Floodplain Management Overview
National Flood Insurance Program
The IDWR floodplain manager also helps communities in planning for floods, conducts training of floodplain protection and reviews work done within floodplains to ensure that it will not cause an increase in flood levels if flooding occurs.
Flood Hazard Map of Idaho
Looking for more map links? Click here to review additional mapping and data links.
Floodplain Management Information & Resources
NFIP General Irrigation Floodplain Development Guidance
- NFIP Irrigation and Drainage Permit Guidance Memorandum – February 28, 2019
- NFIP Irrigation and Drainage Permit Process Flowchart, Irrigation Permitting Chart and FAQs -September 17, 2019
- NFIP Irrigation and Drainage Permit Guidance Letters – May 20, 2019 and May 30, 2019
- Memorandum of Agreement between IDWR and FEMA – July 6, 2022
- 2019 NFIP Irrigation and Drainage Permit Guidance Webinar Presentation – August 7, 2019
Floodplain Management Resources
- A Study Guide and Desk Reference for Local Officials (FEMA 480)
- Installation of Manufactured Homes in a SFHA (FEMA P-85)
- So, You’re a Floodplain Manager?
- Flooding After Fire – A fact sheet for those who may have been affected by recent wildfires.
Mapping Resources
- Establishing BFE in Unnumbered A Zones
- Letter of Map Amendment – How to help residents when they aren’t in the floodplain, but the bank is requiring flood insurance
FEMA’s NFIP Technical Bulletins
This FEMA site provides bulletins on topics such as:
- User’s Guide to Technical Bulletins
- Openings in Foundation Walls and Wall Enclosures
- Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements
- Non-Residential Floodproofing
- Elevator Installation
- Below-Grade Parking Requirements
- Wet Floodproofing Requirements
- Ensuring that Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas are Reasonably Safe From Flooding
- Crawlspace Construction for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas
Idaho Code: Floodplain Sections
- 46-1020 – Purpose and Findings
- 46-1021 – Definitions
- 46-1022 – Local Governments May Adopt Floodplain Zoning Ordinances
- 46-1023 – Enforcement and Sanctions
- 46-1024 – Severability
- Executive Order No. 2023-02 Signed by Governor Little Regarding Provisions for State Cooperation with the National Flood Insurance Program under the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968, As Amended
FEMA Information
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Headquarters (HQ)
- FEMA, Region Ten (RX)
- FEMA Emergency Management Institute
- Flood Information for Consumers – FloodSmart.gov
- NFIP Forms
- Insurance Agent Locator
- S.T.A.R.R. Region X Monthly Newsletter
Flood Risk Mapping
- Risk Mapping, Assessment, and Planning (Risk MAP)
- FEMA Map Services Center – Click here for FEMA’s mapping resource and to view Letters of Map Amendments/Revisions.
FEMA Information Resource Library
Outreach Materials
Levees
- The NFIP and Levees: An Overview – April, 2007
- The NFIP and Levees: FAQ – January, 2008
- Living Behind Levees: Information for Property Owners – January, 2008
- Provisionally Accredited Levees Brochure – May, 2007
GIS & Other Mapping Data
- Map & GIS Data Hub
- Idaho State University Boise Center Aerospace Laboratory (BCAL)
- Open Topography
- Idaho Numeric & Spatial Information Data Engine (INSIDE) Idaho Geospatial Data Clearinghouse
- Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
- Idaho State Geospatial Office
- Idaho Geological Survey
- Eastern Idaho GIS Regional Resource Center
- Northern Idaho GIS Regional Resource Center
Flood Control Districts
Flood Control Districts control rivers, streams, their tributaries, and related structures within the district boundaries to protect life and property from flooding. Funded by local taxes and with authority from Idaho Code § 42-3115, the flood control district board of directors accomplishes this goal through various projects, such as removing debris from waterways, repairing and stabilizing stream banks, and constructing and maintaining structural works. A flood control district also has the authority to declare a flooding emergency and help fight floods.
Idaho Code Title 42 Chapter 31 further describes the purpose, establishment, and authority of flood control districts.
Click the button below to visit IDWR’s Flood Control Districts webpage for more information and Flood Control District contacts.
Flood Insurance Information
Does Your Community Participate in the National Flood Insurance Program? – Flood insurance is widely available through the NFIP or floodsmart.gov.
Questions to ask your Agent
Flood insurance is regulated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which sets the prices and coverage’s available across the United States. The premium rates charged to flood policy holders by insurance companies and agents should, therefore, be all the same. Insurance companies or agents can not discount the rate or surcharge the rate for their benefit. However, the calculation of accurate rates requires that your insurance agent input adequate and accurate information. Because of the complexities involved in flood insurance, it is possible for an inexperienced agent to miscalculate a rate.
FEMA also publishes the Flood Manual used by agents and provides updates to the manual twice per year. These updates affect how polices are rated and include rules and regulations that ultimately affect the consumer. Even though an agent might have years of experience in the insurance industry they might not have experience with writing flood insurance. If you are in the market for flood insurance, you should ask your agent these simple questions:
- How many flood policies do you write per year?
You should be looking for someone who writes flood insurance on a regular basis—monthly as opposed to just a few times per year. - Do you attend any of the flood training classes available to agents or attend any of FEMA’s webinar classes?
Agents are only required to take a flood class once during the lifetime of their license. However, FEMA makes important changes twice per year and it is vitally important that agents take the initiative to stay current on their education. Agent errors ultimately affect you: the consumer.
Insurance Reform
- Flood Insurance Programs outside the NFIP NEW!
- How April 2015 Program Changes Will Affect Flood Insurance Premiums
- NFIP Cost Savings Datasheet for freeboard
- Insurance Reform Fact Sheet
- Homeowner’s Flood Insurance Affordability Act Overview
- Impact of changes to the NFIP under Section 205 of the Biggert-Waters Act
- A Summary of Premium Rate and Rule Changes
- Grandfathering Fact Sheet
- Flood Insurance Advocate Fact Sheet
- Elevation Certificates – Who needs them and why?
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Elevation Certificate (EC) is an administrative tool used to provide elevation information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances, to determine the proper insurance premium rate, or support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA).
The State of Idaho does not maintain a database of completed Elevation Certificates and does not have copies of completed Elevation Certificates for individual properties located throughout the state. These documents are maintained by the Floodplain Administrator in the county or city where the property is located.
To obtain a copy of an Elevation Certificate for a specific property, contact the local Community Floodplain Administrator.
For more information about Elevation Certificates, contact your local Floodplain Administrator or visit the FEMA website.
Floodplain Administrator Training
IDWR Training Opportunities Available
IDWR offers 1-day and multi-day trainings throughout the year to assist local floodplain
administrators in understanding the role of floodplain management. These free trainings are
offered at different locations in the state to bring the training to the communities. Contact
the State Floodplain Coordinator to schedule training.
FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) courses at the NETC campus:
These training opportunities are provided by the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) located in Emmitsburg, MD. The classes are primarily for local floodplain administrators. For more information about the EMI training program or how to apply, or review the complete EMI Course Schedule list. For course descriptions, objectives, and prerequisites, visit the Course Catalog.
Below is a list of available training opportunities provided by various sources—some at no cost.
E0273: Managing Floodplain Development through the National Flood Insurance Program
Duration in Days 4.0
The course is designed to provide new floodplain administrators with the information and communication techniques to explain the impact of floodplain management decisions on insurance, public safety, and health. The course includes an overview of the natural conditions that form floodplains, the history of floodplain management, and the creation of the NFIP. Prefacing the use of FISs and maps to determine the flood hazard risk is an explanation of the forces of water and types of floods. The course provides an overview of NFIP minimum floodplain management regulations based on the types of flood hazards identified, Substantial Improvement (SI)/Substantial Damage (SD) and describes the use of a permitting process as a floodplain management oversight and compliance tool. Appropriate Letters of Map Change (LOMCs) for specific circumstances and the LOMC forms and possible flood hazard mitigation solutions are also identified. The course explains the roles and responsibilities of a floodplain administrator prior to and after a disaster event.
E0194: Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts I
Duration in Days 4.0
This course provides a dynamic and interactive instruction that covers the following four topics in detail:
- Local Floodplain Manager Roles and Responsibilities (1 day)
- National Flood Insurance Program Floodplain Rules and Regulations in Depth (1 day)
- Letter of Map Change Procedures for Applying and Floodplain Management Implications (1 day)
- Preparing for Post-Disaster Responsibilities (1 day)
- Identify contents of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for post-disaster operations. Outline steps to carry out substantial damage responsibilities.
- Describe methods to obtain compliance with substantial damage determinations.
- List possible sources of funding to assist with substantial damage losses.
E0282: Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts II
Duration in Days 4.0
This course is aimed at providing community floodplain managers training in four floodplain management modules:
- Higher standards in floodplain management,
- Manufactured homes and the NFIP,
- NFIP flood insurance principles,
- Hydrology and hydraulics concepts.
E0284: Advanced Floodplain Management Concepts III
Duration in Days 4.0
This advanced floodplain management course is a dynamic and interactive instruction that covers the following five topics in detail:
- Floodway Standards (1 day)
- Disconnects between National Flood Insurance Program Regulations and Insurance (1 day)
- Common Noncompliance Issues (½ day)
- Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs) (½ day)
- Substantial Improvement/Substantial Damage (1 day)
E0278: National Flood Insurance Program/Community Rating System
Duration in Days 4.0
This course covers the Community Rating System (CRS), a nationwide initiative of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). It describes activities eligible for credit under the 2017 CRS Coordinator’s Manual, how a community applies, and how a community modifies an application to improve its classification.
E0279: Retrofitting Flood-Prone Residential Buildings
Duration in Days 4.0
This course provides engineering and economic guidance to architects, engineers, and local code enforcement officials in retrofitting existing 1- to 4-family residential structures situated in flood-prone areas. The retrofitting measures presented are creative, practical, compliant with applicable floodplain regulations, and satisfactory to most homeowners.
State Floodplain Coordinator
Peter Jackson, State Floodplain Coordinator peter.jackson@idwr.idaho.gov (208) 287-4973Local Floodplain Administrators
- Idaho Local Community Floodplain Administrators – Click here for local floodplain administrators who oversee the program in your area.
State, FEMA and CRS contacts for Idaho
FEMA Map Assistance Center
For questions about regulations and requirements when applying for: LOMAs, LOMRs, LODRs, LOMCs (877) FEMA-MAP FEMAMapSpecialist@mapmodteam.comMap Service Center
View and purchase digital and paper flood maps. (800) 358-9616Flood Insurance
FloodSmart Call Center For consumers who would like a referral to an insurance agent or flood insurance information (888) 435-6637 For agents who want to enroll in our referral program: (888) 786-7693NFIP HELP Center
Handles referrals from FEMA staff, state officials, and policyholders who have underwriting and/or claims complaints/concerns with their Write Your Own carrier (866) 395-7496FEMA Lender Compliance Officer (Lena Thompson)
Calls from lenders/banks regarding NFIP policies and lending requirements (202) 646-3441NFIP Telephone Center
Answers general flood insurance and claims questions for WYO companies (800) 427-4661NFIP Direct Servicing Agent: Customer Service
Answers questions from agents and policyholders who have policies written by independent agents who represent the NFIP Direct (800) 638-6620NFIP Direct Servicing Agent: Claims
Answers questions about claims from agents and policyholders who have policies written by independent agents who represent the NFIP Direct (800) 767-4341FEMA Publications, Forms, and Public-Awareness Materials
(800) 480-2520Floodplain Management Forms
Visit the Floodplain Management Forms webpage view and download forms.