100 Year Flood: Myth and Fact', view our video series 'A Georgia Property Owner's Guide to Assessing Flood Risk' and get access to other informational videos.

Explore our four part webinar series to learn about using FEMA data to create more disaster resilient communities in Georgia. In an effort to create more flood resilient communities, the Georgia Flood MAP program is conducting meetings for RiskMAP projects to educate on the use of the Flood Risk Database to identify and prioritize flood mitigation projects. Click the links below to learn more about each topic covered.

In cooperation with The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Georgia Flood MAP Program uses the best data available in developing Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). However, due to scale limitations, FIRMs cannot reflect every rise in terrain, and some areas of high ground may be inadvertently included in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). In addition, sometimes areas or properties mapped in the floodplain have been impacted by the placement of fill or by other physical changes in the floodplain, such as development, and the FIRM may no longer reflect current conditions. If communities, property owners, or their representatives would like FEMA to provide an official flood zone determination for their area, property, or structure, or revise the SFHA to reflect current conditions, they can request a Letter of Map Change (LOMC). A LOMC reflects an official amendment or revision to an effective FIRM. FEMA now offers a new online tool for applicants to submit and manage LOMC requests.

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A Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) is an official amendment, by letter, to an effective National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) map. A LOMA establishes a property''s location in relation to the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). LOMAs are usually issued because a property has been inadvertently mapped as being in the floodplain, but is actually on natural high ground above the base flood elevation.

Because a LOMA officially amends the effective NFIP map, it is a public record that the community must maintain. Any LOMA should be noted on the community''s master flood map and filed by panel number in an accessible location.

A Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) is FEMA's comment on a proposed project that would, upon construction, affect the hydrologic or hydraulic characteristics of a flooding source and thus result in the modification of the existing regulatory floodway, the effective Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), or the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). The letter does not revise an effective NFIP map, it indicates whether the project, if built as proposed, would be recognized by FEMA. FEMA charges a fee for processing a CLOMR to recover the costs associated with the review. Building permits cannot be issued based on a CLOMR, because a CLOMR does not change the NFIP map.

Once a project has been completed, the community must request a revision to the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to reflect the project. "As-built" certification and other data must be submitted to support the revision request.

The Georgia Flood MAP Program is here to help you understand more about why and how communities in the State of Georgia manage floodplains to protect people and property. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is based on an agreement between the Federal government and participating communities that if the community adopts and enforces adequate floodplain management regulations, the Federal government makes flood insurance available to residents. These include minimum building design and construction standards for structures located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). Through their floodplain management ordinances, communities adopt the NFIP design performance standards for buildings located in floodprone areas identified on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) encourages communities to adopt floodplain management ordinances that exceed the minimum NFIP criteria. In some instances, the State of Georgia has exceeded these minimum requirements. The State of Georgia has available both Coastal and Riverine model floodplain ordinances.

Why Do Communities Regulate the Floodplain?

To protect people and property. Floodplain management is about building smart. If we know where our high risk flood areas are located, we should be able to make reasonable decisions to help protect our families, homes, and businesses.

To make sure that Federal flood insurance and disaster assistance are available. Federal flood insurance is available only in communities that agree to regulate floodplain development. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. If your home or business is in the floodplain, and Federal flood insurance isn’t available, then you can’t get some types of Federal financial assistance. Home mortgages will be hard to find and you won’t be able to get some types of State and Federal loans and grants.

To save tax dollars. Every flood disaster affects your community’s budget. If we build smarter in and near floodplains, we’ll have fewer problems the next time the water rises. Remember, Federal disaster assistance isn’t available for all floods. And even when the President declares a disaster, most of the time your community still has to pay a portion of the costs of evacuation, temporary housing, repair, and clean-up.

To avoid liability and lawsuits. If we know an area is mapped as a high-risk flood area, if we know people could be in danger, and if we know that buildings could be damaged, it makes sense to take reasonable protective steps when we develop and build.

To reduce future flood losses in Georgia. Development that complies with the minimum floodplain management requirements is better protected against major flood-related damage.

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Floodplain regulations are found in local flood damage prevention ordinances. Related regulations are found in zoning codes, building codes, subdivision regulations, and “stand alone” ordinances. In case of conflict, that ordinance and not this publication, must be followed. If you have questions, be sure to talk with your local planning, permit, engineering, or floodplain management officials.

Before preliminary FIRMs and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports are finalized, communities and the public can provide feedback if they believe the proposed information is not correct. Feedback can be provided any time after the release of the preliminary FIRMs until the end of a statutory 90-day appeal period. This section provides detailed information about the appeals process for the preliminary FIRMs.

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Elevation Certificate (EC) (FEMA form 086-0-33) is an administrative tool of the NFIP which is to be used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to determine the proper insurance premium rate, or support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or a Letter of Map Amendment based on fill (LOMR-F).

This section provides tutorials including the use and application of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and how to submit a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) using the MT-EZ form and Letter of Map Revision- Based on fill (LOMR-F) using the MT-1 form.

Coming Soon! Check back later for updates.

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