On July 29, 2020, FEMA issued the Letter of Final Determination (LFD) to finalize the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for communities in Rockingham County near and along the coast. FEMA originally issued the preliminary versions of the maps in 2014 followed by revised preliminary map panels for several communities in 2016. The maps reflect updated flood hazard analyses and LiDAR-derived topographic data which was used to delineate updated floodplains based on the results of the analysis. The new FIRMs and accompanying Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report become effective on January 29, 2021.
FIRMs are produced for communities that participate in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). They are used by:
- community officials to determine where and how their community floodplain ordinance applies for development;
- lenders to determine if a building must have a flood insurance policy as a condition of a loan;
- insurance agents to determine the cost of a flood insurance policy for a building; and
- people interested in understanding what the risk from flooding in their area is.
The NH Flood Hazards Viewer or FEMA’s Map Service Center can be used to view the pending maps.
On Wednesday, November 18th from 4pm – 6pm, FEMA will be holding a virtual public open house about the new maps. During this event, members of the public can speak one-on-one with FEMA and state officials about the maps, find out what flood zone their property is in on the maps, and get answers to questions about flood insurance. Details are included in the event flyer.
For more information or for questions about this mapping project, contact the NH Office of Strategic Initiatives’ Floodplain Management team, or visit their Coastal Mapping Project webpage.
(article by Samara Ebinger, CFM Principal Planner, NH Office of Strategic Initiatives - Division of Planning)