E0273: Managing Floodplain Development through the National Flood Insurance Program

This course provides local, state, tribal, territorial, and Federal officials with the knowledge and skills to administer and enforce floodplain management regulations. The course focuses on the NFIP and concepts of floodplain management, flood maps and studies, ordinance administration, and the relationship between floodplain management and flood insurance.

The course is designed to provide new floodplain administrators with the information and communication techniques to explain the impact of floodplain management decisions on insurance, public safety, and health. The course includes an overview of the natural conditions that form floodplains, the history of floodplain management, and the creation of the NFIP. Prefacing the use of FISs and maps to determine the flood hazard risk is an explanation of the forces of water and types of floods. The course provides an overview of NFIP minimum floodplain management regulations based on the types of flood hazards identified, Substantial Improvement (SI)/Substantial Damage (SD), and describes the use of a permitting process as a floodplain management oversight and compliance tool. Appropriate Letters of Map Change (LOMCs) for specific circumstances and the LOMC forms and possible flood hazard mitigation solutions are also identified. The course explains the roles and responsibilities of a floodplain administrator prior to and after a disaster event.

Selection Criteria: Local officials responsible for administering local floodplain management ordinances, including but not limited to floodplain management administrators, building inspectors, code enforcement/zoning officers, planners, city/county managers, attorneys, engineers, and public works officials. Federal/state/regional floodplain managers also are encouraged to attend. The course is designed for those officials with limited floodplain management experience.

CECs: 12

• Use a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to determine the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) and the flood zone.
• Describe and facilitate local jurisdictional compliance with the minimum requirements to participate in the NFIP.
• Describe the components of an effective Floodplain Management program to reduce the loss of life and property and identify and remedy violations and deficiencies.
• Prepare for post-event activities including implementing an effective Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage (SI/SD) process.
• Explain basic concepts of flood insurance rating and how Floodplain Management decisions affect the cost of flood insurance.

• Common

• Emergency Management