Course Welcome

Welcome to the Executive Orders (EOs) 11988 and 11990: Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands course. 

This course is designed to introduce you to floodplain management and protection of wetlands terms and concepts used in implementation of Executive Orders 11988 and 11990.  This course will:

  • Define key terms and concepts used in floodplain management and protection of wetlands
  • Discuss the value of protecting floodplains and wetlands
  • List key events and legislation in floodplain management and protection of wetlands
  • Differentiate between Federal, State, and local roles in floodplain management and protection of wetlands
  • Generate a FIRMette to gather floodplain data using the FEMA Map Service Center
  • Generate a wetlands map using the USFWS Wetland's Mapper

 

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This course should take approximately 4 hours to complete. You must complete each lesson entirely to receive credit.
Screen Features
Screen shot of course template with DHS Seal, FEMA logo, IS-0000 Emergency Management Institute Sample Course Template. Click close to exit the course; review guidance and troubleshooting advice with the help button; use the glossary to look up key definitions and acronyms; use the dropdown menu to move between lessons within the course; move forward and back using the previous and next buttons at the bottom of the screen; the plug-ins button will provide a list of downloadable plug-ins.
Click this link to access a narrative summary of the screen features.
Navigating Using Your Keyboard

Below are instructions for navigating through the course using your keyboard.

  • Use the "Tab" key to move forward through each screen's navigation buttons and hyperlinks, or "Shift" + "Tab" to move backwards. A box surrounds the button that is currently selected.
  • Press "Enter" to select a navigation button or hyperlink.
  • Use the arrow keys to select answers for multiple-choice review questions or self-assessment checklists. Then tab to the Submit button and press Enter to complete a Knowledge Review or Self-Assessment.
  • Warning: Repeatedly pressing Tab beyond the number of selections on the screen may cause the keyboard to lock up. Use Ctrl + Tab to deselect an element or reset to the beginning of a screen’s navigation links (most often needed for screens with animations or media).
  • JAWS assistive technology users can press the Ctrl key to quiet the screen reader while the course audio plays.





Previous and Next Buttons



Knowledge Review item showing the current tab location or focus
Course Overview
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
  • Describe floodplain and wetland functions and benefits.
  • Explain the origin and intent of Executive Orders 11988 and 11990.
  • Use a Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM), Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), a Flood Insurance Study (FIS) or a FIRMette to gather floodplain data.
  • Use the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) "Wetlands Mapper" to gather wetlands data.
Course Structure

This course is structured into five lessons. To help you track your place within the course, the current lesson title will be displayed in the upper left corner of each screen. Also, a lesson list will be presented at the beginning and end of each lesson.

Lesson list: Course Welcome; Floodplain Management Basics; Wetland Protection Basics; Federal, State, and Local Roles in Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands; Floodplain and Wetlands Mapping
Receiving Credit

To receive credit for this course, you must:

Complete all of the lessons. Each lesson will take between 10 and 70 minutes to complete. It is important to allow enough time to complete the course in its entirety.

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Remember... YOU MUST COMPLETE THE ENITRE COURSE TO RECEIVE CREDIT. If you exit from the course, you will need to start that lesson over again.
Pass the final exam. The last screen provides instructions on how to complete the final exam.
Lesson 1: Overview
We will now continue with the content of the first lesson. This lesson presents:
  • An Introduction to Executive Orders 11988 Floodplain Management and 11990 Protection of Wetlands
  • An Introduction to 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 9 Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands
Lesson list: Course welcome
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This lesson should take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Executive Orders 11988 and 11990

Executive Order 11988, Floodplain Management (EO 11988), was issued by President Carter on May 24, 1977

The purpose of EO 11988 was to ensure that federal agencies:

  1. avoid, to the extent possible, the long and short term adverse impacts associated with the occupancy and modification of floodplains; and
  2. avoid the direct or indirect support of floodplain development whenever there is a practicable alternative.

Executive Order 11990, Protection of Wetlands (EO 11990), was also issued by President Carter on May 24, 2977

EO 11990 requires that agencies must, to the extent permitted by law, avoid undertaking or providing assistance for new construction located in wetlands unless the head of the agency finds:

  1. that there is no practicable alternative to such construction, and
  2. that the proposed action includes all practicable measures to minimize harm to wetlands which may result from such use.
44 Code of Federal Regulations Part 9

To comply with EO 11988 and EO 11990, FEMA enacted regulations at 44 CFR Part 9, Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands.

This course will introduce you to terms and concepts common to floodplain management and used in the implementation of EOs 11988 and 11990.

Some definitions are taken from 44 CFR Part 9

Lesson 1: Summary
You have now completed Lesson 1 of the course.  You should now be familiar with:
  • Executive Orders 11988 Floodplain Management and 11990 Protection of Wetlands
  • 44 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 9 Floodplain Management and Protection of Wetlands
Lesson 2 will introduce Floodplain Management basics.
Lesson list: Topic covered was Course welcome. Next topic will be Floodplain Management Basics.