The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established standard procedures for the processing of a new or updated National Flood Insurance Program flood map. These standard procedures have been and will be followed in the processing of the Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties. Detailed information on the flood mapping process is documented in the following FEMA publications:

Map Adoption Milestones

December 11-13 — Flood Risk Open Houses
Mid-January 2008 — Start of 90-day public comment period (for filing appeals and protests)
Spring/Summer 2008* - Review and resolution of appeals and protests. Final flood maps created.
Fall 2008* — Maps adopted; new insurance requirements take effect
* Date subject to change pending completion of review processes

Mapping Process Documents

• Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners
• Document Control Procedures Manual
• FEMA 495, “Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities”PDF [3.22M] Text [18.8K]

MAJOR PRODUCTION PHASES

The major phases of the flood mapping process are listed below.  For Additional information on each phase, including a detailed process flowchart for the Preliminary and Post-Preliminary Processing phase, click on the links below.

• Mapping Needs Assessment—During this phase, FEMA, State, and community officials evaluate whether the flood hazard data and other data shown on the current effective Flood Insurance Rate Map FIRM are adequate.
• Project Scoping—A series of activities are performed by FEMA, State, and community officials during this phase to better define the requirements for the study/mapping project to be undertaken.
• Data Development and Floodplain Mapping—The activities performed during this phase include acquisition/development of topographic and cross-section data needed for engineering analyses, performance of engineering (hydrologic and hydraulic) analyses, and production of the DFIRM and accompanying Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report.
• Preliminary/Post-Preliminary Processing—During this phase, community officials and residents are provided with multiple opportunities to review and comment on the DFIRM and FIS report and FEMA and the State work with community officials to adopted appropriate floodplain management ordinances. 

MAPPING NEEDS ASSESSMENT PHASE

• The purpose of the mapping needs assessment is to evaluate whether the flood hazard data and other data shown on a published NFIP flood map are adequate. 
• If the data shown on the effective Flood Insurance Rate Maps are not adequate, the specific data elements that need to be updated for each community are identified through coordination between and among FEMA, State, regional agency, and community officials.   
• The mapping needs assessment forms the basis for selecting and prioritizing the mapping projects that are to be initiated and, for those areas selected, serves as the building block for project scoping. 
• Because the needs assessment is critical to project success, FEMA or a mapping partner (i.e., FEMA contractor, State NFIP Coordinator, State agency participant in Cooperating Technical Partners [CTP] program) will assist the affected communities with the needs assessment when appropriate.

For the mapping project for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, the mapping needs assessment was performed by the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  MEMA is the State NFIP Coordinator for MS and a participant in the FEMA CTP Program.

Additional information on mapping needs assessment is provided in Volume 1, Section 1.2, of FEMA’s Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners.

PROJECT SCOPING PHASE

• After the communities’ mapping needs are identified and FEMA has determined it is appropriate to initiate a new or updated DFIRM, a project team is formed.
• The project team for the MS coastal mapping project included representatives from:
• FEMA Region IV Regional Office in Atlanta
• MEMA Floodplain Management Bureau
• Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDE  Q) Geospatial Resources Division
• A FEMA contractor team, referred to collectively as the Mapping on Demand team, that serves as National Service Provider for the FEMA Flood Map Modernization (Map Mod) effort
• A State contractor team that is known collectively as Mississippi Geographical Information, LLC
• Project scoping, the first project activity undertaken by the project team, entails the following:
• Conducting background research and community outreach
• Determining what flood hazard data can be used in the revised flood hazard analyses and/or transferred without change to the new flood map and collateral summary report
• Identifying other data needed to complete the project and sources of those data
• Establishing priority levels for flooding sources to be analyzed and mapped
• Determining the map format and layout
• Developing schedules and cost estimates for project components
• Assigning project tasks to mapping partners and developing appropriate contracts or agreements for completion of assigned work

Successful completion of these activities requires close coordination by FEMA and the rest of the project team.

• All findings from the research conducted are discussed and decisions are made at project team meetings called Scoping Meetings.  The Scoping Meetings for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties were held during the summer of 2004.   
• Based on decisions made at the Scoping Meeting, the Project Team members prepare the appropriate contractual agreements to document the assigned work.  These agreements include milestones, deliverables, and specifications for the assigned tasks/activities.
• FEMA distributes the final contractual agreements, which have been signed the appropriate team members, and the project enters into the data development/floodplain mapping phase of the project.

You may view the contractual agreements signed by FEMA, MEMA, and MDEQ for the project—called Mapping Activity Statements—by visiting the “CTP News” page on the FEMA Website and clicking on the State of Mississippi on the U.S. map provided.

Additional information on project scoping is provided in Volume 1, Section 1.3, of FEMA’s  Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners.

During the course of a mapping project, it is sometimes necessary to re-consider the agreed-upon scope of a mapping project as a result of significant changes in conditions in the area to be studied. Hurricane Katrina was such an occurrence, and it caused FEMA to change the scope of the mapping project to include a very detailed analysis of flood hazards from the Gulf of Mexico.  FEMA also added an additional contractor to the project team to perform the analyses. The contractor selected was the same contractor selected to prepare the Flood Recovery Maps in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This work was undertaken by FEMA and the contractor under the Hazard Mitigation Technical Assistance Program.

DATA DEVELOPMENT/FLOODPLAIN MAPPING PHASE

• Depending on the scope of the project, the project team members complete some or all of the following tasks during this phase of the project:
  1. Develop and/or obtain topographic and cross-section data needed for engineering analyses and floodplain boundary delineations.
  2. Perform engineering analyses—called hydrologic or hydraulic analyses—of flooding sources.
  3. Delineate floodplain boundaries and identify flood insurance risk zones.
  4. Obtain and prepare the base map to be used for production.
  5. Digitize directly from the effective FIRM panels those floodplain boundaries that are not being updated.
  6. "Merge" new or updated flood hazard data (for updated portions of flooding sources) with effective flood hazard data (for non-revised portions of flooding sources) to produce the new or updated DFIRM
  7. Collect all required information in the Geographic Information System (GIS)-based DFIRM Spatial Database.
  8. Compile the summary report, referred to as a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report.
  9. Produce and distribute hard copy (paper) and digital versions of the DFIRM and FIS report.
  For the mapping project for Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties, all of the tasks above were included.
• To compress timeframes, many work elements are completed concurrently and collaboratively by the project team members.  Such was the case with the work performed for this mapping project. MEMA, MDEQ, and their contractors—who had started their work on the engineering analyses and mapping for the interior areas of Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties before Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on the region—were able to continue their work while FEMA and its contractor completed the more detailed coastal analyses on the Gulf of Mexico.

Additional information on data development and map production is provided in Volume 1, Section 1.4, and several of the appendices in FEMA’s  Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners.

PRELIMINARY/POST-PRELIMINARY PROCESSING

At the end of the data development and floodplain mapping phase, the Preliminary/Post-Preliminary Processing phase begins. During this critical period, community officials, residents, and other interested parties have an extended opportunity to review the results of the study/mapping project as depicted on the DFIRM and FIS report.  The processing steps below correspond with the steps on the process chart.

1. One of the project team members prepares Preliminary copies of the new or revised DFIRM and FIS report materials for each affected community and distributes the Preliminary copies for review and comment. 
2. During the review period provided by FEMA, community officials are encouraged to review the Preliminary version of the DFIRM and FIS report carefully and to disseminate the information in the report and map as widely as possible.
3. At the end of the review period, FEMA and project team members have meeting with community officials to formally discuss the results of the mapping project as presented on the Preliminary DFIRM and in the Preliminary version of the FIS report and the impact of those results on the affected communities. In some FEMA documents, this meeting is referred to as the “Final Community Coordination Meeting” or the “Final Consultation and Coordination Officer Meeting.” In the Southeastern United States, these meetings are referred to as “Preliminary DFIRM Community Coordination Meetings”, or “PDCC Meetings.”
4. After the PDCC meetings, FEMA, project team members, and community officials host public meetings/open houses to give community residents and other interested parties an opportunity to learn more about the mapping project and the map processing procedures. 
5. After the PDCC meetings and open houses, FEMA works with community officials, other interested parties, and the project team as appropriate to address any significant issues raised.
6. If new or modified Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) are shown on the new or revised DFIRM and FIS report, FEMA initiates a 90-day appeal period in accordance with current statutory and regulatory requirements by:
   • Posting a list of proposed or proposed modified BFEs on the FEMA Website at http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/bfe
   • Publishing a legal notice, called a “Proposed Rule,” in the Federal Register
   • Sending an official notification of the proposed or proposed modified BFEs to the Chief Executive Officer (e.g., mayor, chairman of the board of supervisors) and floodplain administrator of each affected community
   • Publishing legal notices in the prominent local newspaper(s) twice during a 10-day period, usually 1 week apart, to announce the posting of the BFEs on the FEMA Website and the publication of the Proposed Rule in the Federal Register
7. During the 90-day appeal period, community officials, or other interested parties working through community officials, may submit a formal objection to the proposed BFEs. These objections, or “appeals,” must be based on data showing that the proposed BFEs are scientifically or technically incorrect. 
8. During the appeal period, community officials or other interested parties also may submit comments regarding flood hazard information other than BFEs and non-flood hazard (i.e., base map) information.  Such comments are considered “protests.”
9. At the end of the 90-day appeal period, FEMA reviews all appeals and protests, obtains additional required information if necessary, issues a letter documenting its determination, and revises and distributes revised copies of affected DFIRM panels and/or FIS report materials as necessary for review.
10. During the subsequent review period, which usually lasts 30 days, FEMA works closely with community officials and non-community appellants as appropriate.
11. Once the 90-day appeal period elapses, all appeals and protests have been resolved, and all followup actions have been taken, FEMA issues a Letter of Final Determination (LFD).  The LFD is sent to the CEO and floodplain administrator of each community and any appellants to 
    • Notify them officially that any and all appeals and protests have been resolved and that the BFEs are considered final
    • Notify them that another legal notice, called a “Final Rule,” will be published in the Federal Register
    • Initiate a 6-month adoption/compliance period
    • Announce the effective date of the DFIRM and FIS report
12. During the adoption/compliance period, the following occurs:
    • Project team members produce the final DFIRM and FIS report materials, including the DFIRM Database, and deliver them to FEMA’s Map Service Center (MSC) contractor for review.
    • The MSC contractor reviews the final materials for compliance with FEMA requirements, coordinates with FEMA and the project team as appropriate, and delivers the final materials to the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) for printing.
    • GPO produces the paper copies of the DFIRM and FIS report and returns them to the MSC contractor for distribution.
    • The MSC contractor distributes the paper copies of the DFIRM and FIS report to the community officials and other designated recipients.
13. During the compliance period, community officials also review and revise the floodplain management ordinances to ensure they are compliant with NFIP regulations and deliver them to the FEMA Regional Office for approval. FEMA works closely with the affected communities to ensure the appropriate regulations are adopted before the DFIRM and FIS report become effective.

On the effective date of the DFIRM and FIS report, the final printed version of the DFIRM and FIS report are effective for the floodplain management and flood insurance purposes of the NFIP.

Additional information on the Preliminary/Post-Preliminary Processing phase of map processing is provided in Volume 1, Section 1.5 of FEMA’s Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners, Section 1 and Appendix A of FEMA’s Document Control Procedures Manual, and in a FEMA brochure titled "Adoption of Flood Insurance Rate Maps by Participating Communities" (FEMA 495) PDF [3.22M] Text [18.8k] ).