Glossary of Terms for ESA/NFIP Converence  

Adversely affect/Adverse effect:  effects that are a direct or indirect result of the proposed action or its interrelated or interdependent actions and the effect is not discountable, insignificant or beneficial. Discountable effects are extremely unlikely to occur.  Insignificant effects relate to the size of the impact and should never reach the scale where a take occurs. Based on best judgment, a person would not: (1) be able to meaningfully measure, detect, or evaluate insignificant effects; or (2) expect discountable effects to occur.  Beneficial effects are contemporaneous positive effects without any adverse effects. In the event that the overall effect of the proposed action is beneficial, but is also likely to cause some adverse effects, then the proposed action is considered to result in an adverse effect.
Base Flood:  the flood having a one percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year (also referred to as the “100-year flood”). The area subject to the base flood is the Special Flood Hazard Area designated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps as Zones “A” or “V” including AE, AO, AH, A1-99 and VE.
Base Flood Elevation (BFE):  the elevation of the base flood above the datum of the effective FIRM.
Channel Migration Area:  the area within the lateral extent of likely stream channel movement due to stream bank destabilization and erosion, rapid stream incision, aggradations, avulsions, and shifts in location of stream channels. 
Critical Facility:  a facility necessary to protect the public health, safety and welfare during a flood. Critical facilities include, but are not limited to; schools, nursing homes, hospitals, police, fire and emergency operations installations, water and wastewater treatment plants, electric power stations, and installations which produce, use, or store hazardous materials or hazardous waste (other than consumer products containing hazardous substances or hazardous waste intended for household use).
Development:  any man-made change to improved or unimproved real estate in the Regulatory Floodplain, including but not limited to; buildings or other structures, mining, dredging, filling, grading, paving, excavation or drilling operations, storage of equipment or materials, subdivision of land, removal of more than 5% of the native vegetation on the property, or alteration of natural site characteristics. 
Elevation Certificate:  the official form (FEMA Form 81-31) used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with provisions of this ordinance and determine the proper flood insurance premium rate.
Endangered Species:  A species as defined in the Endangered Species Act (ESA), that is in danger of extinction through a significant portion of its range.  A species classified as threatened is likely to become an endangered species.
FEMA:  the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the agency responsible for administering the National Flood Insurance Program.
Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Area:  lands needed to maintain species in suitable habitats within their natural geographic distribution so that isolated subpopulations are not created. These areas are designated by the (community name) pursuant to the Washington State Growth Management Act (WAC 365-190-080).
Flood or Flooding:  a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from:
A.  The overflow of inland or tidal waters, and/or
B.  The unusual and rapid accumulation of runoff of surface waters from any source.
Flood Fringe: the portion of the floodplain lying outside of the floodway.
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM):  the official map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency has delineated both the Special Flood Hazard Areas and the risk premium zones applicable to the community.
Flood Insurance Study (FIS):  the official report provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency that includes flood profiles, the Flood Insurance Rate Map, and the water surface elevation of the base flood.
Floodway:  the channel of a stream or other watercourse and the adjacent land areas that must be reserved in order to discharge the base flood without cumulatively increasing the water surface elevation more than _ (optional desired freeboard amount)___ foot at any point.
Impervious Surface:  a hard surface area which causes water to run off the surface in greater quantities or at an increased rate of flow from the flow present under natural conditions prior to development. Common impervious surfaces include, but are not limited to, roof tops, walkways, patios, driveways, parking lots or storage areas, concrete or asphalt paving, gravel roads, packed earthen materials, and oiled, macadam or other surfaces which similarly impede the natural infiltration of stormwater.
Lowest Floor:  the lowest floor of the lowest enclosed area (including basement or crawlspace). An unfinished or flood resistant enclosure, usable solely for parking of vehicles, building access, or storage in an area other than a basement area, is not considered a structure’s lowest floor, provided that such enclosure is compliant with Section 6.2.F, (i.e. provided there are adequate openings to allow floodwaters into the area). 
Manufactured Home:  a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which is built on a permanent chassis and is designed for use with or without a permanent foundation when attached to the required utilities. The term “manufactured home” does not include a “recreational vehicle.”
Mitigation: actions taken to reduce or eliminate the risk of a hazard such as flooding; mitigation actions attempt to prevent flood hazards from developing into disasters, or to reduce the effects of flooding when it occurs.
Native Vegetation:  plant species that are indigenous to the community’s area and that reasonably could be expected to naturally occur on the site.
Natural Floodplain Functions:  the contribution that a flood-plain makes to support habitat, including, but not limited to providing flood storage and conveyance, reducing flood velocities, reducing sedimentation, filtering nutrients and impurities from runoff, processing organic wastes, moderating temperature fluctuations, and providing breeding and feeding grounds, shelter, and refugia, for aquatic or riparian species.
National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS): one of two federal agencies responsible for overseeing the Endangered Species Act (ESA).  NMFS is primarily responsible for marine species and anadromous species. 
Protected Area:  the lands that lie within the boundaries of the floodway, the riparian habitat zone, and the channel migration area. Because of the impact that development can have on flood heights and velocities and habitat, special rules apply in the Protected Area.
Regulatory Floodplain:  the area of the Special Flood Hazard Area plus the Protected Area.
Riparian:  Of, adjacent to, or living on, the bank of a river, lake, pond, ocean, sound, or other water body.
Riparian Habitat Zone:  the water body and adjacent land areas that are likely to support aquatic and riparian habitat.
Risk: the identification of a hazard and the mathematical analysis of the chances of that hazard occurring.
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA):  the land subject to inundation by the base flood. Special Flood Hazard Areas are designated on Flood Insurance Rate Maps with the letters “A” or “V” including AE, AO, AH, A1-99 and VE. The Special Flood Hazard Area is also referred to as the area of special flood hazard or SFHA.
Structure:  a walled and roofed building, including a gas or liquid storage tank that is principally above ground.
Substantial Damage:  damage of any origin sustained by a structure whereby the cost of restoring the structure to its pre-damaged condition would equal or exceed 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred. 
Substantial damage also means flood-related damage sustained by a structure on two separate occasions during a 10-year period for which the cost of repairs at the time of each such flood event, on the average, equals or exceeds 25% of the market value of the structure before the damage occurred.
Substantial Improvement:  any repair, reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition, replacement, or other improvement of a structure, the cost of which equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the structure before the “start of construction” of the improvement. This term includes structures which have incurred “substantial damage,” regardless of the actual repair work performed.   
The term does not include any project for improvement of a structure to correct existing violations of State or local health, sanitary, or safety code specifications which have been identified by the local code enforcement official and which are the minimum necessary to assure safe living conditions.
Take:  to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, or collect, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct.
Variance:  a grant of relief from the requirements of this ordinance which permits construction in a manner that would otherwise be prohibited by this ordinance.
Watershed: a region of land, separated from adjacent basins by a ridge or mountain that captures rain, snowmelt and glacier-melt and feeds it to a particular river; a watershed also includes the underground area that feeds groundwater to the river; a groundwater watershed, however, may differ in surface area from the surface-water watershed that feeds the same river.
Zone:  one or more areas delineated on the FIRM. The following zones may be used on the adopted FIRM
The Special Flood Hazard Area is comprised of the A and V Zones. 
-  A:  SFHA where no base flood elevation is provided.
-  A#:  numbered A Zones (e.g., A7 or A14), SFHA with a base flood elevation.
-  AE:  SFHA with a base flood elevation.
-  AO: SFHA subject to inundation by shallow flooding usually resulting from sheet flow on sloping terrain, with average depths between one and three feet. Average flood depths are shown. 
-  AH:   SFHA subject to inundation by shallow flooding (usually areas of ponding) with average depths between one and three feet. Base flood elevations are shown. 
-  B:  the area between the SFHA and the 500-year flood of the primary source of flooding. It may also be an area with a local, shallow flooding problem or an area protected by a levee.
-  C:  an area of minimal flood hazard, as above the 500-year flood level of the primary source of flooding. B and C Zones may have flooding that does not meet the criteria to be mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area, especially ponding and local drainage problems.
-  D:  area of undetermined but possible flood hazard.
-  V:  the SFHA subject to coastal high hazard flooding including waves of 3’ or greater in height. There are three types of V Zones: V, V#, and VE, and they correspond to the A Zone designations. 
-  X:  the area outside the mapped SFHA. 
-  Shaded X:  the same as a Zone B, above.