Resources for Floodplain Management

The following Fact Sheets issued by FEMA's Office of Environmental Planning and Historic Preservation offer guidance during this unique and trying time of the Covid-19 pandemic:

• Environmental and Historic Preservation and Emergency Protective Measures for COVID-19  offers EHP review process advice and special environmental considerations for temporary facilities that may be established to combat the virus.​
• Floodplain Considerations for Temporary Critical Facilities  offers guidance on the location of temporary critical facilities (such as hospitals, medical sheltering, and mortuary facilities) as relates to flood hazard areas.

What is a Building?

This article helps explain and elaborate on one of the most crucial pieces of any floodplain management ordinance. Regulating the development of buildings in a community's floodplain is essential to keeping people and property safe from flooding. But, not everything that looks like a building is regulated as such and this article explains what to look for when dealing with permits for buildings.

Basements in Floodplains

Basements are a very common construction method in Nebraska and they can provide tricky development situations in floodplains. This article covers the flood risk aspects of basements, applying floodplain management regulations, understanding Letters of Map Change and how they apply to basements, and understanding basic flood insurance ramifications of basements.

Flood Openings: Resources for Floodplain Managers

Some buildings that are built in floodplains require flood openings to be installed to meet compliance with local floodplain management regulations. This article outlines those requirements, their applicability, and some common items to look for when a building owner requests a floodplain development permit.

Floodplain Administrators' Roles in Disasters

After a flood or other major disaster, floodplain administrators may have a big and important role to play. Every ordinance contains a provision for buildings that are substantially damaged (by more than 50% of pre-damage value) and require them to be elevated to current compliance levels. This article explains that provision and outlines the appropriate steps that should be taken after a disaster to prepare a community for rebuilding.

Increased Cost of Compliance Coverage

Following up on the article above, the buildings that are required to be elevated after being flooded may cost a homeowner a substantial amount of money. If they are insured through the NFIP, there is a portion of their policy that provides up to $30,000 to elevate, demolish, or remove a structure that has to be brought into compliance. Floodplain administrators play a role in helping a policyholder access that money and this article explains the process and what local officials need to know.

Violations and Enforcement Part II: Reaching for the "Big Stick"

This article follows up from the article above and highlights some enforcement solutions that community officials can use to help achieve compliance.

Grandfathering and the Newly Mapped Procedure

This article covers grandfathering in flood insurance and good information for floodplain administrators. The article also covers "newly-mapped policies," which are relatively new to the NFIP that allow policyholders to obtain a newly-mapped policy when a new FIRM goes into effect to lessen the impact of an increase in flood insurance premiums.