Development District
Modernizes Flood Maps

By Joseph Dunn, Legislative Representative, NADO

Recognizing the potential role of regional development organizations in flood hazard mapping, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funded a three-year, Flood Map Modernization Pilot Program, enabling the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center (CGRDC) to update the area’s flood maps of some of the region’s counties.

Located in Brunswick, Georgia, CGRDC is an EDA funded district that includes nine counties along the coast of Georgia, with a population of approximately 540,000 people. Second only to Atlanta, CGRDC represents the second- largest growing region in Georgia.

The $400,000 grant, awarded to CGRDC last year, resulted from discussions between NADO and FEMA on the necessity of federal assistance in updating flood maps for small metropolitan and rural communities throughout the United States. A panel of NADO members selected CGRDC for the pilot program.

One of FEMA’s goals with the initiative is to leverage available resources and data on the local, state and federal levels to complete a uniform Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for an area. Consequently, CGRDC has formed a Working Partners Group, which includes state and federal representatives from the FEMA Atlanta Regional office, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and others.

Barbara Adkins (left) of CGRDC reviews a map of the City of Hinesville with Linda Hickey of the Department of Inspections. Hinesville is located in Liberty County.

Due to the substantial cost of updating a FIRM, the first phase, completed in early 2002, included prioritizing the most pressing needs of the region. The CGRDC collected and evaluated existing data and conducted interviews at public meetings to identify areas of persistent flooding.

In addition to posting the meetings in local newspapers, the CGRDC invited a broad range of interests including local elected officials, public works and land-use professionals and members of the business and environmental communities. Upon completion of the first phase, CGRDC and the Working Partners Group selected Camden and Effingham counties. “We intentionally selected inland and coastal counties to ensure that the subsequent case study reached the broadest audience,” said Vernon Martin,Executive Director, of the CGRDC.

The CGRDC recently began the second-phase of the project, which is developing FEMA approved base and topographical maps for the two counties.These base studies will be the foundation for the final maps. The third phase will use the base maps to create preliminary Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRM). Lastly, CGRDC will conduct outreach training for local governments on the uses of DFIRMs and the overall compatibility of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS) technologies. At the conclusion of the grant, CGRDC will publish a manual that will serve as a model for future cooperative technical assistance partnerships between FEMA and other regional development organizations.

For More Information Contact: The CGRDC’s Executive Director, Vernon Martin at 912/264-7363.

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According to federal statistics, the annual devastation from floods claim the lives of approximately 100 people and cause $5 billion of damage. FEMA estimates that 20,000 communities nationwide lack a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) or are in need of a revision to the existing map. To update the nation’s flood maps, FEMA estimates it will cost $750 million over seven years.

To meet this need, FEMA has for the last several years requested funding to update and digitize the flood hazard maps. Congress appropriated $32 million in FY2002 for the program and the Bush administration has requested $300 million for FY2003.

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