	Map Modernization Intends to Use Advanced Technologies to Produce More Accurate and Accessible Digital Flood Maps:

Through map modernization, FEMA intends to produce more accurate and  accessible flood maps by using advanced technology to gather accurate  data and make the resulting information available on the Internet. As a result, at the time of our  review, nearly 70 percent of the nation’s approximately 92,222 flood maps  were more than 10 years old and many contain inaccurate data, according  to FEMA. Over time, physical conditions in watersheds and floodplains can change,  and improvements in the techniques for assessing and displaying flood  risks are made. GIS technology provides the  foundation for achieving FEMA’s goals of melding different types and  sources of data to create the new digital flood maps and making the new  digital flood maps available to a variety of users over the Internet. By their nature, paper flood maps have limited accessibility as compared  with a digital map that can be made available on the Internet. Third, the data and infrastructure developed by  map modernization is also expected to help national, state, and local  officials mitigate and manage risk from multiple hazards, both natural and  man-made. The accuracy of the new maps should better identify at-risk  property owners who would be best served by obtaining flood insurance  whether or not the owners would be required to purchase insurance under  the NFIP’s mandatory purchase requirement. Map Modernization Is Expected to Improve Multi-Hazard Mitigation and Risk Management Capabilities

FEMA expects that the data developed, collected, and distributed through  map modernization will help national, state, and local emergency  managers mitigate and manage risk posed by other natural and man-made  hazards. Accurate digital base maps provide more precise data to state and  national officials for planning, such as the location of hazardous material  facilities, power plants, utility distribution facilities, and other  infrastructure (bridges, sewage treatment plants, buildings, and  structures). In Its Efforts to Establish a New Data System, FEMA Had Not Yet Established Data Standards for Different Levels of Risk

The goal of FEMA’s objective to develop a new data system using the  latest technology is more efficient production, delivery and, thereby, the  use of flood maps. As a result, we recommended that FEMA develop  and implement data standards that would enable FEMA, its contractor,  and its state and local partners to identify and use consistent data  collection and analysis methods for communities with similar risk. In November 2004, FEMA issued its Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification  Plan. The plan describes FEMA’s strategy for updating flood maps used for  NFIP purposes and discusses the varying types of data collection and  analysis techniques the agency plans to use to develop flood hazard data in  order to relate the level of study and level of risk for each county. FEMA had established performance  measures for all four of its program objectives. Nonetheless, without developing  such a measure (or measures), we concluded that FEMA would be less  able to ensure that its map modernization program will have resulted in  one of FEMA’s primary intended benefits. In response to our recommendation, FEMA’s set goals in its November  2004 Multi-year Flood Hazard Identification Plan to improve public safety  through the availability of reliable flood risk data. To achieve  this goal, FEMA has set targets for key performance indicators (KPI)  through fiscal year 2009 (production is scheduled for completion in fiscal  year 2010). FEMA’s four KPIs are (1) Population with Digital GIS Flood  Data Available Online, (2) Population with Adopted Maps that Meet  Quality Standards, (3) Percent of Effort Leveraged; that is, state and local  resources provided for map modernization as a percentage of FEMA  resources provided, and (4) Appropriated Funds Sent to CTPs. To track its  progress of map modernization annually, FEMA set target percentages for  achieving these performance indicators in fiscal years 2006 through 2009.
Why GAO Did This Study

Floods inflict more damage and economic losses upon the United States than any other natural disaster. During the 10 years from fiscal year 1992 through fiscal year 2001, flooding resulted in approximately $55 billion in damages. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is responsible for managing the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program uses flood maps to identify the areas at greatest risk of flooding and make insurance available to property owners to protect themselves from flood losses. According to FEMA, many of the nation's flood maps are more than 10 years old and no longer reflect current flood hazard risks because of erosion and changes in drainage patterns. Moreover, because many flood maps were created or last updated, there have been improvements in the techniques for assessing and displaying flood risks. This testimony is based on GAO's findings and recommendations in its March 2004 report related to (1) how map modernization intended to improve the accuracy and accessibility of the nation's flood maps, (2) what the expected benefits of more accurate and accessible flood maps are, and (3) to what extent FEMA's strategy for managing the map modernization program support the achievement of these benefits.

What GAO Found

Through map modernization, FEMA intends to produce more accurate and accessible flood maps by using advanced technology to gather accurate data and make the flood maps available on the Internet. For example, displaying map data in digital Geographic Information Systems format permits consistent, accurate display, and ready electronic retrieval of a variety of map features, including elevation data and the location of key infrastructure, such as utilities. FEMA expects that by producing more accurate and accessible digital flood maps through map modernization, the nation will benefit in three ways. First, communities can use more accurate digital maps to reduce flood risk within floodplains by more effectively regulating development through zoning and building standards. Second, accurate digital maps available on the Internet will facilitate the identification of property owners who are statutorily required to obtain or who would be best served by obtaining flood insurance. Third, accurate and precise data will help national, state, and local officials to accurately locate infrastructure and transportation systems (e.g., power plants, sewage treatment plants, railroads, bridges, and ports) to help mitigate and manage risk for multiple hazards, both natural and man-made. At the time of GAO's review, FEMA had not yet established clear standards for the types, quantity, and specificity of data collection and analysis associated with different levels of flood risk. We recommended that FEMA develop standards to better ensure that data collection and analysis is consistent for all communities with similar risk and that it is using its resources efficiently while producing maps that are accurate and useful for communities at different levels of flood risk. In November 2004, FEMA issued its Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan. The plan describes FEMA's strategy for addressing GAO's recommendation by using varying types of data collection and analysis techniques to develop flood hazard data in order to relate the level of study and level of risk for each county. GAO concluded that FEMA's performance measures would not effectively measure the extent to which the agency's map modernization program would result in its primary intended benefits. As a result, GAO recommended that FEMA develop and implement useful performance measures. In response to GAO's recommendation, FEMA has set target percentages in its Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan for four key performance indicators in fiscal years 2006 through 2009. FEMA's four indicators are (1) Population with Digital GIS Flood Data Available Online, (2) Population with Adopted Maps that Meet Quality Standards, (3) Leveraged Digital GIS Flood Data, and (4) Appropriated Funds Sent to Coordinating Technical Partners.