N.D. Gov. Notes $1.1 Million Flood Map Modernization Grant Awarded from FEMA

North Dakota Gov. John Hoeven recently announced the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the North Dakota State Water Commission (SWC) nearly $1.1 million for Map Modernization (Map Mod) efforts in three North Dakota counties. Barnes, Grand Forks and Walsh counties are included in this year’s flood map update and digital conversion.

“This funding will improve the State Water Commission’s ability to identify effective ways to protect our communities against flood disasters,” Hoeven said. “This season, for example, we’ve had significant problems with overland flooding in a number of our communities. Modernizing our flood map will give us a valuable tool in helping communities like these as they develop and plan for the future.”

New digitized data will allow the user to overlay and analyze flood data with other digitized data such as streets, demographics, infrastructure and evacuation routes. It will also enable communities to easily access and produce timely updates to maps as flood risks change.

“Map Modernization is a huge undertaking by FEMA, and it’s great for the SWC to be the Cooperating Technical Partner for this project,” said Dale Frink, North Dakota State engineer. “It allows the state to serve as a centralized contact point for all of the counties and communities involved in this project. Plus, with our resources, we can coordinate the Map Mod efforts for multiple counties in a single year.”

This effort will allow the SWC to work closely with FEMA and North Dakota’s county residents and officials to determine specific updates to the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) a county may need.

“We have had great input and participation from county officials and residents this year,” said Shandi Teltschik, North Dakota Map Mod coordinator. “It’s very important that we have their involvement in this project so we can work toward obtaining a better product for flood hazard risk assessment, floodplain management, land use development and emergency planning.”

FEMA’s Map Mod Plan is a multi-year national effort to update FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps and convert this data to a digital format resulting in a countywide Digital FIRM.