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Quick Guide
Texas Floodplain Management Association
http://www.tfma.org
2008
Quick Guide
Floodplain Management in Texas This Quick Guide was originally prepared in 2002 by:
www.rcquinnconsulting.com i
Texas Quick Guide
Contents
About This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Texas Flood Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Why Do We Regulate the Floodplain? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
What is the National Flood Insurance Program? . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Flood Insurance: Property Owners Best Protection . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Community Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Looking for Floodplain Information? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
FEMA Flood Maps Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Flood Map Modernization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Understanding the Riverine Floodplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Understanding the Floodway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Flood Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
The Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (Riverine) . . . . . . . . . .14
Old Format Flood Insurance Rate Map (Riverine) . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Flood Insurance Rate Map (Riverine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Use the Riverine Flood Profile to Determine BFEs . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Approximate Flood Zones or Unnumbered A Zones . . . . . . . . . .18
Understanding the Coastal Floodplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Flood Insurance Rate Map (Coastal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Areas of Shallow Flooding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Changes to FEMA Flood Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Activities Requiring Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Safe Uses of the Floodplain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Is Your Building Site Higher than the BFE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25
What is Meant by Pre-FIRM and Post-FIRM? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Nature Doesnt Read Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
Think Carefully Before You Seek a Variance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Some Key Permit Review Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Carefully Complete the Permit Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
Freeboard: Build Above the BFE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
What is the Elevation Certificate and How is it Used? . . . . . . . . .32
Completing the Elevation Certificate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Paperwork is Important for You and Your Community . . . . . . . .34
Floodplain Fill Can Make Things Worse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Recommended Floodway No Rise Certification . . . . . . . . . . . .36
How to Elevate Your Floodplain Building (Riverine) . . . . . . . . . . .37
Compaction of Floodplain Fill (A Zone) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38
Basements are Unsafe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Manufactured Homes Deserve Special Attention . . . . . . . . . . . . .40
Enclosures Below the BFE (Riverine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Typical Elevation Methods for Coastal Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 ii
Texas Quick Guide
Coastal Houses Must Resist Wind and Water Forces . . . . . . . . . .43
Enclosures Below V Zone Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44
The V Zone Certificate (Sample) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
Utility Service Outside Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46
Utility Service Inside Enclosures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Accessory (Appurtenant) Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Recreational Vehicles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
Planning to Improve Your Floodplain Building? . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
What About After Damages? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .51
Elevating a Pre-FIRM Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52
Some Flood Protection for Older Homes is Easy and Low Cost . . .53
Small Levees and Floodwalls Can Protect Some Older Homes . . .54
Some Flood Mitigation Projects are More Costly
but Give You More Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
Be Flood Safe Dont Drive Through Flooded Roads . . . . . . . . . .56
Useful Web Sites and Common Acronyms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58
Contents, continued 1
Texas Quick Guide
About This Guide
Texas Floodplain Management Association
http://www.tfma.org
2008
Quick Guide
Floodplain Management in T
exas
This
Quick Guide
will help you understand more about why and how communities in
the State of Texas manage floodplains to protect people and property. Flood-prone
communities adopt ordinances that detail the rules and requirements for floodplain
development. In case of conflict, that ordinance and not this publication, must be followed.
If you have questions, be sure to talk with your local planning, permit, engineering or
floodplain management office.
Questions and comments on the Quick Guide can
be directed to the Texas Floodplain Management
Association (TFMA) at
http://www.tfma.org. 2
Texas Quick Guide
The Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA) and its partners are pleased to
provide this
Quick Guide
to help citizens understand what floodplain management is and
why floodplain development is regulated.
Communities regulate the floodplain to:
Protect
people and property
Ensure
that Federal flood insurance and disaster assistance are available
Save
tax dollars
Reduce
future flood losses
Reduce
liability
Floods have been, and continue to be, the most destructive natural disaster in terms of
economic loss to the citizens of Texas. More than 12% of the states land area is subject to
flooding. Since 1978, Texas flood insurance policy holders have filed over 178,000 flood
loss claims totalling $2.9 billion in claim payments. Even though that represents many
insurance payments, most flood-prone Texans dont have flood insurance.
Introduction 3
Texas Quick Guide Flood-prone areas have been identified
in most counties, cities and towns
in Texas. Millions of structures are located in
mapped flood-prone areas. Since 1988, over 400 people have
died in flood-related incidents and
over $4 billion in damage has
occurred. About 12% of the states land
area is mapped floodplain. Many
waterways have not been mapped.
Not all flood events are declared
major disasters. Many floods are local,
affecting only small areas or a few
watersheds.
Texas Flood Events
Presidential
Disaster Declarations
1964-2007
3 - 5
6 - 7
8 - 10
11 - 14
15 - 18
Number of
Declarations
by County
* FEMA data current to September 2007
* 4
Texas Quick Guide
To protect people and property.
Floodplain management is about developing smart. It
makes good sense. If we know part of our land will flood from time to time, we should
make reasonable decisions to help protect our families, homes, and businesses.
To make sure that federal flood insurance and disaster assistance are available.

You are not eligible to purchase flood insurance unless you are in a community that
regulates development in the floodplain through the NFIP. In addition, if federal flood
insurance isnt available, then you cant get some types of federal financial assistance.
Home mortgages will be hard to find, and you wont be able to get some types of state
and federal loans and grants.
To save tax dollars.
Every flood disaster affects your communitys budget. If we build
smarter, well have fewer problems the next time it floods. Remember, federal disaster
assistance isnt available for all floods. And even when the President declares a
disaster, you and your community still have to pay a portion of the costs of evacuation,
temporary housing, repair, and clean-up.
To avoid liability and law suits.
If we know an area is mapped as floodplain and likely
to flood, if we know people could be in danger, and if we know that buildings could
be damaged, it makes sense to take reasonable protective steps when we develop and
build.
To reduce future flood losses in Texas.
Development that complies with the minimum
floodplain management requirements is better protected against major flood-related
damage. State legislation was amended in 1999 to require all cities and counties to
adopt ordinances or orders to become eligible to participate in the NFIP. Communities
in Texas also have authority to regulate development with stricter local floodplain
management requirements.
Why Do We Regulate the Floodplain? 5
Texas Quick Guide
The National Flood Insurance