#What is fema flood zone a free

Base flood elevation (BFE) or depths and flood insurance risk zones.roads, lakes, railroads, streams, and other waterways.Common physical features such as major highways, secondary.Title box, legend, body, and basic symbols.Floods spread unpredictably and do not match up to property or city lines maps can therefore help you understand your geographical relationship to areas of high flood risk.įeatures of the FEMA flood zone maps include: River and coastal flooding are two of the most prevalent types of floods, but burst dams, construction projects, or sudden rains can put you at risk of flood damage even when you are not in the vicinity of a large body of water. Flood Insurance Study (FIS) reports are a great resource for understanding the changing nature of your regional flood risk in recent years.įloods are a natural process of our environment and can potentially occur across all of the United States. They are updated frequently according to changes in land, environment, climate, or development.

historic meteorological, hydrologic, and hydraulic data.

#What is fema flood zone a free

First established after the congress created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) in 1968, these maps are a free public service available at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, and are also made available through third parties including property reports. FEMA and mortgage lenders use these flood maps to help determine flood insurance rates. The maps, known officially as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), show designated flood zones of high, moderate, and low flood risk. FEMA flood zone maps are a powerful tool to help identify the dangers of flooding in your area.