Floodplain Management

Man Sitting Along River Run

Managing flooding in high risk areas starts with floodplain management.

To do so, the Mile High Flood District creates flood hazard mapping and provides data and support to the floodplain administrators. The District also works with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Cooperating Technical Partner to:

  • Create new flood hazard zones.
  • Review modifications made to these zones due to projects.
  • Update Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) floodplain maps.
  • Ensure local knowledge of the stream and potential flood risks are incorporated into the work products.
Learn More

 

PHYSICAL MAP REVISIONS

Find out how locally developed floodplain maps are incorporated into the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps.

District Floodplain Mapping

Floodplain mapping is key to keeping areas updated with adjustments to flood risk potential and floodplain boundaries from both natural and anthropogenic changes. To do so, the Mile High Flood District uses Flood Hazard Area Delineation (FHAD) and Master Drainage Plan (MDP) studies.

For more information check out the different floodplain maps via the Data Viewer and download the following FHAD information.

The FHAD guidelines were last updated in January 2022. For an overview of the updates made, please watch this video.

Using Data to Determine Flood Insurance Rates

Keeping the regulatory flood hazard data up-to-date both on a local and national level is important for many reasons, including saving people money on their flood insurance. That’s why the Mile High Flood District works closely with FEMA to incorporate Flood Hazard Area Delineation (FHAD) data into the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) through a process called Physical Map Revision (PMR).

How to Submit Letters of Map Change (LOMC)

In order to change preliminary FIRM information, a Letter of Map Change (LOMC) must be submitted. These can be sent at any time but must follow specific guidelines. Use the following documents to prepare and submit your LOMC properly

Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) fact sheets & additional resources

Not to be confused with Letters of Map Change (LOMC), a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) is FEMA’s official modification to a FIRM. But like the LOMC, there are specific guidelines surrounding when to use an LOMR vs. an Appeal.

Additional Resources

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