The Delaware County Flood Risk Information Meeting was held May 6, 2008 at the Hayes Building.  To view scans of all the handouts at that meeting click here.  Below is a summary of the information presented at that meeting.

FEMA is in the midst of a "Map Modernization" process nationwide.  They are updating all of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) based on best, currently available data.  In Delaware this means they used the 2006 2' contour data that the County Auditor's office had created.  Preliminary data is now available.

With this new data/maps, they are no longer using the terms "100 year" and "500 year" floodplains instead, the terms "1% annual-chance floodplains" and "0.2% annual-chance floodplains" are being used.  These are effectively the same and are being used to avoid some of the confusion caused by the previous terms.

There are grandfathering provisions for structures that were previously mapped no risk and will now be mapped in a risk zone - if action is taken before the maps become active/official.  The handouts explain this further.

May 6, 2008 starts the 30-day comment period.  Toward the end of summer/beginning of fall of 2008 the county will be in the 6-month period when maps will be printed and ordinances written or updated.  The estimated date of the new Digital FIRMs effective date is Spring of 2009.

The new Digital FIRMs will be available in a number of formats, PDF (or PNG), paper, disk, and shapefile.  The new maps will also include aerial base layers that will make locating a structure and identifying it's relationship the flood risk areas easier.

Here are a list of helpful links:
http://www.floodsmart.gov
http://www.fema.gov
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/water/floodpln/map_modernization/default/tabid/3522/Default.aspx

The presenters at this meeting included:

• Jonathan E. Sorg, CFM
  • Environmental Specialist
  • ODNR - Division of Water Floodplain Management Program
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • (614) 265-6780
• Julia G. McCarthy
  • Program Specialist (MAP MOD)
  • FEMA - Mitigation Division Floodplain Management and Insurance
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • (312) 408-5518
• Tadd Henson, PE
  • Associate
  • Stantec Consulting
  • This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • (614) 844-4005

Please contact the people listed above with any questions you have about this process.