Part 1 of Financial assistance for home repair and retrofitting. FEMA and other Federal agencies have an array of financial assistance programs that assist States, communities, and individual property owners mitigate the negative effects of flood hazards. You may be eligible to receive financial assistance through one or more of these programs that will help […]
Part 2 of Wetlands. Do you think all wetlands are the same? They’re not! Each wetland differs due to variations in soils, landscape, climate, water regime and chemistry, vegetation, and human disturbance. Below are brief descriptions of the major types of wetlands found in the United States organized into four general categories: marshes, swamps, bogs, […]
Part 3 of Floodplain Construction Regulations. To provide communities with the information they need to enact and enforce floodplain management ordinances or laws, FEMA conducts floodplain studies for communities throughout the United States and publishes the results in Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) and Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) (Figure 2-14). Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps […]
Part 2 of Floodplain Construction Regulations. The NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. The three goals of the CRS are to: Reduce flood losses Facilitate accurate insurance rating Promote awareness of flood insurance When communities participate in […]
Part 1 of Floodplain Construction Regulations. In most communities throughout the United States, construction in floodplains is governed by combinations of Federal, State, and local regulations. At the Federal level, FEMA administers the NFIP. Congress created the NFIP in 1968 when it passed the National Flood Insurance Act (NFIA). The NFIP is a voluntary program […]
Part 5 of How Can A Flood Damage Your Home. Rates of Rise and Fall You may not have heard these terms before, but they describe important characteristics of flooding: how rapidly the elevation (and therefore the depth) of water increases and decreases during a flood. These rates are usually expressed in terms of feet […]
Part 4 of How Can A Flood Damage Your Home. You may have been told that your home is in “the 100-year” floodplain, or you may have heard that term used to describe a specific flood. You may also have heard similar terms used, such as “50-year flood” or “500-year flood.” These terms can be […]