User:Wikid77/USGS Flood Inundation Mapping

The USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Program (FIM) is intended to help communities protect lives and property by providing tools and information, from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), to help people understand their local flood risks and make cost-effective mitigation decisions.

The USGS Flood Inundation Mapping Program has two main functions:


 * 1) Partner with local communities to assist with the development and validation of flood inundation map libraries. A flood inundation map library is a set of maps that shows where flooding may occur over a range of water levels in the community’s local stream or river. The USGS works with communities to identify an appropriate stream section, gather the necessary data to model where flooding will likely occur, and verify that the maps produced are scientifically sound. To learn more about the scientific process of developing a map library, visit the FIM Science section.


 * 1) Provide online access to flood inundation maps along with real-time streamflow data, flood forecasts, and potential loss estimates.

Once a community's FIM map library has been finished, it is uploaded into the USGS FIM Mapper, as an online public mapping application. The FIM Mapper allows a user to view the entire set of inundation maps to show where flooding would occur, given a selected stream condition. Users can also access historical flood information and potential loss estimates based on the severity of the flood. The FIM Mapper helps communities to visualize some potential flood scenarios, to identify areas or resources at risk, and to improve their response effort during flood events.

Inundation maps can be used for:
 * Preparedness - "What-if" scenarios
 * Timely Response - tied to real-time guage and forecast information
 * Recovery - damage assessment
 * Mitigation and Planning - flood risk analyses
 * Environmental and Ecological Assessments - wetlands identification, hazardous spill cleanup

To help communities create a flood inundation map library, the USGS created the FIM Toolbox, which contains development resources and contact information.

The USGS has worked with the U.S. National Weather Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to connect communities with federal flood-related science, to help ensure the quality and consistency of flood inundation maps across the nation.