Region 5 Flood Map Modernization Website Guide
Information about your State and County
For GIS Map Viewer Information
General Information Map Viewer Layers/Legend Scale Results Submit Tools Flood Zone Definitions
Introduction: Welcome to the GIS Map Viewer for PBS&J’s FEMA Region 5 data. This Viewer allows you to interactively view FEMA DFIRM flood data as a map on screen for any projects that PBS&J has completed final or preliminary work on. It also has the ability to print DFIRM GIS data and Flood Insurance Rate Maps within this Region1. Tools allow you to move around the map, zoom in and out, identify objects and search GIS data.
1 Please note that maps and data printed from this website are to be used for reference only and cannot be used for flood insurance determination. Only an official FIRM map provided by FEMA can be used for those purposes.
- To open the GIS Viewer, click on the GIS Map Viewer tab on the Main Toolbar
This button will open a new window (browser pop-up blockers may prevent the Viewer from opening and need to be disabled in order to use the Viewer). Loading times may vary depending on connection speed and map size.
- Once the page is fully open, the
map is usable. For a full description of the tools located on the top ‘Tools’ bar
click the 
icon or see below.
Finding Your
Location:
- Zoom in on your area of
interest by selecting the 
tool and drawing a box around the desired area. The map will zoom to the
extent of the drawn box.
If you don’t know the location of a community you want to view within Region 5, you can use the SEARCH tool to find & view the data:
Under the SEARCH tab on the right side of the screen, type in the street address and the City, State or Zip Code of the desired location and click the Search button. If exact address is unknown; City, State or Zip Code only may be used to zoom to the general area desired.
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This tool is located on
the left side of the map display. It allows the user to zoom in or out at a
fixed rate. The bar on the top is the farthest away scale. The bar on the
bottom is the closest scale. The bar indicating the current scale range is
darkened. Clicking any bar above or below the current scale range causes the
map to redraw at the new scale range. |
Map Scale: The visible map scale can also be changed by a user defined amount. To do this, type the preferred scale into the ‘Scale’ box located under the main display window and click the arrow button.
Scale Bar and North Arrow: These objects are placed in the map for reference and approximate measurement. As the map extent changes, the scalebar will adjust itself.
Layers/Legend:
The LAYERS tab is at the right of the SEARCH tab. Clicking on the ‘Visibility’ option displays the layer list. Clicking on the ‘Legend’ option displays a legend of map symbols. The layers that have check marks in the box next to the name are drawn in the map display. If the box is not checked, then that layer is not turned on and will not be visible. Some layers are not visible at full scale, but will appear when zoomed in closer. As each layer becomes visible, it is represented in the Legend. Layer definitions and explanations can be found at the end of this document or by clicking here.
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Note: When a layer is turned off, it is no longer displayed in the legend.
Results:
The Results tab shows information about the data selected
using the ‘Identify’
tool. The data displayed describes the feature identified. Information will
vary depending on the layer selected.
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Information contained in this table is described by FEMA’s Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners; Appendix L: Guidance for Preparing Draft Digital Data and DFIRM Database (Section L.4).
This tool allows you to submit a comment about selected
items or locations on the map. The comment will be delivered to a PBS&J
analyst. To initiate this option, click the 
button located on the top ‘Tools’ bar. Once
this tool is selected, click the location on the map and a point will be
placed. The location information for the point will be automatically generated
and placed in the Lat/Long box. Fill out the rest of the boxes and click the 
button. Once submitted, a comment will show up
on screen verifying the submission.
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- This tool allows you to zoom back out
to the full extent of the map. You can click this at anytime, and the map will
redraw to the same extent as when the Viewer was first opened.
- These tools allow you zoom in or out
depending on the box drawn. This box represents the zoom extent. To zoom in to
an area, click the button with the plus sign. Move your cursor over the map to
the desired location, click and hold your mouse while drawing a box around the
desired area. This will make the map zoom in to the area defined by the box. To
zoom out of an area, you can click the button with the minus sign. This allows
you to zoom out at ranges. The smaller your drawn box is when you have selected
the zoom-out button, the more area will be shown.
- These tools move the extent back or forward to the previous display.
- This button allows you to pan, or move,
around the map in any direction. To do this, click and hold the left mouse
button and drag the cursor across the screen to the area that you want
displayed. Release the button and the map will redraw.
- This tool allows you to identify data shown
on the map. To use this, click on the button located on the ‘Tools’ bar. At the
bottom of the map display window, there is a drop down box for selecting the
Active Layer.
Once the Active Layer is selected, use the tool to click on features within that layer on the map. The information about the feature identified will be displayed in the Results table.
- This tool allows you to select by drawing a
box or rectangle around an item or area. To use this, click on the button
located on the ‘Tools’ bar. As with the Identify tool, you must select an
Active Layer first. Once your Active Layer is selected, you can draw a box or
rectangle around the desired area. This is done by clicking and dragging your
mouse around an area. The features that are within this area will be selected,
with the attribute information being displayed at the bottom of the screen. The
features will be highlighted in light blue when they are selected. The rows can
be sorted by increasing or decreasing value within each column heading.
- This tool allows you to select features by
drawing a polygon, instead of a box or rectangle. This allows you to refine
your selection by letting you decide exactly how you want to select the
features. Start by clicking the button on the ‘Tools’ bar and selecting the
Active Layer, as described in the previous tool descriptions. Click once to
start creating your selection polygon. To define the desired area, click each
time you want to change the direction of the selection area. When you have
fully enclosed your selection area, double click your mouse and the desired
features from the Active Layer will be selected.
- This tool allows you to clear your selection. When you click this button, all information shown in the attribute table at the bottom of the page will be cleared. The highlighting around the selected features will also be removed.
- This tool allows you to create your own
version of the display currently in your map window. You can save or print this
PDF on your own computer. (Please note: Map scale is approximate based on
11" x 8.5" size)
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This tool allows you to select a location on the map and place a point
to make a comment. When you identified an area, location, or feature that you
want to submit a comment on, you can place a point on the map using this tool.
The point stores the latitude and longitude for the submission as well as
activating the comments submission form. The comment will
be received and analyzed; then a decision about the comment will be made by the
appropriate personnel.
- This button launches the ‘Tools’ help guide.
This guide provides a basic description of the usage of the map tools.
- This
allows you to select the size of map display shown on the screen. When the map
display opens, it will automatically detect your screen resolution and open the
display corresponding to your system set up. If you want a larger map display
window, click on the blue box that is the next size up from the on that is
currently selected. The current size is the shown by the shading of the boxes.
Cross Sections: A line developed from topographic information across a floodplain at which a computation of flood flow has been made to establish a potential flood elevation. Cross sections are shown on the Flood Boundary Floodway Map, Flood Insurance Rate Map, and/or Flood Profiles of a Flood Insurance Study.
Base Flood Elevations (BFE): The water level that would result from the Base Flood, usually expressed as a number of feet above sea level. There is a one percent chance that flooding would reach that level in a given year. Pertains to Zones AE, AH, A1-A30, AR, AR/A, AR/AE, AR/A1-A30, AR/AH, AR/AO, V1-V30, and VE only. For flood zone definitions see below or click here.
Profile Baseline: This line represents the stream centerline that was used in creating the flood model. This line follows the main path of the water flow though the hydrologic system. This data is used for creating flood hazard areas, plotting BFEs and cross section placement.
FIRM Panels: FIRM Panels represent the individual Flood Insurance Rate Maps themselves. The panel number contains the Community Identification Number (CID), as well as the panel number and the letter associated with the version of the map. First versions end with the letter ‘A’, while a 5th version will end with a letter ‘E’.
General Structures: These are structures which are located within the flood hazard area that may affect the flow of water, as well as the resulting flood area. These structures include, but are not limited to; bridges, culverts, dams, dikes, footbridges, levees, locks, spillways, and weirs.
Flood Hazard Areas: The area delineated on a National Flood Insurance Program map as being subject to inundation by the base flood. SFHAs are determined using statistical analyses of records of river flow, storm tides, and rainfall; information obtained through consultation with a community; floodplain topographic surveys; and hydrologic and hydraulic analyses.
Zones indicating mandatory purchase of flood insurance
in participating communities
Zone A: Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual chance flood event generally determined using approximate methodologies. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed, no Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) or flood depths are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone AE: Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual chance flood event determined by detailed methods. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone AH: Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually areas of ponding) where average depths are between one and three feet. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown in this zone. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone AO: Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually sheet flow on sloping terrain) where average depths are between one and three feet. Average flood depths derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown in this zone. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Some Zone AO areas have been designated in areas with high flood velocities such as alluvial fans and washes. Communities are encouraged to adopt more restrictive requirements for these areas.
Zone AR: Areas that result from the decertification of a previously accredited flood protection system that is determined to be in the process of being restored to provide base flood protection. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone A99: Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event, but which will ultimately be protected upon completion of an under-construction Federal flood protection system. These are areas of special flood hazard where enough progress has been made on the construction of a protection system, such as dikes, dams, and levees, to consider it complete for insurance rating purposes. Zone A99 may only be used when the flood protection system has reached specified statutory progress toward completion. No Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) or depths are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone V: Areas along coasts subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event with additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves. Because detailed hydraulic analyses have not been performed, no Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) or flood depths are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zone VE: Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual chance flood event with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action. Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown. Mandatory flood insurance purchase requirements and floodplain management standards apply.
Zones indicating non-mandatory (but available)
purchase of flood insurance in participating communities
Zone D: Areas of undetermined flood hazard where flooding is possible.
Zone X: Areas of minimal flood hazard from the principal source of flood in the area and determined to be outside of the 0.2 percent annual chance floodplain.
Zone X (Shaded): Areas of moderate flood hazard from the principal source of flood in the area and determined to be between the limits of the one percent annual chance floodplain and the 0.2 percent annual chance floodplain.
Zone X (Future Base Flood): Area that corresponds to the 1-percent-annual-chance floodplain that is determined based on future-conditions hydrology. No BFEs or base flood depths are shown within this zone.