WV Flood Tool
Mobile Phone Version
Expert View
If You Experience Problems, Try
Clearing Your Cache
First
Overview
WV Flood Tool
The West Virginia Flood Tool is designed to provide floodplain managers,
insurance agents, developers, real estate agents, local planners and citizens with an effective
means by which to make informed decisions about the degree of flood risk for a specific area or
property.
Data displayed on the WV Flood Tool are directly sourced from FEMA's National Flood Hazard
Layers.
Remember: if in doubt, it's not out!
Features
Best Available Flood Reference Data
Includes the best available flood mapping data from FEMA and other
approved sources and incorporates maps/background and reference layers (aerial photos,
roads, elevation contours, addresses, parcels, stream names, etc.) from federal, state,
local, and commercial sources.
The WV Flood
Tool
operates on both desktop computers and mobile phones.
Map Views
The WV Flood Tool has three customized map views: PUBLIC, EXPERT, and RISK MAP.
These Views support FEMA’s NFIP/CRS and Risk MAP Programs.
PUBLIC View allows the general public to obtain quick and easy flood hazard
determinations of identified locations.
EXPERT View and RISK MAP View are for more advanced users who are familiar with
FEMA's official flood maps and mitigation programs for flood risk mapping,
assessment, and planning (RISK MAP).
Tool Functions and Visualization
Displays in the Flood Query Results Panel comprehensive information about the
identified flood hazard (flood zone, flood height, flood depth), ground elevation,
geographic location (watershed name, stream name/flood source, parcel identifier,
site address, x-y coordinates), and community information.
Links specific areas of the map to online FEMA-issued maps, hydraulic models, flood
profiles, building-level flood risk assessments, external map viewers, detailed
property assessment reports, and local floodplain manager contact.
Presents three different cartographic representations of flood zones.
Allows floodplain managers to print flood determination information required for
floodplain permits and record keeping.
Renders 3D Flood Visualizations from the base flood water depth and building type.
Visualizations are easier for non-technical users to understand risks to their
property in feet of water rather than comprehending the base flood elevation.
Multiple ways to zoom to geographic locations: street addresses, tax parcels,
coordinates, and place names.
Displays ground elevation values with a vertical accuracy range of 10 ft. to 1 ft.
Shows effective and advisory flood height values for A or AE Zones using Water
Surface Elevation (WSEL) Grids.
Affords eligible communities CRS credits.
Warning colors denote risk level: high risk (red/orange), moderate risk (yellow)
Data Layers
Base map (Background) Layer
ROAD/STREET base maps are useful for viewing the named features of roads, streams,
and other points of interest.
TOPOGRAPHIC and HILLSHADE base maps are helpful for viewing the terrain.
AERIAL IMAGERY base maps are useful for viewing structures and high-resolution
pictures of the earth's surface. Users can access more than ten aerial imagery data
sets from 1999 to present that vary in resolution from 1 meter to 4 inches.
Counties and local communities are encouraged to incorporate their locally acquired
data into the Flood Tool. Locally produced data sets such as parcels, E-911
addresses, and leaf-off aerial imagery are integrated at the state level and
provided as a shared map service.
Reference Layers
Overlay reference layers consist of vector framework layers. Important
layers for property identification are tax parcels, E-911 addresses, geographic names,
and community boundaries. Detailed parcel assessment web reports display building
information for all primary and secondary structures located in a single parcel. The
WV Property Search Tool
is a companion
application of the WV Flood Tool that allows users to perform advanced search and filter
queries on all property assessment records. Other reference layers include the WVDOT
roads, hydrography, watersheds, and elevation contours. Reference layers are generalized
and more detailed at zoomed-out and zoomed-in scales, respectively, with all layers
displayed at the largest zoom-in scale of 1:282. Elevation contour intervals at the
highest zoom levels vary from 10 ft. to 1 ft.
Flood Layers
Flood layers encompass information about flood hazards and mitigating
flood risks. The Flood Tool displays the primary National Flood Hazard Layers (NFHL) on
FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). High-Risk Advisory Zones (Advisory A, Updated AE,
and Preliminary NFHL – orange colored zones) are non-regulatory flood zones and not
shown on the FIRM; however, future FEMA Flood Studies most likely will incorporate these
advisory zones on the official FIRM. Other map layers for floodplain management and
hazard reduction efforts include mitigated buyout properties, elevation certificates,
positionally-verified LOMAs, and high-water marks. In the RISK MAP View, building-level
risk assessments are displayed for a 100-year flood.
Contacts
State NFIP Coordinator
(NFIP Permitting, Compliance, Training)
Julia Sears
, CFM
NFIP/CTP Coordinator
WV Emergency Management Division
1700 MacCorkle Avenue SE, 6th Floor
Charleston, WV 25314
julia.r.sears@wv.gov
(304) 414-7654 - Office
(304) 989-8330 - Cell
Website Link
(offsite)
CTP Mapping Grants Coordinator
(Floodplain Mapping Projects, Flood Tool Support)
Kevin L. Sneed
, CFM
CTP Project Officer
WV Emergency Management Division
1700 MacCorkle Ave. SE 6th FLOOR
Charleston, WV 25314
Phone (304) 957-2571
Cell (304) 545-2864
WV GIS Technical Center
(System Administration and Data Integrator)
Behrang Bidadian
(behrang.bidadian@mail.wvu.edu; phone: 304-293-9463)
Kurt Donaldson
(kurt.donaldson@mail.wvu.edu; phone: 304-293-9467)
WVU Department of Geology & Geography,
330 Brooks Hall,
P.O. Box 6300,
Morgantown, WV 26506
Phone: (304) 293-0557
Website
Features
Best Available Flood Reference Data
Includes the best available flood mapping data from FEMA and other approved
sources and incorporates the best available base maps/background and reference layers
(aerial
photos, roads, elevation contours, addresses, stream names, etc.)
from commercial and
local data sources.
The WV Flood tool consumes web map services from other state agencies
(such as WV DOT roads and WV DEP imagery)
and operates on both desktop computers and
smart phones.
Map Views
The WV Flood Tool has three customized map views: Public, Expert, and Risk
MAP.
Public View allows the general public to obtain quick and easy flood hazard determinations
of identified locations.
Expert View and Risk MAP View are for more advanced users who are familiar with FEMA's
official flood maps and mitigation programs for flood risk mapping, assessment, and planning
(Risk MAP).
Tool Functions, Visualization, and Performance
Provides detailed flood hazard information for advanced users including base flood,
elevations, cross-sections, flood profiles, mitigated properties, stream names, advisory flood
heights (AFH) and associated models.
Multiple ways to zoom to geographic locations: street addresses, coordinates, place names,
and tax parcels.
Links specific areas of the map to local floodplain managers or FEMA’s online map service
center to view official flood maps.
Publish or exchange links of online flood maps for others to view.
Approximate elevation of the ground with a vertical accuracy of +/ - 10ft.
Displays and queries HAZUS 100-year flood event information to assist in mitigating flood
risks
Data Layers
Base map (Background) Layer
Road/Street
base maps are useful for viewing the named features of
roads, streams, and other points of interest.
Topographic
base maps are helpful for
viewing the terrain.
Aerial or satellite imagery
base maps are useful for viewing
structures and high resolution pictures of the earth's surface.
WV Sheriffs Imagery
provides the high-resolution 4” aerial photography of urban areas at a zoomed-in map scale
of 1:282.
Counties are encouraged to incorporate their locally acquired imagery into the
statewide leaf-off imagery web map service (6" or better). Imagery and elevation reference
layers provided by local communities are for
“viewing only”
purposes in the Flood
Tool and any shared data is not redistributed without the owner’s authorization.
Reference Layers
Overlay reference layers consist of vector framework layers such as
transportation, hydrography, elevation contours, geographic names, watersheds, parcels,
mitigated properties, boundaries, and addresses. Reference layers are generalized and more
detailed at zoomed-out and zoomed-in scales, respectively, with all layers displayed at the
largest zoom-in scale of 1:282.
Flood Layers
Flood layers encompass information about flood hazards and mitigating flood
risks. The flood layers include the best available digital flood data from the FEMA Map Service
Center. Certain flood layers (flood profiles, water surface elevation, water depth, x-sections,
FEMA panel index, floodways, etc.) are only viewable in the Expert View.
Contacts
State NFIP Coordinator
(NFIP Permitting, Compliance, Training)
Timothy W. Keaton
, CFM
NFIP/CTP Coordinator
WV Emergency Management Division
2403 Fairlawn Ave.
Dunbar, WV 25064
tim.w.keaton@wv.gov
(304) 414-7659 Extension 47659
(681) 344-3655 - Cell
Website Link
(offsite)
WV GIS Technical Center
System Administration and Data Integrator)
Behrang Bidadian
(behrang.bidadian@mail.wvu.edu; phone: 304-293-9463)
Kurt Donaldson
(kurt.donaldson@mail.wvu.edu; phone: 304-293-9467)
WVU Department of Geology & Geography,
330 Brooks Hall,
P.O. Box 6300,
Morgantown, WV 26506,
Phone: (304) 293-0557
Website