Frequently Asked Questions

Flood Study Data

What is a Flood Insurance Study (FIS)?

A Flood Insurance Study (FIS) is a book that contains information regarding flooding in a community and is developed in conjunction with the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). The FIS, also known as a flood elevation study, frequently contains a narrative of the flood history of a community and discusses the engineering methods used to develop the FIRMs. The study also contains flood profiles for studied flooding sources and can be used to determine base flood elevations for some areas.

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Can I appeal a new Flood Insurance Study?

An appeal is a formal objection to proposed base flood elevations. Appeals may be submitted by a community or individual resident during the 90-day appeal period. They must be based on data that show the proposed base flood elevations are scientifically or technically incorrect.

When a preliminary Flood Insurance Study and Flood Insurance Rate Map establishes new or revised base flood elevations (BFEs), the community is given the opportunity to appeal the BFEs. After a 30-day review period during which the preliminary information can be publicized, the proposed BFEs are published twice in the legal advertisements of the local newspaper. The second publication takes place a week after the first, and on the day of the second publication, the 90-day appeal period begins.

BFEs can be appealed if they are shown to be scientifically or technically incorrect. BFEs can also be scientifically incorrect if an assumption within the analysis is shown to be inappropriate or incorrect. To support an appeal, the BFE should be recalculated and justification for the new methodology or change in assumptions should be provided.

BFEs can also be appealed if they are technically incorrect, which means there is an error in the analysis. The error may consist of data that are incorrect, or there may be an error in the application of the analysis.

Appeals must be submitted within the 90-day appeal period. They should be sent to the community's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) who forwards all appeals of BFEs to:

Chief, Hazards Study Branch
Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration
Federal Emergency Management Agency
500 C Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20472

Appeal procedures and supporting data are outline in Appeals, Revisions, and Amendments to National Flood Insurance Program Maps, A Guide for Community Officials (FIA-12).

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Where do I get back-up or supporting Flood Insurance Study data?

The back-up data used to develop the current Flood Insurance Study (FIS) are available for a fee. All requests for FIS data must be made in writing and should be sent to the MOD team for processing at the address listed
below:

FEMA Depot
3601 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22304-6425
Phone: 703-960-8800

To expedite processing, please address your request to the attention of the following processing specialists:

ATTENTION: LOMA DEPOT (Use for Letters of Map Revision-Based on Fill, Letters of Map Amendment, Conditional Letters of Map Revision-Based on Fill, and Conditional Letters of Map Amendment)

ATTENTION: LOMR DEPOT (Use for Letters of Map Revision and Conditional Letters of Map Revision)

ATTENTION: FEMA PROJECT LIBRARY (Use for External Data Requests)

You also have the option of faxing your request to one of the following numbers: For LOMCs: 703-960-9125 For External Data Requests: 703-751-7391.

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I lost my previously issued letter. How do I get another copy?

Individual copies of these letters can be obtained for a fee by contacting the Mapping Coordination Contractor assigned to the region where the property is located. All requests must be made in writing. To receive copies of all Letters of Map Change (LOMCs), the Letter of Map Change Subscription Service is available at the same location.

You may also obtain a copy of a LOMC from your local floodplain administrator's office. Map change repositories are established in every National Flood Insurance Program community and are usually housed in the planning, engineering or public works departments of your county or town. If you need help determining the location of your map repository, please contact the FEMA Map Assistance Center.

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Last Modified: Friday, 12-Oct-2007 12:13:11 EDT

Fast Facts

Additional FAQ Topics

Digital Flood Data and Mapping
General Information
Flood Insurance
Flood Map Policy and Program
Flood Map Process
Flood Revision
Flood Study Data
Frequently Used Terms
Q3 Flood Data

Need additional help?

FEMA Map Assistance Center
Call 1-877-FEMA-MAP
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