How Can Your Flood Data Work for You?

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the primary provider of community flood hazard information, but NFIP maps present a limited view of flood risk, often considering only a single event, the 1-percent-annual-chance flood. FEMA initially developed these maps to facilitate compliance with federal requirements and they are generally considered insufficient for effective community planning and decision-making. However, recent advances in flood modeling technology are opening doors for improving how planners can apply flood hazard and risk information to tackling a host of activities—ranging from more engaging public communication and education, to climate-informed design and policy development. FEMA is working to enhance the suite of flood data products offered to local communities through the NFIP and looking to engage the planning community.

This Learning Lab aims to bring a diverse group of planning professionals together to understand the science behind this advanced flood information and explore potential opportunities to apply this technology to their planning disciplines, including transportation, land use, economic development, and environmental resource management. Participants will also identify potential challenges and support needs relating to the use of such information and help inform how products should be designed and disseminated to best meet the needs of planners and communities.

NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.