Engineering Division, Dam Safety

FEMA identifies coastal flood hazards, assesses flood risks, and provides accurate flood risk data to help drive communities toward mitigation actions and achieve greater resilience. This infographic presents the coastal flood hazard analysis and mapping process, used to conduct flood hazard analysis and mapping studies to produce FIRMs (Flood Insurance Rate Maps). These flood maps are used to administer the National Flood Insurance Program  and they provide information to communities for the adoption and enforcement of floodplain management measures to help mitigate the effects of flooding.

Portland, Ore., July 19, 2014 – This rider puts out a fire as part of the Fiets of Parenthood obstacle course at the Disaster Relief Trials (DRT). Fiets of Parenthood, another family biking event in Portland, is a sponsor of the Portland DRT.

As part of each annual maintenance cycle, FEMA conducts a public review of all draft standards to maximize program transparency and ensure that each standard undergoes a thorough vetting by a wide range of Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) practitioners.

The most recent public review announcement and the most recent summary of public review comments and associated responses are published on this page.

The Policy for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping comprises the standards for practitioners of FEMA’s Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) Program. The standards define the specific implementation of the statutory and regulatory requirements for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood risk analysis and mapping and address the performance of flood risk projects, processing of Letter of Map Changes (LOMC), and related Risk MAP activities. Standards are published separately from guidance as standalone statements that outline the required elements of the Risk MAP Program.

Guidance documents provide vetted recommended approaches for FEMA's Risk Mapping, Assessment and Planning (Risk MAP) Program. These guidance documents support current FEMA standards and facilitate effective, efficient implementation of the program. All guidance documents were written to support FEMA standards and align with current regulations, but are not mandatory. Alternate approaches that comply with standards and support program objectives are acceptable.

To help navigate the available guidance and related documentation, additional instructions are provided for Finding Standards, Guidance, and Related Documents.

Technical References are specifications of a technical nature essential to the success of the program but too granular to be considered standards. These are database, product and documentation requirements where consistency is needed.  There are a number of standards that mandate compliance with the Technical References.

To help you navigate the available templates/other resources and related documentation, there are additional instructions for Finding Standards, Guidance, and Related Documents.

This Strategic Plan for the National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) for Fiscal Years (FY) 2012 through 2016 was developed to present the goals and objectives established by FEMA and its partners in the NDSP to reduce the hazards from dam failures and demonstrate the benefits of dams in the United States.

The National Dam Safety Program (NDSP) is a national program that targets the improvement of dams and the safety of those who live in surrounding communities. Since it was first authorized by Congress in 1996, there have been marked improvements in the safety of many of our Nation’s dams. This is directly attributable to what NDSP has been able to achieve since its inception. Beginning in 2012, FEMA began to highlight key NDSP accomplishments on a yearly basis to advance awareness and understanding of the important role NDSP plays to reduce risk, promote benefits, and enhance safety surrounding our Nation’s dams. The Year-in-Review provides the progress of NDSP along with important accomplishments that continue across all NDSP elements, including State assistance, research, training, and the alignment of NDSP within the emergency management and resilience frameworks.

In this issue receive information about the 2013 Florida Statewide Hurricane Exercise, Higher Education Resources Consortium (HERC) Group Revival, NCR Hazus User Group Revival, Regional Training Courses, and future Hazus User Group call dates.

In this issue: Hazus is the 2012 Government Security News Winner for the Most Notable Emergency Response Implementation, University of Singapore Cooperative, Linking Hazus with Proactive Mitigation in Delaware, Online LOMC Application, Hazus Help Desk Updates, and future Hazus User Group call dates.

This factsheet provides information about the Risk MAP Progress Website, which is an interactive geoportal that was developed to provide transparency and communicate FEMA’s investments towards achieving its vision and goals for Risk MAP.   The FEMA Risk MAP Progress website is accessible from the Risk MAP webpage, http://www.fema.gov/rm-main.

FEMA conducted its second nationwide survey of local officials to baseline, then track progress toward, achieving Goal 2 of the Risk MAP Multi-Year Plan, which is to “Ensure that a measurable increase of the public’s awareness and understanding of risk management results in a measurable reduction of current and future vulnerability to flooding.” The results from the local official survey are valid at the national level. The following are key findings.

Public Survey: In 2011, FEMA conducted its second annual nationwide survey of U.S. households to track progress toward achieving Goal 2 of the Risk MAP Multi-Year Plan, which is to “Ensure that a measurable increase of the public’s awareness and understanding of risk management results in a measurable reduction of current and future vulnerability to flooding.”
The results from the public survey are valid at the national and regional levels. The following are the key findings from the survey.