Description: The National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) data incorporates all Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) databases published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and any Letters Of Map Revision (LOMRs) that have been issued against those databases since their publication date. It is updated on a monthly basis. The FIRM Database is the digital, geospatial version of the flood hazard information shown on the published paper FIRMs. The FIRM Database depicts flood risk information and supporting data used to develop the risk data. The primary risk classifications used are the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event, the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood event, and areas of minimal flood risk. The FIRM Database is derived from Flood Insurance Studies (FISs), previously published FIRMs, flood hazard analyses performed in support of the FISs and FIRMs, and new mapping data, where available. The FISs and FIRMs are published by FEMA. The NFHL is available as State or US Territory data sets. Each State or Territory data set consists of all FIRM Databases and corresponding LOMRs available on the publication date of the data set. The specification for the horizontal control of FIRM Databases is consistent with those required for mapping at a scale of 1:12,000. This file is georeferenced to the Earth's surface using the Geographic Coordinate System (GCS) and North American Dataum of 1983 (NSRS-2007).The FIRM is the basis for floodplain management, mitigation, and insurance activities for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Insurance applications include enforcement of the mandatory purchase requirement of the Flood Disaster Protection Act, which "... requires the purchase of flood insurance by property owners who are being assisted by Federal programs or by Federally supervised, regulated or insured agencies or institutions in the acquisition or improvement of land facilities located or to be located in identified areas having special flood hazards, " Section 2 (b) (4) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. In addition to the identification of Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), the risk zones shown on the FIRMs are the basis for the establishment of premium rates for flood coverage offered through the NFIP. The FIRM Database presents the flood risk information depicted on the FIRM in a digital format suitable for use in electronic mapping applications. The FIRM Database serves to archive the information collected during the Flood Risk Project.
Service Item Id: 7f2c88cfd4cc41b9ba02b49126806ae4
Copyright Text: Federal Emergency Management Agency
Publication Date: 2002 Jun 03
National Flood Hazard - Layer Version 1.1.1.0 (FEMA-NFHL)
Washington, D.C.
https://msc.fema.gov
1-877-336-2627
mscservices@riskmapcds.com
Original data development environment may vary. Finishing of the data is done using Esri's ArcGIS software. The submitted personal geodatabase was created using ArcGIS version 10.0. The NFHL incorporates all FIRM Databases published by FEMA and any LOMRs that have been issued against those databases since their publication date. The NFHL consists of vector files and associated attributes produced in conjunction with the hardcopy FEMA FIRM. The published effective FIRM and FIRM Database are issued as the official designation of the SFHAs. As such they are adopted by local communities and form the basis for administration of the NFIP. For these purposes they are authoritative. Provisions exist in the regulations for public review, appeals and corrections of the flood risk information shown to better match real world conditions. As with any engineering analysis of this type, variation from the estimated flood heights and floodplain boundaries is possible. Details of FEMA's requirements for the FISs and flood mapping process that produces these data are available in the Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping. Attribute accuracy was tested by manual comparison of source graphics with hardcopy plots and a symbolized display on an interactive computer graphic system. Independent quality control testing of the individual FIRM Database components of the NFHL was also performed. To obtain more detailed information in areas where Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) and/or floodways have been determined, users are encouraged to consult the Flood Profiles and Floodway Data and/or Summary of Stillwater Elevations tables contained within the FIS reports that accompany the individual FIRM Database components of the NFHL. Users should be aware that BFEs shown in the S_BFE table may represent rounded whole-foot elevations. These BFEs are intended for flood insurance rating purposes only and should not be used as the sole source of flood elevation information. Accordingly, flood elevation data presented in the FIS report must be used in conjunction with the FIRM for purposes of construction and/or floodplain management. The 1-percent-annual-chance water-surface elevations shown in the S_XS table match the regulatory elevations shown in the FIS report.
When FEMA revises an FIS, adjacent studies are checked to ensure agreement between flood elevations at the boundaries. Likewise flood elevations at the confluence of streams studied independently are checked to ensure agreement at the confluence. The FIRM and the FIS are developed together and care is taken to ensure that the elevations and other features shown on the flood profiles in the FIS agree with the information shown on the FIRM. However, the elevations as shown on the FIRM may represent rounded whole-foot elevations. They must be shown so that a profile recreated from the elevations on the FIRM will match the FIS profiles within one half of one foot.
Data contained in the NFHL reflects the content of the source materials. Features may have been eliminated or generalized on the source graphic, due to scale and legibility constraints. With new mapping, FEMA plans to maintain full detail in the spatial data it produces. However, older information is often transferred from existing maps where some generalization has taken place. Flood risk data are developed for communities participating in the NFIP for use in insurance rating and for floodplain management. Flood hazard areas are determined using statistical analyses of records of river flow, storm tides, and rainfall; information obtained through consultation with the communities; floodplain topographic surveys; and hydrological and hydraulic analysis. Generally, regulatory water surface elevations and/or regulatory floodways are published only for developed or developing areas of communities. For areas where little or no development is expected to occur, FEMA may generate flood risk data without published water surface elevations. Typically, only drainage areas that are greater than one square mile and with an average of one foot of flood depth or greater are studied. Note: The NFHL reflects the most current information available when the distribution data set was created. Currently, not all areas of a State or Territory have effective FIRM Database data. As a result, users may need to refer to the effective FIRM for effective flood hazard information.
The NFHL consists of vector files and associated attributes produced in conjunction with the hardcopy FEMA FIRM. The published effective FIRM and FIRM Database are issued as the official designation of the SFHAs. As such they are adopted by local communities and form the basis for administration of the NFIP. For these purposes they are authoritative. Provisions exist in the regulations for public review, appeals and corrections of the flood risk information shown to better match real world conditions. As with any engineering analysis of this type, variation from the estimated flood heights and floodplain boundaries is possible. Details of FEMA's requirements for the FISs and flood mapping process that produces these data are available in the Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping. Horizontal accuracy was tested by manual comparison of source graphics with hardcopy plots and a symbolized display on an interactive computer graphic system. Independent quality control testing of the individual FIRM Database components of the NFHL was also performed.
The NFHL consists of vector files and associated attributes produced in conjunction with the hardcopy FEMA FIRM. The published effective FIRM and FIRM Database are issued as the official designation of the SFHAs. As such they are adopted by local communities and form the basis for administration of the NFIP. For these purposes they are authoritative. Provisions exist in the regulations for public review, appeals and corrections of the flood risk information shown to better match real world conditions. As with any engineering analysis of this type, variation from the estimated flood heights and floodplain boundaries is possible. Details of FEMA's requirements for the FISs and flood mapping process that produces these data are available in the Guidelines and Standards for Flood Risk Analysis and Mapping. The reliability of the floodplain boundary delineation is quantified by comparing the computed flood elevation to the ground elevation at the mapped floodplain boundary. The tolerance for how precisely the flood elevation and the ground elevation must match varies based on the flood risk class, which is a function of population, population density, and/or anticipated growth in floodplain areas. A horizontal accuracy of +/- 38 feet is used to determine the compliance with the vertical tolerances defined for each risk class. The range of differences between the ground elevation (defined from the topographic data used for the Flood Risk Project) and the computed flood elevation is between +/- 1.0 foot at the 95% confidence interval for areas with high population within the floodplain and/or high anticipated growth and Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) with high flood risk to +/- one-half the contour interval at the 85% confidence interval for areas with low population and densities within the floodplain and small or no anticipated growth and SFHAs with low flood risk. Independent quality control testing of the individual FIRM Database components of the NFHL was also performed.
The NFHL dataset is a compilation of effective FIRM Databases (a collection of the digital data that are used in GIS systems for creating new Flood Insurance Rate Maps) and Letters of Map Change (Letters of Map Amendment and Letters of Map Revision only) that create a seamless GIS data layer for a State or Territory. It is updated on a monthly basis. The FIRM Databases are compiled in conjunction with the hardcopy FIRMs and the final FIS reports. The specifics of the hydrologic and hydraulic analyses performed are detailed in the FIS reports available for each jurisdiction. The results of these studies are submitted in digital format to FEMA. These data and unrevised data from effective FIRMs are compiled onto the base map used for FIRM publication and checked for accuracy and compliance with FEMA standards. As new FIRM Databases are received the individual FIRM layers are sewn into the nationwide layers of the NFHL. LOMRs for the FIRM Databases in the NFHL are cut directly into the NFHL data layers as they are being produced and finalized.