FEMA Flood Maps Communicate the Flood Risk in New England
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Release Number: R1-09-090A
BOSTON, Mass. -- The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has presented draft flood risk maps to communities in the following Massachusetts counties: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Hampden, Middlesex, Nantucket, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester and Essex.
Bristol and Suffolk counties have already reviewed and approved their new maps. Berkshire, Franklin and Hampshire counties have not been scheduled for map changes at this time.
Residents are urged to look at the preliminary maps to become familiar with the flood risks in their community and to see whether their flood zone has changed. These maps can help residents make informed decisions about flood insurance options and flood protection measures. In addition, there may be a significant flood insurance cost-savings for those who are shown in a high-risk flood zone for the first time but purchase a flood insurance policy before the draft maps become effective. Flood Insurance Rate Maps can be viewed at their city or town offices.
Those in high-risk flood areas who currently have a mortgage from a federally backed lender will be required to purchase flood insurance. Doing so before the maps become effective will lock in the lower-risk zone and save significant money.
The preliminary maps revise and update information on the existence and severity of flood hazards in areas in Massachusetts. Additional flood zone changes are proposed for some areas where in depth studies were done. Coastal areas, the Connecticut, Blackstone and Mystic Rivers underwent in depth study. The revised maps are based on detailed ground elevation models, decades of rainfall and storm gauge information, and current topographic data. Additional information about flood maps can be found at www.msc.fema.gov.
Flooding is the most common disaster in the United States, and Massachusetts residents have had their share of encounters in recent years, with major flooding in 2005, the Mothers Day Storm in 2006 and the Patriots Day storm in 2007. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), a structure located within a special flood hazard area shown on a flood map has a 26 percent chance of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage.
According to Mike Goetz, Chief of the Risk Analysis Branch in FEMA’s Boston office, “The risk of flooding exists in many Massachusetts communities. The flood maps are vehicles for us at FEMA, to communicate that risk and help residents begin to manage that risk.”
FEMA provides copies of the new maps directly to the floodplain administrators in each community and meets with community officials to discuss proposed changes and the need for outreach. The maps are available for public viewing. But residents and property owners will need to be proactive and make the contact with their communities to see if their home falls within the high risk areas.
FEMA prioritized the scientific studies that quantify the risk, by starting with areas that have the most risk because of such factors as dense populations, coastal erosion, levees, etc. The map adoption processes allows for possible mistakes and there is a comment and or appeal period before any community adopts the maps.
Those who believe the proposed flood maps contain errors can submit comments and take advantage of an appeal by submitting additional scientific or technical information through their community officials to FEMA. Once all appeals are resolved, FEMA will make any necessary updates and notify communities, insurance companies and residents of the effective date of the final maps.
FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Last Modified: Monday, 09-Nov-2009 08:48:34