FEMA initially released preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps for communities within the Greater New Orleans area – Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, and St. Charles parishes in October and November 2008. Recently, FEMA has partnered with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer and local community officials within the parishes to determine the flood risk in and around the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System in order to update portions of the 2008 preliminary DFIRMs in the vicinity of the levee system.
Nov. 9, 2012, FEMA released revised preliminary maps for the portions within each of the five parishes listed above to reflect the HSDRRS improvements completed by the USACE and constructed local drainage system improvements that assist in the conveyance of flood water throughout the Greater New Orleans area. The updated flood risk information depicted on the preliminary maps will provide the communities, residents and business owners in the Greater New Orleans area more precise information about the flood risk they face, allowing them to make more informed decisions to reduce their personal risk to life and property.
The public can review the updated flood hazard data presented on the preliminary DFIRMs for each parish through an interactive web mapping portal launched by FEMA Region VI. The online mapping portal uses GIS (geographic information systems) technology and allows users to review both current effective flood hazard information and preliminary flood hazard delineations.
To learn more about the Interactive Web Mapping Portal, please visit the FEMA Region VI Risk Analysis web page. To review the flood risk in your vicinity and use the Interactive Web Mapping Portal, choose a Parish from the list below:
Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish
The flood hazard areas shown on the preliminary maps depict the areas prone to coastal storm surge, river flooding, and rainfall events and illustrate the complex network of canals, levees, pumping stations and closure structure in operation during an event of that magnitude. With the complex nature of the systems within the Greater New Orleans area parishes, residents and business owners should look to the maps to understand the possibility of flooding within their vicinity. Remember, anywhere it can rain, it can flood. In addition to having flood insurance, and informing yourself about your flood risk, you should prepare for the possibility of a flood.
Update as of 4/1/2013
The next step for the flood mapping process is a 90-day appeals/comment period. FEMA will work with the local officials to establish the start and end dates for this phase. Once known the dates will be announced.
Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System
Since 2006, the USACE has worked with its many partners and contractors to design, rehabilitate and construct a perimeter system to reduce the effects of a storm surge that has a one percent chance of happening in any given year. The HSDRRS is a major investment in public safety and hurricane and storm damage risk reduction. It is the largest civil works project in Corps’ history and includes over 133 perimeter miles of levees, numerous floodwalls, gates, surge barriers, and other structures that form an integrated system. Construction of system components will continue beyond 2011 for other features, such as canal closures and pump stations.
Questions and Answers
Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions
Map Specialists are available to help
- Use this live chat service to learn more about flood maps. Click on the “Live Chat” icon.
- Call a FEMA Map Specialist at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627)
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See the current effective flood maps online:
Contact Louisiana Local Officials