Floodplain Management
Contact
Jim Pillsbury, hydraulic engineer
Westmoreland Conservation District
724-837-5271
Municipalities can protect their communities from flooding by adopting and enforcing regulations – codes or ordinances – that provide a standard for how the land in floodplain areas is used and developed.
A community’s agreement to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations, particularly in regard to new construction, is important in making flood insurance available to home and business owners.
Background
The Pennsylvania Floodplain Management Act (Act 166 of 1978) requires that all municipalities enact and enforce an ordinance to meet the requirements of the Pennsylvania Floodplain Management Act and the National Flood Insurance Program.
From the enactment of Act 166 in 1978 until 1997, floodplain monitoring was the responsibility of the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED). In 1997, DCED entered into an agreement that allowed Conservation Districts to take on some of the responsibilities of floodplain monitoring within their respective counties. Funding is distributed from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to DCED and then to the Conservation District.
Resources
Many publications are available on the Internet. We recommend checking on line for the most recent publications available.
Some maps and publications also are available at the Westmoreland Conservation District office, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA (about one mile from Westmoreland Mall). These are indicated with ** and brown type in the following list. Copies of these publications can be picked up during District business hours (Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.); small quantities can be mailed.
MAPS
**Westmoreland County Flood Insurance Rate Maps**
These are available for viewing in the Conservation District office, 218 Donohoe Road, Greensburg, PA.
FIRMettes
These are smaller versions of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps. They are available free of charge from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Map Service Center web page. http://msc.fema.gov/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/FemaWelcomeView?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1
PUBLIC RESOURCES
The FEMA Library
This is a searchable web-based collection of all publicly accessible information resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
http://www.fema.gov/library/
**Answers to Questions About the NFIP (F-084 5/06)**
This booklet is intended to acquaint the public with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Despite the highly technical nature of the program, there has been a deliberate effort to minimize the use of technical terms. This publication is designed for readers who do not need a detailed history or refined technical or legal explanations, but do need a basic understanding of the program and the answers to some frequently asked questions.
http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/qanda.shtm
Flood Insurance Claims Handbook (FEMA 07-05)
This claims guide was created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which oversees the National Flood Insurance Program, to help you through the process of filing a claim and appealing the decision on your claim, if necessary.
http://www.msema.org/documents/insurance/nfip-public/Faxable%20Claims%20Handbook.pdf
MUNICIPAL RESOURCES
The National Flood Insurance Program
The Mitigation Directorate, a component of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, manages the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
This site gives information on flood response, flood insurance requirements for recipients of federal disaster assistance, myths and facts about the NFIP, a newsletter, continuing education credits for the basic agent tutorial, and links for state actions for flood insurance training and requirements for flood insurance agents.
http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/index.shtm
Managing Floodplain Development in Approximate Zone - A Areas - A guide for obtaining and developing base (100-year) flood elevations (FEMA April 1995).
This guide was developed for use by community officials, property owners, developers, surveyors, and engineers who may need to determine Base (100-year) Flood Elevations (BFEs) in special flood-hazard areas designated as approximate Zone A on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps published as part of the National Flood Insurance Program.
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/fhm/frm_zna.pdf
** Protecting Floodplain Resources - A Guidebook for Communities (FEMA 268 / June 1996). **
This guidebook has been written to introduce officials and citizens at the local level to a basic understanding of natural resources in floodplains and to offer suggestions for creating strategies for wisely managing these important areas.
http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=1419
Floodplain Management Publications
This is an extensive library of publication links for the floodplain manager. http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/floodplain/publications.shtm
The National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System
This is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/crs.shtm
TECHNICAL RESOURCES
The U.S. Army Corps' of Engineers Flood Plain Management Services Program
This site provides flood hazard determinations, technical data on flood hazards, and guidance on flood proofing, floodplain regulations, flood warning, emergency preparedness, and evacuations planning.
https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/nfpc [Note: This is the Army Corps of Engineers’ website. If you get a notice that the certificate for this website is not secure, it is OK to proceed to open it.]
**Technical Information on Floodplain Management Regulations (shown as No. 5 under the category “Planning Series”). **
This document provides information on permits for construction and development, determining the 100-year flood elevation, regulating development in the floodway, elevation and floodproofing, permits, manufactured homes, Department of Community & Economic Development floodplain management regulations, variances, and planning assistance from the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services.
http://www.newpa.com/get-local-gov-support/publications/index.aspx
**Flood Plain Management Regulations**
Title 12 Commerce, Trade, and Local Government, Chapter 113 Part V Community Affairs and Development, effective August 1980.
http://www.newpa.com/get-local-gov-support/publications/index.aspx
**Flood Proofing Regulations **
This shows requirements for construction materials in floodplains.
https://www.nwo.usace.army.mil/nfpc/fpreg/ace6.htm [Note: This is the Army Corps of Engineers’ website. If you get a notice that the certificate for this website is not secure, it is OK to proceed to open it.]
** and brown type indicate materials available at Westmoreland Conservation District. |
