West Virginia Flood Tool
Frequently Asked Questions about the WV Flood Tool
What do if I experience technical difficulties?
First, make suree you are using a modern browswer, such as the latest
version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.
Next, make sure you clear your cache as that resolves most problems.
Try to clear it using the CTRL+F5 (hold either CTRL key down and press the F5 key at
the same time). You may have to do this quickly several times in a row for it to
have an impact.
If the above does not resolve the issue, please visit this site (
Clear My Cache
NOTE: Opens in a new window) for
instructions on how to deep clear your cache.
If that does not resolve your issue, please contact
Behrang Bidadian
(304-293-9463) for additional help.
What is the source of the information presented in the Flood Tool?
The Flood Tool queries multiple data overlays to provide information
to users:
The flood hazard zones and other flood features are derived from FEMA
flood mapping products, including Effective Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM)
overlays extracted from the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) or downloaded from the
Map Service Center, Preliminary DFIRM overlays provided by FEMA, or Advisory flood data
overlays obtained from FEMA and / or floodplain mapping partner contractors.
Advisory Flood Height and flood depth values come from HEC-RAS-based
Zone A delineation models developed by a FEMA contractor.
Elevation values are taken from the USGS National Elevation Dataset
(NED).
Risk MAP information comes from LEVEL I HAZUS runs acquired by the WV
Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM), mitigation group.
Okay, I found my address/house/property and clicked on it to get flood information. What
do I do now?
The next steps you take will depend on your results. If you have any
questions about the results or wish to find more information, you may want to contact
the floodplain administrator for your county or community, or the WV State NFIP
Coordinator's office for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Coordinator's
office staff are knowledgeable regarding the Flood Tool, flood maps and flood insurance
requirements.
How do I search using GPS coordinates?
The Flood Tool defaults to Address search, but if you click and open
the pull down menu via the arrow next to “Address” under the Search tab, more options
are listed. Select “Coordinate” from the list then enter decimal degrees (dd),
degrees-minutes-seconds (dms) or UTM coordinates, as appropriate. Don’t forget the
negative sign (-) in front of the longitude degree value.
Can I search for a specific city or town?
Yes, by following the same guidance above, select “City” from the
search method menu, then choose the city or town from the list by clicking on “Select
City.”
I have a parcel number. How can I search for it in the Flood Tool?
Select “Parcel” from the search method menu. In the Parcel Search
dialog window select your county then choose a search type, i.e. Owner Name, Parcel
Number or Parcel Address.