Flood Protection Information

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a Federal program, established by Congress in 1968, that allows property owners to purchase federally-backed flood insurance within communities that participate in the program. In return for this insurance protection, participating communities implement floodplain measures to reduce flood risks to new development. Through this program, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and participating communities are able to reduce future flood losses.

Under the NFIP, FEMA is required to develop flood risk data for use in both insurance rating and floodplain management. FEMA develops these data through Flood Insurance Studies (FISs).  Using the results of these studies, FEMA prepares a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that depicts the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) within the study’s community. SFHAs are areas subject to inundation by a flood having a one-percent or greater probability of being equaled or exceeded during any given year. This flood, which is commonly referred to as the 100-year flood (or base flood), is the national standard on which the floodplain management and insurance requirements of the NFIP are based.

In addition to SFHAs, the FIRM shows areas subject to inundation during the 500-year flood and may show areas designated as a regulatory floodway. The regulatory floodway is the channel of a stream plus any adjacent floodplain areas that must be kept free of encroachment so that the 100-year flood discharge can be conveyed without increasing the base flood elevation (BFE) more than a specified amount. Within the SFHAs identified by approximate analyses, the FIRM shows only the flood insurance zone designation.

The FIRM provides information that allows the map user to

  • Identify Special Flood Hazard Areas subject to flooding
  • Identify the location of a specific property
  • Estimate the BFE at a specific site
  • Determine the flood insurance zone at a specific site
  • Determine the location of the regulatory floodway (where shown)
Quick reference on Greensboro’s FIRM Panel Dates
The FEMA FIRM maps are used to administer the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP); however, it does not necessarily identify all areas subject to flooding particularly from local drainage sources of small size. The NFIP makes federally-backed flood insurance available for all buildings within a participating community, whether the buildings are in a regulated floodplain or not. Flood insurance covers direct losses caused by surface flooding, including a river flowing over its banks, a lake or ocean storm, and local drainage problems.

FEMA publishes the FIRM and distributes it to a wide range of users. Citizens, community officials, insurance agents and brokers, lending institutions, and Federal agencies use the FIRM to determine the degree of flood hazard in specific areas of the community so that actuarial premium rates can be assigned and full insurance coverage obtained for properties at risk.

North Carolina, through FEMA's Cooperating Technical Community partnership initiative, has been designated as the first Cooperating Technical State (CTS). As a CTS, the State will assume primary ownership and responsibility of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for all North Carolina communities as part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This project includes conducting flood hazard analyses and producing updated, digital FIRMs (DFIRMs). For more information on this project, visit www.ncfloodmaps.com.

Prior to beginning any development activities within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and Future Conditions Flood Hazard Area, a Floodplain Development Permit Application must be submitted and a floodplain development permit must be obtained from the Stormwater Division of the Water Resources Department. Required information relating to development activities shall include, but not be limited to: the nature, location, dimensions, and elevations of the area in question; existing or proposed structures, fill, storage of materials, drainage facilities, and location of the foregoing. Download the floodplain development permit application (pdf). For additional information concerning the process for requesting a floodplain development permit, contact the Stormwater Division at (336) 373-2055.

Abbreviations:

  • BFE: Base Flood Elevation
  • FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • FIRM: Flood Insurance Rate Map
  • FIS: Flood Insurance Study
  • NFIP: National Flood Insurance Program
  • SFHA: Special Flood Hazard Area

References:
FEMA (1988) "Guide To Flood Insurance Rate Maps". FIA-14
FEMA "FIRM" Retrieved from FEMA Website on December 16, 2003
North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program Retrieved from http://www.ncfloodmaps.com on December 23, 2003

Site Last Updated March 23, 2005.