Lesson 3 Objectives

At the conclusion of this lesson, you will be able to:

Recognize the various flood map Index formats
Recognize the elements found on specific flood map Indexes

Flood Map Indexes

If the community’s flood map has more than one Panel, an Index is provided that serves as a guide to the information found on each map. Indexes are divided into sections that correspond to individual flood Map Panels.

When determining flood hazard potential for an area, the Index is used to determine which flood Map Panel covers the area.

If you have questions about your community's flood map format or geographic coverage, you can visit FEMA's Map Service Center at https://msc.fema.gov, email FEMAMapSpecialist@riskmapcds.com or call 1-877-FEMA-MAP (1-877-336-2627) to consult a Flood Map Specialist.

Types of Flood Map Indexes

The Index shows the outline of the mapped community and the numbers and positions of the individual Map Panels. There are three different types of Indexes depending upon the map format used for the community you are interested in:

Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) Index
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Index or Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM) Index
Countywide Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Index

Types of Flood Map Indexes: FHBM Index

Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) Index covers communities that are mapped on 11" x 17" sheets. This Index shows the outline of the community and the numbers and positions of the individual Panels (sheets).

The FHBM Index contains a key to the various flood insurance risk zone designations and important notes to the user. Several important dates are also shown on the Index. These dates include the effective dates, and dates of revision to the flood map. The community name and CID number will be shown in the title block.

Types of Flood Map Indexes: FIRM or FBFM Index

FIRM Indexes and FBFM Indexes show the community boundary and the number and position of the individual Panels.

The older format Individual Community Index Maps do not have a legend or general Panel Notes to the User. Newer Countywide map Indexes will have a legend and Panel Notes to the User.

The Index title block contains the community name, CID and all the Panels included in the layout of the flood map.

Types of Flood Map Indexes: Countywide FIRM Flood Map Index

A Countywide FIRM Flood Map index displays an entire county or parish and any incorporated areas. Countywide Flood Maps may include more than one community. As with all Indexes the community boundaries are shown along with the numbers and position of the individual Panels.

All Panels may not be printed so "Panels Printed" are listed in the title block.

Some Indexes may contain a generalized depiction of Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) shown on each Panel, this is for reference purposes only. On selected Map Indexes, a list of the floodprone streets shown on the map may also be included.

Note: There are occasional exceptions where a community within the area of a Countywide Flood Map may continue to have its own separate flood map.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slideshow)

This line reveals the extent of the area covered by each Panel shown on the Index.

Scroll down to see slideshow captions.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slide 1)

In this example, Panel number 38 (990090038 D) and Panel number 40 (99009C0040 D) are fully defined by panel limit lines. The arrow is pointing to one of the panel limit lines between panel 38 and panel 40.

Flood map index with a magnified section with panel 38 (99009C0038 D) and panel 40 (99009C0040 D) completely identified by the panel limit lines. An arrow point to the east limit line of panel 38.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slide 2)

A dotted-line has been drawn over the four limits lines defining panel 38. Panel 38 looks like a square in the lower left quadrant of the magnified section of the Map Index.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slide 3)

A dashed-line has been drawn on the two limits lines that panel 38 and panel 40 have in common. They are the north and east limit lines of panel 38.

Flood map index with a magnified section with panel 38 (99009C0038 D) and panel 40 (99009C0040 D) completely identified by the panel limit lines. A green line has been drawn on the two limits lines that panel 38 and panel 40 have in common. They are the north and east limit lines of panel 38.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slide 4)

The dashed-line has been extended over panel 40’s remaining limit lines. Panel 40 looks like a rectangle that has had the bottom left quarter removed.

Flood Map Index Element: Panel Line Limits (Slide 5)

The limit lines show the boundaries of the panel 38 and panel 40. You use panel limit lines to identify which panel contains the area of the flood map that you want to review.

Flood map index with a magnified section with panel 38 (99009C0038 D) and panel 40 (99009C0040 D) completely identified by the panel limit lines. A blue line has been drawn on the four limits lines defining panel 38 in the lower southwest corner of the map section. A green line has been drawn on the limit lines defining panel 40. Together they form a large rectangle with panel 38 being the lower left quarter and the remaining area of the large rectangle being panel 40

Panel-Not-Printed Notes

These notes identify the Panels included in the flood map layout that are not printed and explain why they are not printed.

An asterisk appears before both the panel number listed on the index and the note at the bottom that explains why a Panel was not printed.

* 22017C0700. * Panel note printed- outside study area

Elements Found Only on a Flood Hazard Boundary Map Index

Legend:

This is the flood map Legend that identifies the symbols on the flood map and provides Notes to Users, information to assist users of the flood map, including explanations of the flood insurance risk zone designations.

Notes to User:

These notes provide important additional information about the flood map.

Notes to User: These maps may not include all Special Flood Hazard Areas in the community. After a more detailed study, the Special Hazard Areas shown on these Maps may be modified, and other areas added. Consult NFIA Servicing Company or local insurance agent of broker to determine if properties in this community are eligible for flood insurance.

Elements Found Only on a FIRM Flood Map Index

Effective Date:

This is the date the new or revised flood map Index becomes effective for flood insurance and floodplain management purposes. Partial revisions are common, and the inside of the Index will show the letter suffix of each Panel to help you quickly determine which panel(s) have been revised.

List of Printed Panels:

This list identifies those Panels that are printed, but not necessarily revised.

Map Index, Panels Printed: 25, 38, 40. Map Number 99009C0000 Effective Date: August 19, 1998 Federal Emergency Management Agency

Elements Found Only on Countywide Flood Map Index

List of Floodprone Communities. The "Listing of Communities" contains the following items.


Item	Describes
Community Name	Floodprone communities covered by the flood map. (Note: All communities are listed; the non-floodprone communities are footnoted to indicate they are non-floodprone.)
Community Number	The community identification number for each community
Located on Panel(s)	The Panel on which each community is shown
Initial ID Date	The initial flood identification date (the date that flood hazards were first The initial flood identification date (the date that flood hazards were first identified
Initial NFIP Map Date	The initial flood map date (the date that flood hazards were first mapped, in many areas this could be a Flood Hazard Boundary Map)
Initial FIRM Date	Post-FIRM date for each community (the date of the first effective FIRM for the community, this can be a newly issued map or a conversion by letter of the original Flood Hazard Boundary Map to a Flood Insurance Rate Map)
Most Recent FIRM Panel Date	The date of the current effective map for the community

Example Listing of Communities

Listing of Communities, (1st row) Community Name: Elizabeth, Town of; Community number 540212, Located on Panel(s) 0084, 0092, Initial ID Date April 5 1974, Initial NFIP Map Date, April 5, 1974, Initial FIRM Date January 17, 1991, Most Recent FIRM Panel Date August 2, 2012 (2nd row) Community Name: Wirt County; Community number 540211, Located on Panel(s) 0018, 0019, *0025, 0050, 0075, 0084, 0085, 0092, 0095, 0100, 0125, 0150, 0175, 0200, 0225, 0250 Initial ID Date January 17, 1975, Initial NFIP Map Date, January 17, 1975, Initial FIRM Date April 1, 1988, Most Recent FIRM Panel Date August 2, 2012


Row	Item	Describes
1	Community Name	Elizabeth, Town of;
1	Community Number	540212
1	Located on Panel(s)	0084, 0092,
1	Initial ID Date	April 5 1974
1	Initial NFIP Map Date	April 5, 1974
1	Initial FIRM Date	January 17, 1991
1	Most Recent FIRM Panel Date	August 2, 2012
2	Community Name	Wirt County
2	Community Number	540211
2	Located on Panel(s)	0018, 0019, *0025, 0050, 0075, 0084, 0085, 0092, 0095, 0100, 0125, 0150, 0175, 0200, 0225, 0250
2	Initial ID Date	January 17, 1975
2	Initial NFIP Map Date	January 17, 1975
2	Initial FIRM Date	April 1, 1988
2	Most Recent FIRM Panel Date	August 2, 2012

Elements Found Only on a FIRM Index for Individual Communities

Community Panel Number Range:

This range, presented in the title box of the Map Index as 0001-0004, gives the lowest and highest Map Panel numbers in the layout of the flood map. The Panels are individually identified by 10-digit numbers combining the Community ID number and the individual Panel numbers.

Community-Panel Numbers highlighted on an example Flood Insurance Map Index. Community Panel Numbers 290062 0001-0004, Map Revised: June 2, 1994, Federal Emergency Management Agency

Elements Found on Some FIRM Indexes

Due to the evolving nature of flood hazard mapping these elements are included on some versions of FIRM indexes.

Floodprone Area Overview
Floodprone Street Index
Map Repository Address

Elements Found on Some FIRM Indexes: Floodprone Area Overview

Floodprone Area Overviews are shown on some, typically older flood map indexes. These areas provide a generalized depiction of the identified flood hazard areas shown on each Panel.

This generalized flood hazard overview can help communities and other organizations with emergency and mitigation planning as they identify flood map panels and specific parts of the community that have areas of concern as well as the general extent of flood hazards in the entire community.

These generalized flood hazards should not be used in place of the more detailed flood hazard delineations on the individual flood map panels.

Elements Found on Some FIRM Indexes: Map Repository Address

This is the address of the official community office where copies of the flood map and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report are made available to the public.

Map Repository Address highlighted on FIRM Index and magnified

Lesson 3 Summary

You have just completed Lesson 3 which described:

Three different types of Indexes:

Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM) Index
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) Index or Flood Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM) Index
Countywide Flood Map Index

Elements common to Flood Map Indexes, including:

Community name
Community boundaries
Panel Numbers
Position of the individual panels
Generalized depiction of SFHAs shown

Elements found on specific map Indexes, including:

List of Printed Panels
Panel Not Printed
Flood Map Legend
Notes to Users
Effective Date
List of Floodprone Communities
Community Panel Number Range
Floodprone Area Overview
Floodprone Street Index
Map Repository Address