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<br />Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners [April 2003 } <br /> <br />To determine whether a map maintenance update is nee:ded, the Mapping Partner performing the <br />Mapping Needs Assessment shall examine the features on the FIRM and consider the following <br />questions: Have the corporate boundaries changed? Have new roads been built in or near the 1- <br />percent-annual-chance floodplain? <br /> <br />Another reason for a map maintenance update is the availability of digital base mappmg. <br />Minimum criteria for locally produced base maps are provided in Section 1.4. <br /> <br />1.2.3.3 Mapping Needs Assessment for Unmapped Community [February 2002] <br /> <br />Mapping Partners may be tasked by FEMA to assess the mapping needs of communities for <br />which FEMA has not published a FIRM or any other type of Flood Hazard Map. The Mapping <br />Needs Assessment for these "unmapped communities" shall include determining whether the <br />community is floodprone and, if so, identifying whether flood data already exist that can be used <br />to prepare an FIRM and FIS report or whether new flood data will have to be developed. <br /> <br />To determine whether a community is floodprone, Mapping Partners that perform Mapping <br />Needs Assessments shall contact community officials to discuss whether the community has <br />experienced recent or historical flooding problems, particularly focusing on areas of existing or <br />anticipated development. In coordination with local officials, the Mapping Partners shall try to <br />ascertain whether the community's flooding experiences relate to "general" conditions of <br />flooding (as defined in Section 59.1 of the NFIP regulations) or to local storm water dramage <br />problems. <br /> <br />Mapping Partners that perform Mapping Needs Assessments also shall review, at a minimum, <br />the effective NFIP maps of the contiguous communities, including the county, to determine <br />whether flooding sources with identified flood hazards may affect the subject community. The <br />Mapping Partners shall review the USGS topographic maps covering the subject community to <br />determine, based on contours and drainage patterns, whether flooding is likely to affect the <br />community. As a general rule, FEMA is concerned primarily with flooding sources that have a <br />drainage area of 1 square mile or more. <br /> <br />Mapping Partners that perform Mapping Needs Assessments shall contact other potential data <br />sources such as the USACE, the NRCS, the USGS, and the State NFIP Coordinator to determine <br />(1) whether they know of any historical flooding problems occurring within the community and <br />(2) whether they are aware of existing studies or mapping (e.g., Floodplain Information Reports <br />or Flood Hazard Analyses Reports) that provide flood data for the community. <br /> <br />Upon completion of the Mapping Needs Assessment for an unmapped community, the Mapping <br />Partner performing the Mapping Needs Assessment shall submit the following documentation to <br />FEMA: <br /> <br />· Written recommendation as to whether the community should be considered floodprone, <br />with a brief description and any calculations or mapping that support that determination; <br /> <br />· Communication records or meeting minutes documenting coordination with community <br />officials, the State NFIP Coordinator, and other agencies contacted during the Mapping <br />Needs Assessment; <br /> <br />1-23 <br /> <br />Section 1.2 <br />