Module 12 Lab

Objectives

Analyze FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for a coastal area in Hanover County, NC., near Wilmington, to gain an understanding of the various coastal flood zones and their relationships to coastal hazard mitigation.
Use evidence to consider the future of flood mitigation and insurance measures in coastal areas such as New Hanover County.

Background

Please revisit The National Flood Insurance Policy (NFIP) page in Module 12, which provides general background on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP): Historically, the NFIP has provided affordable flood insurance policies to homeowners through government subsidies. As we discussed in Module 12, the NFIP in its current state is deeply in debt and unsustainable after the past two decades of extreme weather, including more frequent hurricanes and river floods. To try to address this problem, FEMA is in the process of updating the NFIP to make it more equitable (to assess properties based on their true flood risk) by rolling out the Risk Rating System 2.0. The goal is to “enable FEMA to deliver rates that are actuarily sound, equitable, easier to understand, and better reflect a property’s flood risk”. The overhaul in the process now is designed to help address some of the issues with the NFIP. Flood insurance premiums will increase for properties that are at high risk of flooding.

You can read about these changes at FEMA: Risk Rating 2.0 Equity in Action.

Flood Insurance Rate Maps are used to determine a property’s flood insurance. A potential homeowner can access these maps before deciding to purchase property in a flood zone. The maps are also designed to help residents of coastal communities plan for and mitigate the flood risk to their properties by delineating flood zones and identifying Base Flood Elevations.

The FIRM zones are based on elevation and proximity to water, as well as several other factors that determine a property’s risk of flooding. Visit this site to read about the flood zones shown on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). For this lab, you will need to know about Zones AE, VE, and X. The information you will need is in this link.

Briefly, the BFE is the calculated height to which a location statistically has a 1% annual chance of being flooded. A 1% annual chance flood is sometimes called a 100-year flood, but this is misleading because a flood of this type could happen in any given year. A house must be built at or above the BFE to be eligible for flood insurance. Adding extra height further reduces the rate. The Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) show the Base Flood Elevation for each zone on the map.

To be covered by flood insurance under the NFIP a house must be built at an elevation at or above the BFE for the location. For example, if the FIRM indicates a BFE of 14ft, the first living floor must be at or above 14 ft above the base water level (as determined by FEMA) to receive affordable insurance. The insurance rate is calculated using this and other metrics. By employing additional mitigation measures such as elevating heating and cooling systems and other infrastructure, a homeowner can reduce their flood insurance premiums.

Instructions

Go to FEMA Flood Map Service Center
In the search bar, enter “New Hanover County, NC”. This will take you to the coastal area near Wilmington. Note the coded zones on the map and the legend below the map. Now click on the “Go to NFHL Viewer button”. We will zoom in on a couple of neighborhoods to analyze the flood zones. Enter the following address: 912 Tarpon Drive, Wilmington. Note the flood zone that the property is in. Now search 7101 Grouper Ct., Wilmington. Note which zone this property is in. What is the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) shown for each location?
Open Google Earth Pro and use the search bar to find the same properties you just found on the flood map. Zoom in to less than 500 ft. eye altitude to make a note of the following measurements: The distance between the two properties; The elevation at the driveway of each of the properties. Note the amenities that these two properties have in terms of water access. Which property has direct water access? Which property has a higher flood risk? If you zoom out to at least 13,000 ft., can you identify any natural features that would protect these two properties in the event of a storm surge?
Zoom to an eye altitude of less than 500 ft. Go to street view at each of the properties. What flood mitigation measures can you identify by looking at the two houses? Based on all of your observations using the FIRM and Google Earth, which property is likely to have a higher rate of insurance?
Return to the Flood Map (FIRM) and look at the zone to the east of Grouper Court. This is a CBRS Area. Google this term. What does this mean?
Now we will examine a nearby community and check out two more properties for comparison. On the NFHL Viewer search for 1203 Carolina Beach Ave N. Find its flood zone and BFE. Note: its elevation and other details of its construction.
Compare this property with the one directly across the street (1202 Carolina Beach Ave. N.) Find its flood zone and BFE. Note its elevation and other details of its construction. What stands out regarding the differences between these two properties. Which is the newer property? Explain why the newer one is built differently.
Use Google Earth Pro or Google Maps to analyze the elevation of the land where these properties sit. Is there any feature protecting them from a storm surge from the Atlantic Ocean?
What factors would have been considered in the newer property’s design and construction – based on what you know about flood mitigation and insurance?
Based on your knowledge of the NFIP and the changes currently in progress, if there was a major hurricane this year with a storm surge of 15 ft (or more), what would you expect to observe for these two properties? Which of these two properties is more likely to receive insurance funds to be rebuilt after the storm? Explain.

Lab Questions

Match Flood Zone descriptions with flood zone designations: Zones AE, VE, and X.
1. Areas along coasts are subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action. BFEs derived from detailed hydraulic coastal analyses are shown within these zones.
2. Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance flood event are determined by detailed methods. BFEs are shown within these zones.
3. Minimal risk areas outside the 1-percent and .2-percent-annual-chance floodplains. No BFEs or base flood depths are shown within these zones.
Currently, the NFIP is being modified. It is considered flawed in its original form because:
1. It is too expensive.
2. It has encouraged building in flood-prone areas because of its affordability
3. It is in debt to the federal government and is unsustainable in its present form
4. B and C are true.
Of the possible outcomes of the NFIP changes, which one is NOT likely?
1. It will increase flood insurance costs for most homeowners
2. It will be based on a more accurate flood risk assessment and therefore more equitable
3. It will fuel increased building in coastal hazard zones
4. All of these are likely.
Of the first two properties, you compared, which one is likely to have a higher flood insurance premium?
1. Grouper Court because it is built at a significantly lower elevation than the Tarpon Drive property.
2. Tarpon Drive because it is closer to the shoreline than the Grouper Court property.
3. Grouper Court because it is in a higher risk flood zone than the Tarpon Drive property.
4. There would be no difference in their flood insurance premiums.
What is the purpose of a CBRS Area and in what way does this benefit the homeowners in the neighborhood we analyzed in question 4? (2 points)
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Of 1203 and 1202 Carolina Beach Ave. N., which is the newer property? What evidence backs up your assertion? Explain why the newer one is built differently. What factors would have been considered in the newer property’s design and construction – based on what you know about flood mitigation and insurance? (5 points)
Based on your knowledge of coastal geomorphology, the NFIP, and the changes currently in progress, if a major hurricane hit Carolina Beach this year with a storm surge of 15 ft, what would you expect to observe for 1202 and 1203 Carolina Beach Ave. N? Does any natural or man-made feature protect the properties? Which of these two properties is more likely to receive NFIP insurance funds for rebuilding after the storm? Provide evidence to back up your claim. (5 points)