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State Floodplain Management Program Program

State Floodplain Management Program Program

The Florida Division of Emergency Management serves as the State Coordinating Agency of the National Flood Insurance Program to work with Florida's municipalities and counties to administer local flood damage reduction regulations. The Office of Floodplain Management promotes and ensures sound land use development in floodplain areas  to promote the public’s health and safety , minimize loss of life and property, and reduce economic losses caused by flood damages.

The Office of Floodplain Management is a unit in the Florida Division of Emergency Management, Bureau of Mitigation. Floodplain Management Specialists work with Florida's communities to help them successfully manage development in flood zones. The office staff visits communities to offer technical assistance to improve the administration of local floodplain management ordinances and the flood provisions of the Florida Building Code and to monitor community performance to ensure compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program development regulations in Special Flood Hazard Areas. 

The Office of Floodplain Management also coordinates and collaborates on the following activities:

  • Map Modernization and FEMA Risk MAP priorities
  • Integration of flood-resistant standards into the Florida Building Code
  • Coordination with FDEM’s mitigation grant programs
  • Integration of floodplain management concepts and tasks into multi-jurisdictional local mitigation strategies developed by counties and municipalities
  • Participation in maintaining the State Enhanced Hazard Mitigation Plan and planning process
  • Consultation with State agencies on state-owned facilities in special flood hazard areas
  • Supporting training of local floodplain managers and building officials in partnership with the Florida Floodplain Managers Association (FFMA)
  • Coordination with the Florida Dam Safety Program
  • Partnerships with federal, state, and local organizations pertinent to floodplain management

The National Flood Insurance Program is a  flood damage insurance program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Residents and business owners are eligible to purchase NFIP flood insurance policies in communities that agree to regulate development in special flood hazard areas. These areas are delineated by FEMA on Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Learn more about NFIP flood insurance by contacting your insurance agent or company that provides your homeowner’s insurance.

The State of Florida has more than 22 million residents where 80 percent live or work along or near our coastline. Many other residents live and work near many of the State's rivers and other inland floodplains.  Community officials, residents, and business owners are concerned about protecting lives and property from future flooding. As of late 2023, more than 1.7 million NFIP flood insurance policies are in force in Florida, representing nearly 35 percent of all policies nationwide. These policies equate to more than $342 billion of insurance coverage. Since 1978, Floridians have received more than $10 billion in claim payments. While flood insurance does not stop the damage, it does provide owners with financial resources to help recover.

What is floodplain management?  For an overview of what Florida counties, cities, and towns must do to regulate special flood hazard areas, read the Florida Quick Guide for Floodplain Management.

FEMA Publications About NFIP Insurance

Visit FEMA Flood Insurance Outreach Publications and Resources to download publications, videos, graphics, and online tools for policyholders and others, along with brochures, flyers, and other publications.

Community Guidance & Quick Guide for FPM

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 Quick Guide for Floodplain Management
   

An illustrated guide for floodplain management in Florida is available for desktop printing and an Adobe® Slideshow. The Quick Guide is intended to provide an overview for non-technical local staff and is useful to refresh what local floodplain administrators already know about managing flood hazard areas.

Post-Disaster Guidance for Floodplain Administrators

Floodplain Management Performance Measures

NFIP Technical Bulletins

Manufactured Homes

Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage

 Local Coordination Resources

Floodplain Administrator's Post-Disaster Toolkit
image8whna.png  Download the Toolkit

ACTION 1. Plan ahead to communicate with elected officials and citizens. Identifies elements for a communications plan. Encourages working with other community officials, public information office and Emergency Manager to fill in the details.

ACTION 2. Assess post-disaster needs and request assistance. Provides an overview of the State Mutual Aid Agreement and Emergency Management Assistance Compact so community officials will know how to request assistance from within and outside the State.

ACTION 3. Document high water marks. Describes how to collect and document high water marks and post data in real time on FDEM’s GIS website.

ACTION 4. Make substantial damage determinations and use FEMA’s Substantial Damage Estimator. Explains conducting SI/SD determinations and using FEMA’s Substantial Damage Estimator (SDE). The SDE is a powerful tool that is effective to collect data on damaged buildings to make substantial damage determinations.

ACTION 5. Understand NFIP claims and Increased Cost of Compliance. Describes how property owners who have NFIP flood insurance policies on buildings substantially damaged by flooding may qualify for Increased Cost of Compliance claim payments to help bring buildings into compliance. Links to FEMA’s brochures and FAQs.

ACTION 6. Identify post-disaster and mitigation funding assistance. Provides an overview of post-disaster and mitigation funding programs and other sources of funding. Refers to the Local Mitigation Strategy plans for details on local project priorities.

Florida Building Code Resources

Since the 2010 edition, the flood provisions of the Florida Building Code (FBC) meet or exceed the minimum NFIP requirements for buildings and structures. Florida communities rely on the FBC and local floodplain management ordinances to fulfill the requirements for participation in the NFIP.

Every three years, the Florida Building Commission develops the next edition of the FBC. In accordance with Florida Statute, communities may amend the FBC to be more restrictive. Local amendments for flood higher standards do not sunset every three years.

Guidance and instructions for amending local floodplain management ordinances and guidance for higher standards that require local amendments to the Florida Building Code are available on the Guidance, Ordinance Amendments, FBC Amendments and Sample Forms page.

8th Edition (2023) Florida Building Code

7th Edition (2020) Florida Building Code

6th Edition (2017) Florida Building Code

Guidance, Ordinance Amendments, Florida Building Code Amendments, and Sample Forms

The Office of Floodplain Management (OFM) must review draft amendments at least 30 days before presenting the amendments to planning boards or elected officials. Instructions explain how to send it to the OFM.

Guidance
Floodplain Management Ordinance Amendments
Florida Building Code Amendments for Higher Standards

Sec. 553.75(4), Florida Statutes, allows communities to adopt local amendments to the FBC. Sec. 553.73(5), F.S., specifically permits higher standards for floodplain management that, if properly adopted, do not sunset every three years.

    • Additional Height: Freeboard
    • Treat CAZ exactly like Zone V
    • Cumulative Substantial Improvement
    • Lower SI & SD Percentages
    • Enclosures: No partitions and/or limited access
    • Enclosures: Limit size
    • Enclosures: Not permitted
    • Dwellings: Foundations in Zone A/AE designed by RDP
    • Dwellings: Open foundations in Zone A/AE (limit the use of fill)
    • Repetitive Flood Damage as part of Substantial Damage
Sample Forms

State Floodplain Management Office
floods@em.myflorida.com
(850) 815-4556

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Florida Division of Emergency Management

2555 Shumard Oak Blvd. Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

Phone: 850-815-4000

For Florida Relay Service:
Dial 711 (TDD/TTY)        

Weather Outlook

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

...High Pressure Moving In Across Sunshine State in Wake of Recent Cold Front...Mostly Sunny and Dry Conditions Allowing for Pleasant Conditions...Drier Conditions Will Allow Senstive Wildfire Conditions Nearly Statewide Due to Near or Below Critical Thresholds Relative Humidity Values...Locally Elevated Wildfire Conditions Cannot Be Ruled Out Along Portions of East-Central and Southeast Florida Due to Recent Emerging Drought Conditions...High Risk for Rip Currents Along All East Coast Beaches Due to Onshore Winds and Elevated Surf; Moderate to High Risk for Rip Currents Continues for Panhandle Beaches...Minor to Moderate Riverine Flooding Continues for Big Bend and Suwannee River Valley...

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