600 FLOOD PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES 

Activities in this series are usually coordinated at the local level by the emergency manager. 
They include actions that should be taken to minimize the effects of a flood on people, 
property, and building contents. The first activity, 610 (Flood Warning Program), covers 
flood warning, emergency response, and evacuation plans for the entire community. The other 
two activities ensure that flood protection structures do not exacerbate the damages caused 
during a flood. 

Contents of Series 600 

Section 
Page 

610 
Flood Warning Program .......................................................................... 610-
1 
611 Credit Points .................................................................................... 610-
3 
612 Impact Adjustment......................................................................... 610-14 
613 Credit Calculation..........................................................................610-15 
614 Credit Documentation.................................................................... 610-16 
615 For More Information....................................................................610-20 


620 
Levee Safety............................................................................................. 620-
1 
621 Credit Points .................................................................................... 620-
3 
622 Impact Adjustment........................................................................... 620-
5 
623 Credit Calculation............................................................................620-
6 
624 Credit Documentation...................................................................... 620-
7 
625 For More Information......................................................................620-
8 


630 
Dam Safety............................................................................................... 630-
1 
631 Credit Points .................................................................................... 630-
3 
632 Impact Adjustment........................................................................... 630-
7 
633 Credit Calculation............................................................................630-
8 
634 Credit Documentation...................................................................... 630-
9 
635 For More Information......................................................................630-
9 


List of Figures 

610-1. Watertown's flood stage forecast map...............................................610-
7 


620-1. Levee protection level ....................................................................... 620-
3 
620-2. FEMA's levee safety criteria ........................................................... 620-10 


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610 FLOOD WARNING PROGRAM 


Summary of Activity 610 
611 Credit Points. There are five elements in this activity for a maximum of 255 points. 
a. Flood threat recognition system (FTR): Up to 40 points are provided for a flood threat recognition 
system that forecasts flood elevations and arrival times at specific locations within the community. 
b. Emergency warning dissemination (EWD): Up to 60 points are provided for disseminating the 
warning to the general public. 
c. Other response efforts (ORE): Up to 50 points are provided for implementation of specific tasks to 
reduce or prevent threats to health, safety, and property. 
d. Critical facilities planning (CFP): Up to 50 points are provided for coordination of flood warning and 
response activities with operators of critical facilities. 
e. StormReady community (SRC): If FTR credit is received, 25 or 30 points are provided for 
designation by the National Weather Service as a StormReady community or a TsunamiReady 
community. 
The community must receive credit for FTR to receive any credit under this activity and it must receive 
credit for EWD to receive credit for ORE or CFP. 
612 Impact Adjustment. The credit points for each element (except SRC) are adjusted in one of 
three ways. 
a. Under Option 1, if the program is implemented throughout the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), 
the impact adjustment ratio for an element is 1.0. 
b. Under Option 2, if the program is not implemented throughout the SFHA, a default impact adjustment 
ratio of 0.25 may be used. 
c. Under Option 3, if the program is not implemented throughout the SFHA, the impact adjustment 
ratios may reflect the number of buildings in the SFHA affected. 
613 Credit Calculation. The credit points for each element are multiplied by the impact 
adjustment ratios and their products are totaled. 
614 Credit Documentation. The community must submit the following. 
a. A description of the flood threat recognition system that tells how site-specific forecasts with flood 
elevations or flood flows and flood arrival times are generated by meteorologic and/or hydrologic 
data. 
b. [Required only if applying for EWD, ORE, or CFP credit under Sections 611.b through d]: 
1. Documentation of adoption of the flood response plan. 
2. Applicable portions of the plan or other documents. 
3. A copy of the materials that publicize the flood warning system. 
c. [Required if the impact adjustment ratios used Options 1 or 3 (Section 612.a or 612.c)] 
Documentation showing how the impact adjustments were determined. If Option 3 is used, a map 
showing the areas covered by the flood warning program. 
The community must submit the following with its annual recertification: 
d. [Required if applying for credit for critical facilities planning (CFP1)] A page from the list of 
operators of the facilities affected by flooding, updated at least annually 
If the community experienced a flood during the year, it must submit with its annual recertification: 
e. An evaluation report on the flood warning programs performance. 
615 For More Information. 
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Flood Warning Program 

610 FLOOD WARNING PROGRAM 

NOTE: A separate publication, CRS Credit for Flood Warning Programs, gives an example 
of a community program and application documentation. Communities are encouraged to 
read this document before applying for this activity. It will improve the quality of the 
application and reduce the need for additional documentation later. For a free copy, see 
Appendix E. 

Credit is provided for a program that provides timely identification of impending flood 
threats, disseminates warnings to appropriate floodplain occupants, and coordinates 
flood response activities. 

Background: With sufficient warning of a flood, a community and its floodplain 
occupants can take protective measures such as moving furniture, cars, and people 
out of harms way. When a flood threat recognition system is combined with an 
emergency response plan that addresses the communitys flood problems, a great deal 
of flood damage can often be prevented. 

The National Weather Service issues specific flood warnings for specific locations along 
major rivers and coastlines. There is a small but growing number of communities with their 
own flood threat recognition systems, which enable advance identification of floods on 
smaller rivers. The full benefit of early flood warning is only realized if the community 
disseminates the warning to the general public and to critical facilities. Additional flood 
damage can be prevented if the community has a flood response plan that includes appropriate tasks, such as directing evacuation, sandbagging, and moving building contents above 
flood levels. 

Activity Description: The community must have a flood threat recognition system 
that identifies an impending flood in order to receive credit under thisactivity. Additional 
credit is provided for disseminating a warning to the general public, carrying out 
appropriate flood response tasks, and coordinating the flood response plan with 
operators of critical facilities. A report on the operation of the system is required if a 
flood meeting the criteria in Section 614.d occurred during the previous year. 

This activity is not intended to be a model for developing a flood warning or flood response 
program. As with the rest of the Community Rating System (CRS) activities, its objective is 
to provide a simple way to measure a local programs potential impact on flood insurance 
premiums. An effective flood warning or response program needs to be carefully prepared 
and tailored to the local flood hazards and the specific needs of the community. 

The minimum requirement for credit for this activity is a flood threat recognition system to 
identify impending flooding. The system can use locally collected data or data from the 
National Weather Service or other rain, river, or storm monitoring agency. 

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Flood Warning Program 

Additional credit is available depending on the communitys program for actions to be taken 
after an impending flood is identified. A flood response plan is the name given in this 
activity to the document that describes these activities. It may have different names in 
different communities, such as flood warning plan, flood preparedness plan, or flood 
annex to a multi-hazard plan. The plan must have been adopted by the communitys 
governing board. 

Three elements provide credit points for the flood response plan: 

 
Dissemination of the warning to the general public; 
 
Implementation of specific tasks to reduce or prevent threats to health, safety, and 
property, such as controlling evacuation routes, restricting access to flooded areas, and 
maintaining vital services; and 
 
Coordination of flood warning and response activities with operators of critical 
facilities, such as hospitals and hazardous materials companies. 
NOTE: The community must have a warning dissemination program in order to receive credit 
for the flood response plan. 

611 Credit Points 

NOTE: No credit will be provided for this activity unless the documentation requirements 
described in Section 614.a are met. 

Maximum credit for Activity 610: 255 points. 
a. Flood threat recognition system (FTR) (Maximum credit: 40 points) 
Credit is provided if the community has a system that provides an early notice of a 
flood for at least one location within the community. The notice must be generated 
by meteorologic and/or hydrologic data. The system must be able to forecast 
specific flood conditions in the future. 
1. Prerequisites: To receive credit for this element: 
(a) The data collection, communications, and data analysis components of the 
flood threat recognition system must be regularly maintained and tested at 
least annually; and 
(b) The community must submit descriptions of the flood hazard and the flood 
threat recognition system. 
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2. Credit points: FTR = the total of the credit points in either (a) or (b) as follows: 
(a) If the flood threat recognition system is operated by a federal, state, or other 
agency other than the community, FTR = the total of (1) and (2), as follows: 
(1) 20, if the community demonstrates in its documentation that it is 
prepared to receive flood warnings on a 24-hour basis. The 
information received must be specific to one or more sites on each 
river in the community and include flood elevations and arrival times 
(or other specific data appropriate for warning); and 
(2) EITHER: 
((a)) 5, if a manual technique is used to predict downstream arrival time 
and peak flow or elevations; OR 
((b)) 20, if a computerized flow or storm surge prediction model (e.g., 
HEC-2 or HUREVAC) is used to analyze the data to produce 
more locally pertinent flood threat information. This model may 
be either a real-time model run during the flood, or maps, 
charts, and other output from a model that provides detailed 
data for points other than those specifically forecast in Section 
611.a.2(a)(1). 
The flood threat recognition system lets local officials know that a flood is coming. It should 
also enable estimates to be made of the time of onset of flooding and crest height. Under 
Section 611.a.2(a)(1), credit for flood threat recognition is provided if the community 
documents that, on a 24-hour basis, it monitors, and is ready to react to, notification systems, 
such as: 

 
River stage reports from the National Weather Service, U.S. Army Corps of 
Engineers, or other agency that monitors river stages [FTR = 20]. 
 
Reports from the National Hurricane Center [FTR = 20]. 
 
Reports from an IFLOWS (Integrated Flood Observing and Warning System) system 
that rainfall in the watersheds above the community will cause the river to crest at a 
certain stage at a certain time at a specific location within the community [FTR = 20]. 
 
Reports from the West Coast & Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) or the 
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) [FTR = 20] 
Under Section 611.a.2(a)(2), credit is provided if the community documents that a computer 
model will allow the site-specific forecast provided through Section 611.a.2(a)(1) to be 
extended to other locations within the community: 

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Using a flood profile produced by computer modeling (e.g., the profile in the 
communitys flood insurance study) and a contour map to determine the area along the 
river that will be inundated by the flood that has been forecast. [FTR = 20 + 20 = 40] 
 
Using SLOSH inundation maps to convert a forecast from the National Hurricane 
Center to a predicted area of inundation throughout the community. [FTR = 20 + 20 = 
40] 
 
Using a forecast peak flow at one point on a river from the National Weather Service 
or an IFLOWS system and the HEC-2 backwater model to produce a map of 
inundation areas throughout the community. [FTR = 20 + 20 = 40] 
(b) If the flood threat recognition system is operated by a local, state, or other 
nonfederal agency, FTR = the total of the credit points in (1), (2), and (3) as 
follows: 
(1) EITHER: 
((a)) 15, for a collection system based on precipitation and/or river gage 
data that are manually read and reported (e.g., by volunteer); 
OR 
((b)) 20, for an automated precipitation and/or river gage data collection 
and reporting system (e.g., IFLOWS, ALERT, or comparable 
system); 
(2) 10, if the density of the gage network is at least one per 10 square 
miles, or if all upstream tributaries with more than 10 square miles 
are gaged; and 
(3) EITHER: 
((a)) 5, if a manual technique is used to predict downstream arrival 
time and peak flow or elevations; OR 
((b)) 10, if a verified digital flow prediction model is used to analyze the 
data collected to predict downstream arrival time and peak 
flow or elevations. 
Flood threat recognition systems creditable under Section 611.a.2(b) include: 

 
Monitoring upstream river and rain gages by volunteers, neighboring communities, or 
others who report the data to an emergency operating center or other location [15 
points] where the data are reviewed and flood predictions are made using graphs and 
charts [5 points for a manual technique to predict arrival times and peak flows]. 
[FTR = 15 + 5 = 20] 
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Operating or participating in an ALERT, IFLOWS, or similar system. ALERT or 
IFLOWS systems consist of remote river and rainfall gages and a communication 
system that transmits the gage data to a microprocessor [20 points]. A hydrologic 
model converts the river and rainfall data to a flood prediction [10 points]. 
[FTR = 20 + 10 = 30] 
It does not matter which agency provides the flood forecast to the community. What counts is 
that a knowledgeable person in the community is responsible for receiving information and 
making or communicating a locally useful flood prediction. Monitoring the NOAA (National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Weather Radio and hearing that low-lying portions 
of several counties can expect flooding is not creditable under the CRS unless the community 
has its own followup system of monitoring and predicting flood levels. 

Each system must have a schedule of maintenance, drills, and/or other training appropriate to 
its needs. An ALERT system usually has automatic daily tests, while a manual gage-reading 
system may only need an annual drill. The communitys documentation must explain how and 
when the flood threat recognition system is maintained and updated (see Section 614.a.3). 

If a system does not cover all of a communitys sources of flooding, the areas affected are 
factored in during the impact adjustment. The impact adjustment is based on the number of 
buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) that are affected (see Section 612). 

Example 611.a-1. Watertown is flooded by three streams as shown in Figure 
610-1: two small streams that are not mapped as having an SFHA, and the Riley 
River. The following text is included in Watertowns description of the flood threat 
recognition system as required by Section 614.a.3: 

Watertown obtains warnings of flooding on Riley River from NOAA Weather 
Radio. The broadcasts include a stage predicted for the gage at the Cornhusker 
Street bridge. The emergency manager uses the flood stage forecast map 
(Figure 610-1) to determine what other areas will be affected by the predicted 
flood. 

Broadcasts are monitored 24 hours a day by personnel at the police dispatch 
center. Because the radio is continuously monitored, there are no special procedures for testing. Maintenance is performed under contract with a local 
electronics store. 

This system receives 20 points under Section 611.a.2(a)(1) for receiving and acting 
on National Weather Service warnings and 20 points under 611.a.2(a)(2)(b) forusing 
the map to provide flood data for other points in the community. 

FTR = 20 + 20 = 40 

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Riley River Flood Stage Forecast Map 

Flood stage 32 feet
Flood stage 36 feet (base flood) 


 Sandbag distribution point 
PW Public works garage 
CC First Christian Church 
LES Lincoln Elementary School 

Figure 610-1. Watertowns flood stage forecast map. 

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Flood Warning Program 

b. Emergency warning dissemination (EWD) (Maximum credit: 60 points) 
This element credits arrangements for disseminating a flood warning to the public. 
1. Prerequisites: 
(a) The community must receive credit for the flood threat recognition system (if 
FTR = 0, EWD = 0 and c610 = 0). 
(b) The community must have adopted an emergency response plan, and the 
items for which EWD credit is requested must be in that plan or in 
appendices or procedures adopted or developed as part of that plan. 
(c) The warning must be disseminated in ways that can reach people in a timely 
manner, including at night or in heavy storms. If the warning lead time is 
under 12 hours, it is not sufficient to rely only on radio and TV 
announcements. 
(d) The warning dissemination equipment and procedures must be tested at 
least annually. 
(e) The community must publicize the warning procedures at least annually. 
This may be done by using an outreach project credited under elements 
OPC, OPF, or OPS of Activity 330 (Outreach Projects) or a project that is not 
credited by the CRS but that reaches at least 90% of the properties in the 
floodplain. The publicity must cover the topics of flood warning and flood 
safety discussed in Section 331. If an OPS is used, the public information 
strategy document must discuss the best way to publicize warning and 
safety information to the target audience. 
2. Credit points: EWD = the total of the following points if these measures are 
specified in the adopted plan: 
(a) 10, for having an adopted policy that specifies when and how a warning is 
issued and what messages will be used. The policy must provide 
adequate guidance to allow staff to quickly issue appropriate warnings; 
(b) 15, for either an outdoor voice-sound system or a fixed siren system; 
(c) 30, for dissemination of warnings by door-to-door contact or mobile public 
address systems; 
(d) 10, for warning dissemination through the Emergency Alert System; 
(e) 15, for a telephone system that reaches all floodplain residents; 
(f) 10, for warning dissemination using a cable television override system; and 
(g) 10, for local AM radio transmitters used for public announcements. 
(h) Additional points may be possible for warning systems not listed. 
Communities should submit requests for such credit to their ISO/CRS 
Specialist. 
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Flood Warning Program 

The emergency response plan must be adopted by the governing body of the community. 
Specific items for which EWD credit is applied must be included in the adopted plan. The 
term plan includes annexes and standard operating procedures (SOPs) that may be 
developed pursuant to the plan, but without specific adoption. It is a standard procedure for 
such a plan to require the development and frequent revision of such SOPs without formal 
adoption of each procedure and revision. 

A community may include redundant warning dissemination systems in its flood response 
plans that total more than 60 points, but no more than 60 points are provided for this element. 
Credit is provided for either an outdoor voice-sound system or a fixed siren system, but not 
both. 

To receive credit for this element, the community must receive credit for FTR under Section 

611.a. The documentation must show that the warning will reach people in a timely manner. 
In areas subject to flooding with little lead time, sirens or fixed or mobile public address 
systems may be necessary. 
In areas with longer warning lead times, slower methods such as telephone calling trees and 
going from door to door may be appropriate. Often areas subject to hurricanes and coastal 
storms can expect more than 24 hours of warning lead time. In these cases, radio and 
television announcements would suffice. 

The warning equipment and procedures must be tested at least annually. Each approach 
should have its own appropriate testing schedule. Sirens and emergency alert systems are 
often tested weekly or monthly. A system that relies on telephone calling trees needs a 
provision for updating at least annually. 

The community must conduct one or more annual outreach projects that may be credited 
under Activity 330 (Outreach Projects) as outreach projects to the community (OPC), to 
floodplain residents (OPF), or pursuant to a public information program strategy (OPS) that 
determined the most appropriate way to advise people about the warning system. The project 
must cover flood warning and flood safety as discussed in Section 331. An outreach project 
used for this publicity requirement must be sent to at least 90% of the target audience. 

Example 611.b-1. Watertowns emergency response plan describes its warning 
dissemination system. The plan includes guidance on what warnings to issue and to 
whom when the Riley River is predicted to reach different stages [10 points for the 
warning policy]. When the flood threat recognition system shows that the river is 
expected to exceed a flood stage of 30 feet, the City sounds its sirens, which are 
located throughout the community [15 points for a fixed siren system]. The police 
dispatcher also activates the Emergency Alert System and advises area radio 
stations about the hazard [10 points for use of the Emergency Alert System]. 
Different messages are used based on the predicted flood stage. 

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Flood Warning Program 

Sirens are tested on the first Monday of each month. The Emergency Alert System is 
tested every six months. Maintenance of the sirens and communications equipment 
is provided for by contracts with the manufacturers. A flood exercise is conducted 
every two years. In the other years, a different type of disaster is used to exercise the 
Citys emergency response program. 

The Police Department also sends a squad car along streets in the Riley River 
floodplain to warn residents with its public address system. The squad cars are used 
daily, so there is no special testing. They are maintained by local car dealers 
according to a preventive maintenance schedule [30 points for mobile public address 
system]. 

EWD = 10 + 15 + 10 + 30 = 65. 

Because the maximum value for EWD is 60, EWD = 60. 

c. Other response efforts (ORE) (Maximum credit: 50 points) 
This element credits the other flood response efforts in the communitys flood 
response plan. 
1. Prerequisites: 
(a) The community must receive credit for the flood threat recognition system 
and for disseminating a flood warning to the general public (if FTR = 0 or 
EWD = 0, ORE = 0). 
(b) The community must conduct at least one exercise of the response plan 
each year. The exercise may be a table top exercise, drill, or response to an 
actual disaster. If the flood response plan is part of a multi-hazard plan, then 
the exercise may be in response to another disaster provided the parties and 
tasks involved are substantially the same. 
2. Credit points: ORE = the total of the credit points in (a), (b), and (c) as follows: 
(a) 20, if the adopted plan is keyed to specific predicted flood levels or other 
appropriate data furnished by the flood threat recognition system; 
(b) 10, if the adopted plan identifies responsibility for flood response tasks for 
the communitys staff and other public and private organizations; and 
(c) 20, if the adopted plan includes a summary of the estimated staff, 
equipment, supplies, and time required for each flood response task and 
the sources of the necessary resources. 
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Flood Warning Program 

Flood response tasks are assignments to be implemented by personnel within the local 
government, in other agencies (e.g., state police), and the private sector (e.g., contractors, 
volunteers, or the Red Cross). To receive full credit for this element, the tasks must be 
specific and flood-related. This level of detail is likely to be in an appendix or standard 
operating procedure attached to the plan. 

Example 611.c-1. Watertowns emergency manager prepared a Flood Stage 
Forecast Map for Riley River, shown in Figure 610-1. Its flood response plan is 
keyed to predicted flood crests at the river gage on Cornhusker Street. At the 
predicted 32-foot stage, a flood will reach buildings south of Cornhusker and the 
citys Public Works garage. At the predicted 36-foot stage, the Cornhusker and 
Chestnut Street bridges will become impassable. The following are some of the citys 
flood response tasks: 

32-foot stage predicted: 

Police Department: direct evacuation out of the identified areas. 

Fire Department: move two trucks and one ambulance to other side of river, 
so the entire town can be covered if the bridges are closed. 

Public Works Department: sandbag the public works garage. 

The Streets Department, Public Information Officer, other departments, and 
other agencies in the community, such as utility companies and the Red 
Cross, also have specific assignments. 

36-foot stage predicted: 

Police Department: direct evacuations. 

Public Works Department: move all moveable equipment to high ground. 

As noted under the example for EWD, Watertowns response plan is much more 
detailed than this example indicates. The EWD example also demonstrates that the 
town has a schedule for drills and exercises for its emergency response plan. 
[20 points for keying response tasks to predicted flood levels and 10 points for 
itemizing flood response plans by the responsible department, agency, or 
organization. ORE = 20 + 10 = 30 

d. Critical facilities planning (CFP) (Maximum credit: 50 points) 
This element credits warning and coordinating with operators of critical facilities. 
Critical facilities are defined in Section 130. 
1. Prerequisites: 
(a) The community must receive credit for the flood threat recognition system 
and for disseminating a flood warning to the general public (if FTR = 0 or 
EWD = 0, CFP = 0). 
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Flood Warning Program 

(b) The community must update the information on its critical facilities at least 
annually. 
2. Credit points: CFP = the credit points as follows: 
(a) CFP1 = 10, if the adopted plan includes the names and telephone numbers 
of the operators of all critical facilities affected by flooding. This 
information must be updated at least annually; 
(b) CFP2 = 20, if the adopted plan includes arrangements for providing special 
warnings or early notifications directly to all facilities that need 
them; and 
(c) CFP3 = 20, if the critical facilities needing them have their own flood 
response plans that have been developed, reviewed, or 
accepted by the community. 
As with the other elements of this activity, the community must receive credit for its flood 
threat recognition system in order to receive credit for this element. 

See Section 130, Glossary, for the definition of critical facilities used to determine CRS 
credit. The communitys flood response plan must list the facilities considered critical in a 
flood. Facilities not subject to flooding generally do not need to be addressed, although in 
some cases loss of access can cause a critical situation. Other facilities in flood-free sites may 
be needed to support the flood response effort (e.g., sandbag suppliers and shelters for 
evacuees). 

More credit points are available if the community provides warnings tailored to the needs of 
its critical facilities. The timing and type of notice would depend on the facility and its needs. 
For example, an industrial complex where there is a lot of noise may need a direct telephone 
call because no one would hear a siren. Another facility may need an early notice in order to 
get ready. To obtain the 20 points, the community does not need to provide a special warning 
to all critical facilities, only all of those identified in the flood response plan as needing one. 

More credit is provided if there are flood response plans for individual critical facilities. The 
plans may be developed by the community or developed by the facilities operators and 
reviewed by the community. The facilities plans should include flood response tasks similar 
to those credited under Section 611.c, Other Response Efforts. 

Example 611.d-1. Watertowns multi-hazard plan lists all critical facilities in the 
community, their operators, and their telephone numbers. The list is updated by the 
emergency manager every six months. [CFP1 = 10 points] 

There are three critical facilities affected by flooding of the Riley River: the Public 
Works garage, the First Christian Church, and Lincoln Elementary School. Thefirst is 
in the floodplain and the last two are adjacent to the floodplain but are needed for the 
flood response plan. The Citys plan includes providing special warnings to these 
three facilities. [CFP2 = 20 points] 

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e. StormReady community (SRC) (Maximum credit: 55 points) 
This element credits a local government that has been designated by the 
National Weather Service (NWS) as a StormReady or a TsunamiReady 
community. 
1. Prerequisites: 
(a) The local government must receive credit for a flood threat recognition 
system operating within its jurisdiction. (if FTR = 0, SRC = 0). 
(b) The flood warning program must be able to forecast the arrival time and 
peak flow or elevations of floods. 
(c) For TsunamiReady credit, the community must: 
(1) meet the other mapping requirements for special hazards credit, as 
described in CRS Credit for Management of Tsunami Hazards, 
sections 410TS and 430TS, and. 
(2) have adopted a tsunami hazard operations plan or annex that 
addresses actions to take after a tsunami warning. 
2. Credit Points: 
(a) SRC = 25 points for obtaining and maintaining the designation as a 
National Weather Service StormReady community. 
(b) SRC = 30 points for obtaining and maintaining the designation as a 
National Weather Service TsunamiReady community. 
Warning and response programs for other hazards should be coordinated with and support 
flood warning and response activities. The StormReady element is an example of where local 
warning and public information activities directed toward other metrological and hydrological 
hazards, such as thunderstorms and tsunamis, receive CRS credit because they have a direct 
flood loss reduction benefit. 

The National Weather Service established the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs to 
help local governments improve the timeliness and effectiveness of hazardous-weatherrelated warnings for the public. By participating, local agencies can earn recognition for their 
jurisdiction by meeting the guidelines established by the NWS in partnership with federal, 
state, and local emergency management professionals. 

The StormReady and TsunamiReady programs have communications and educational 
requirements that go beyond the elements credited by the CRS. Therefore, CRS credit is 
provided to local governments that receive credit for flood threat recognition (FTR) and are 
designated by the NWS as a StormReady or a TsunamiReady community. More information 
on the special hazard credits for tsunami programs can be found in CRS Credit for 
Management of Tsunami Hazards. 

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Example 611.e-1. Watertown was designated by the National Weather 
Service as a StormReady community on November 1, 2000. [SRC = 25 points] 

612 Impact Adjustment 

There is no impact adjustment for SRC because the program applies to the entire 
community. 

a. Option 1: 
1. 
If the flood threat recognition system, the warning dissemination system, and the 
flood response tasks cover the entire SFHA, rFTR, rEWD, and rORE = 1.0. 
2. 
If all critical facilities affected by flooding have their own flood response plans, 
rCFP3 = 1.0. 
There is no impact adjustment for CFP1 and CFP2. If the communitys program does not 
cover all critical facilities affected by flooding, then CFP1 and CFP2 = 0. There is an impact 
adjustment for CFP3 based on whether all (Option 1) or some (Option 2) of the critical 
facilities have their own flood response plans. 

b. Option 2: 
1. 
If the flood threat recognition system, the warning dissemination system, and the 
flood response tasks cover less than the entire SFHA, rFTR, rEWD, and rORE = 
0.25. 

2. 
If only some of the critical facilities have their own flood response plans, rCFP3 
= 0.25. 
c. Option 3: 
The impact adjustment ratios for FTR, EWD, and ORE are computed by dividing the 
number of buildings affected byeach element by the total number of buildings in the 
SFHA (bSF): 

rFTR = bFTR rEWD = bEWD rORE = bORE 
bSF bSF bSF 


rFTR and rORE cannot be greater than 1.0. rEWD cannot be greater than rFTR. 

CRS Coordinators Manual 610-14 
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Flood Warning Program 

In most cases, a flood warning program is implemented throughout the community. This 
includes the regulatory floodplain and B, C, D, or X Zones that are not mapped for flooding. 
Where a community implements a warning program that serves everyone in the SFHA, the 
impact adjustment variables for those elements are 1.0. 

Sections 301 through 303 discuss determining impact adjustment ratios based on buildings, 
including the variable bSF. 

Example 612.c-1. Watertowns SFHA is limited to the Riley River floodplain. Its 
flood warning and response program for Riley River covers the entire SFHA. 
Therefore, the city uses Option 1: rFTR, rEWD, and rORE = 1.0. 

613 Credit Calculation 

a. cFTR = FTR x rFTR 
b. cEWD = EWD x rEWD 
c. cORE = ORE x rORE 
d. cCFP = CFP1 + CFP2 + (CFP3 x rCFP3) 
e. c610 = cFTR + cEWD + cORE + cCFP + SRC 
Example 613-1. Watertowns flood warning and flood response program is 
described in the previous sections: 
FTR = 40 rFTR = 1.0 cFTR = FTR x rFTR = 40 x 1.0 = 40 
EWD = 60 rEWD = 1.0 cEWD = EWD x rEWD = 60 x 1.0 = 60 

ORE = 30 rORE = 1.0 cORE = ORE x rORE = 30 x 1.0 = 30 
CFP1 = 10 CFP2 = 20 cCFP = CFP1 + CFP2 + (CFP3 x rCFP3) 
CFP3 = 0 = 10 + 20 + (0 x 0) = 30 

 SRC=25 cSRC=25 
c610 = cFTR + cEWD + cORE + cCFP + SRC = 40 + 60 + 30 + 30 + 25 = 185 

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Flood Warning Program 

614 Credit Documentation 

The community must submit the following documentation with its application: 

a. A description of the communitys flood threat recognition system. The following 
items must be included and the margins must be marked so these items can be 
located by the reviewer. If the community is only applying for credit for a flood threat 
recognition system under Section 611.a, only items 1 and 3 need to be submitted. 
The document should be marked as indicated: 
1. 
A description of the flood hazard (flood hazard). 
2. 
A description of the areas affected by flooding and the impact of flooding on 
those areas (flood impact). 
3. 
A description of the system used to recognize and evaluate an impending flood 
(flood threat recognition system or FTR). 
4. 
Flood warning lead times for each stream or body of water covered by the 
program (flood warning times). 
This documentation is the basis for providing the community with credit for this activity. If 
the documentation is incomplete, does not address the elements credit criteria, or is not 
adequately marked, the community may not receive all the credit points that its program 
deserves. 

NOTE: The communitys staff may be asked to complete a questionnaire on its flood warning 
program to facilitate verification of this activity. 

The following provides guidance on what documentation is needed: 

1. 
A description of the flood hazard: There must be a discussion of the nature of the 
flood hazard. A description that meets the criteria for step 4, assess the hazard items 
(a)(2)and (a)(3) for a floodplain management plan will usually suffice (see Section 
511.a.4.(a)(2) and (3)). The community may find it helpful to show the flood hazard 
area on a map of the community that shows the streams and other bodies of water that 
affect the community (see Figure 610-1). The description of the flood hazard in the 
communitys Flood Insurance Study, which was provided to the community by the 
Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
when the community received its Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), will generally 
provide a good basis for this description. 
Example 614.a-1. Watertowns Flood Stage Forecast Map is shown in Figure 
610-1. The following text is included in Watertowns documentation: 

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Flood Warning Program 

Watertowns primary threat of flooding is from the Riley River, which has a 
drainage area of 417 square miles. There are two smaller streams with drainage 

areas that are not large enough to be mapped as SFHA on the citys FIRM. 
Although Riley River occasionally floods during the summer and fall, the 
principal cause of flooding is spring snow melt. Attached is the Flood Stage 
Forecast Map for the Riley River (Figure 610-1). 

The duration of flooding varies depending on the cause of flooding. Summer 
thunderstorms immediately upstream of Watertown can cause the river to rise 
rapidly to a peak and to subside as quickly. Peak flows from thunderstorms 
farther upstream are attenuated as they move downstream. The peaks are 
lower, and the duration of flooding is longer. Flooding from snow melt and slow-
moving winter frontal storms may persist for several days and have multiple 
peaks. 

In all cases, velocities are less than 5 feet per second. Flooding on the Riley 
River has included logs and other debris that increase the hazards. 

2. 
A description of the areas affected and the impact of flooding on the areas: A flood 
threat recognition system should be tailored to the needs of an area. A description that 
meets the criteria for step 5, assess the problem, items (a) through (d) in a 
floodplain management plan will usually suffice (see Section 511.a.5(a)(d)). 
Example 614.a-2. The following text is included in Watertowns documentation: 

Areas in FIRM Zones A and B along the Riley River are subject to flooding. 
Major parts of these areas have been flooded at least six times in the last 50 
years. The Chestnut Street bridge has sustained minor damage several times 
due to battering by debris. 

Within the area subject to overland flooding, properties subject to damage are 
primarily residential with a few commercial developments and one critical facility. 
The Riley River floodplain includes 86 houses and four non-residential buildings. 
There is only one critical facility in the Riley River floodplain, the citys Public 
Works garage. 

Damage in the past has included water damage to contents, battering of 
structures, and secondary losses due to disruption of utility services. Flooding of 
bridges and the Public Works garage has impeded response and recovery 
work. 

3. A description of the flood threat recognition system: The description must 
demonstrate that the flood threat recognition system is timely and reliable enough to 
allow a reasonable opportunity to reduce the impact of the flood on the community 
and its residents. If the notice of impending flooding is provided by the National 
Weather Service or other federal agency, the description must state how the 
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Flood Warning Program 

community receives the notice. If data are collected and analyzed by the community, 
state, or other non-federal agency, the system should be described in more detail. 

Example 614.a-3. Watertowns description of the flood threat recognition 
system is included in the example in Section 611.a. 

4. 
Flood warning times for each stream or body of water covered by the program: A 
response plan must be based on the amount of time the flood threat recognition system 
provides for the community to respond to the flood notification. Warning times can be 
estimated. 
Example 614.a-4. The following text is included in Watertowns documentation: 

The flood predictions provided by the National Weather Service provide 
Watertown approximately 12 hours of warning in advance of flooding from 
events in the upper part of the Riley River watershed. Accurate and timely 
warnings cannot be provided for floods resulting from rain within 10 miles 
upstream of the community. 

b. [Required if the community is applying for credit under Sections 611.b through d]: 
1. 
Documentation that the flood response plan has been formally adopted by the 
communitys governing board. 
Many communities have prepared multi-hazard emergency response plans or comprehensive 
emergency management plans. Unless such a plan has a flood annex, standard operating 
procedures, or other parts that specifically address the communitys flood problem, 
it may not be specific enough to qualify for CRS credit. For CRS credit, a flood response plan 
must specifically relate to the flood hazard and identify activities that respond to the flood 
threat at different predicted stages. 

An effective date or adoption date on the cover of the plan or a copy of the minutes of the 
meeting at which it was adopted will suffice. 

2. Copies of those portions of the plan or other documents demonstrating that the 
credit is appropriate. The CRS acronyms must be marked in the margins. 
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Flood Warning Program 

Even where a multi-hazard plan or other comprehensive emergency response plan is used for 
parts of the documentation, other documentation may be required. Many of the specific items 
required to document these elements may be in appendices or standard operating procedures 
rather than in the body of the plan. 

If a multi-hazard emergency response plan or comprehensive emergency management plan 
with many annexes is used to document the credit for this activity, the entire document should 
not be submitted with the CRS application. The specific documentation should be marked 
with the CRS acronyms in the margins, and copies of only those pages should be submitted. 

3. 
A copy of the materials that publicize the warning system. The publicity must 
fully cover the topics of flood warning and flood safety as discussed in Section 
331. The materials must be distributed each year and must reach at least 90% 
of the target audience. 
c. [If the community determines the impact adjustment ratios using Options 1 or 3 
(Section 612.a or 612.c)] Documentation showing how the impact adjustments 
were determined. If Option 3 is used, a map showing the areas covered by the flood 
warning program is needed. 
If Option 1 is used, a written statement that all buildings in the SFHA are covered by the 
program is sufficient. 

The community must submit the following with its annual CRS recertification: 

d. [If the community has credit for critical facilities planning (CFP1)
] 
A page from the 
list of the operators of the critical facilities affected by flooding that must be updated 
at least annually (see Sections 214 and 611.d.2(a)). 
e. If the community experienced at least one flood during the previous year that 
damaged more than 10 buildings, caused more than $50,000 in property damage, 
or caused the death of one or more persons, it must submit the following 
documentation with its annual CRS recertification (see Section 214): 
An evaluation report that describes the performance of the warning program. For 
each flood meeting the above criteria, this report must describe how the program 
operated in response to the flood, and any improvements that may be needed. 

If there has been a flood that meets the above criteria, submission of the report with the 
annual recertification is necessary for continued credit under this activity. The report should 
include a discussion of the following items. The report does not need to cover items 3 through 
5 if the community is not receiving CRS credit for these elements. 

1. 
The cause of the flood and its estimated recurrence interval, if known; 
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Flood Warning Program 

2. 
Performance of the flood threat recognition system; 
3. 
Dissemination of warnings and public response; 
4. 
Governmental and private response activities, such as evacuation or flood fighting; 
5. 
Impact of the flood on critical facilities; 
6. 
Description of deaths, injuries, property damage, and impact on public health and 
safety; 
7. 
Damage prevented by the flood warning system and response plan; 
8. 
Lessons learned and changes needed in the warning program and response plan; and 
9. 
The status of implementing the changes recommended by the last post-flood 
evaluation report. 
If the evaluation identifies shortcomings in the flood warning system or failures in its 
operation, the report must identify remedial actions that will improve future operation. 

615 For More Information 

Additional information, reference materials, and examples can be found at the CRS Resource 
Center at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CRS/. 

a. 
The following publications are available at no cost (see Appendix E). 
CRS Credit for Flood Warning Systems 
CRS Credit for Management of Coastal Erosion Hazards 
CRS Credit for Management of Tsunami Hazards.
.


b. 
In most cases, communities can receive assistance from their state emergency services 
agency or the National Weather Service in establishing warning programs and planning 
and conducting drills. 
c. 
Most district offices of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have handbooks on flood 
emergency procedures and offer help in developing flood response plans. 
d. 
Copies of the following publications are available at no cost from 
FEMA Distribution Center 
P.O. Box 2010 
Jessup, MD 20794-2012 
1-800-480-2520 
Fax: (301) 362-5335 
Disaster Operations, A Handbook for Local Governments, FEMA, CPG 1-6, 1981. 

Preparing for Hurricanes and Coastal Flooding: A Handbook for Local Officials, 
FEMA and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, FEMA-50, 1983. 

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Flood Warning Program 

State and Local Guide (SLG) 101: Guide for All-Hazard Emergency Operations 
Planning. September 1996 (available from http://www.fema.gov/pdf/rrr/0-prelim.pdf). 

e. 
FEMA has independent study courses from the Emergency Management Institute through its 
website. See http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/. 
f. 
The following may be ordered from 
National Technical Information Service (NTIS) 

U.S. Department of Commerce 
Springfield, VA 22161 
Guidelines on Community Local Flood Warning and Response Systems, Federal 
Interagency Advisory Committee on Water Data, 1985. (NTIS order number PB 86 
109 717, $21.95). 

Community Handbook on Flood Warning and Preparedness Programs, H. James 
Owen, for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1981. (NTIS order number AD-A108 
669, $15.95). 

g. 
More information on StormReady can be obtained from the local National Weather Service 
office or the NOAA website at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/stormready/. 
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Flood Warning Program 

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CRS Coordinators Manual 610-22 Edition: 2006 


620 LEVEE SAFETY 


Summary of Activity 620 
621 Credit Points. There is one element in this activity for a maximum of 900 points. 
a. Levee protection level (LPL): Up to 100 points are provided based on the flood recurrence 
interval at the flood protection level. The levees flood protection level is 3 feet below the 
lowest point of the crown. The following conditions must be met: 
b. The levee must have been constructed before January 1, 1991. 
c. The community must have a levee emergency plan that specifies actions to be taken at various 
flood stages. 
622 Impact Adjustment. The credit points for each element are adjusted in one of three ways. 
a. Under Option 1, if all of the buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) are protected 
by the levee, the impact adjustment ratio is 1.0. 
b. Under Option 2, if there are at least five buildings protected by the levee, a default impact 
adjustment ratio of 0.01 may be used and the community receives 9 points for this activity. 
c. Under Option 3, the impact adjustment ratio reflects the number of buildings in the SFHA 
protected by the levee. 
623 Credit Calculation. The credit points for LPL are multiplied by the impact adjustment 
ratio and then by 9. 
624 Credit Documentation. The community must submit the following. 
a. Levee protection level documentation. EITHER: 
1. A statement signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that states the levee protection 
level and the date of construction, OR 
2. A certification by a licensed professional engineer that states that the levee meets all of the 
NFIP levee recognition requirements except for height. The certification must also provide 
the date of construction and the levee protection level. 
b. The communitys levee emergency response plan specifying actions to be taken at various flood 
stages. 
c. The map showing the area protected by the levee. 
d. Documentation showing how the impact adjustment ratios were determined. 
The community must submit the following documentation with its annual recertification. 
e. A certification by a licensed professional engineer that the levee has been maintained in such a 
manner that it meets all the NFIP levee maintenance requirements. 
625 For More Information. 
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Levee Safety 

620 LEVEE SAFETY 


Credit is provided for maintaining levees and a levee emergency response plan for 
areas protected by less than base flood levees. 

Background: If a levee or floodwall does not meet the base flood protection criteria, it 
is not recognized on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). Because these levees do 
prevent damage from smaller, more frequent floods, they may receive CRS credit. 

Many communities are protected to some extent by levees or floodwalls. (As used in this 
activity, the word levee includes floodwalls.) The National Flood Insurance Program 
(NFIP) has criteria (44 CFR 65.10, shown in Figure 620-2ac) for recognizing whether a 
levee provides protection from the base flood. If it does, the protected area is mapped as a B, 
C, or X Zone and flood insurance rates are lower than if it remained an A Zone. The 
community is required to maintain the levee to its design standard in order to keep the 
favorable zone designation. 

Activity Description: This activity provides credit to communities protected by levees 
that are properly maintained and operated but are not high enough to meet the criteria 
for base flood levees. A community may also receive credit for a levee that protects to 
the base flood elevation or above if the levee is not reflected on the communitys FIRM. 
There is no credit under this activity if the area protected by the levee is designated as 
an AO, A99, AR, B, C, or X Zone or an AE or A numbered zone with the base flood 
elevation lower than on the water side of the levee. 

CRS credit is only provided for levees and floodwalls built before January 1, 1991, and 
those that provide protection to at least the 25-year flood elevation. SEE THE NOTE IN 
SECTION 621. 

In addition to having adequate design and maintenance, there must be emergency response 
plans for situations in which the levees are threatened with overtopping or failure. 

This activity is not intended to encourage construction of new flood control structures or to 
duplicate credit given to base flood levees by current mapping procedures. 

The area protected by a levee on a communitys FIRM must show the protected area as an 
SFHA. The base flood elevation must be the same on both sides of the levee. If the area 
protected by a levee is mapped as a B, C, or X Zone, the levee was considered to provide base 
flood protection when the FIRM was prepared and no credit is available under this activity. 

There are other activities related to levees that are not included here because they are credited 
elsewhere. For example, Activity 330 (Outreach Projects) could provide credit for advising 
residents of the protected area about the levee and its shortcomings. 

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Levee Safety 

621 Credit Points 

Maximum credit for Activity 620: 900 points. 

Levee protection level (LPL) (Maximum credit: 100 points) 

For LPL credit, the following conditions must be met: 

a. LPL 
= 
flood recurrence interval at the flood protection level. If the flood protection 
level is at or above the base flood elevation, LPL = 100. There is no credit 
for levees below the 25-year protection level. The flood protection level can 
be determined in either of the following ways: 
1. 
The levees flood protection level may be determined by the U.S. Army 
Corps of Engineers or other federal agency that has inspected the levee; 
or 
2. 
In the absence of a determination by a federal agency with jurisdiction, 
the levees flood protection level is 3 feet below the lowest point of the 
crown. 
The criteria in 44 CFR 65.10(b)(1) require that the crown of the levee be at least 3 feet above 
the base flood elevation. To be credited under this activity, the levee would not need to be 
that high, but it must meet the rest of the requirements of 65.10. 


crown 
protection level 
 
3 feet 

Figure 620-1. Levee protection level. 

In the absence of a statement from the Corps or other federal agency with jurisdiction, the 
protection elevation of the levee is considered to be 3 feet below the crown of the levee (see 
Figure 620-1). For example, if the levees crown is 3 feet above the 50-year flood level, LPL 
= 50. In 44 CFR 65.10(b)(1), there is a discussion of the circumstances under which a smaller 
freeboard is acceptable. 

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Levee Safety 

The recurrence interval for the protection elevation can be determined from the flood 
insurance studys profile. In any case, the flood protection elevation must be provided by the 
community. 

Example 621.a-1. The elevation of the crown of Riverviews levee is 532 feet 
NGVD. Three feet below the crown is elevation 529. A check of the profile shows 
that 529 is halfway between the 50- and 100-year flood elevations. Therefore, LPL = 

75. 
To be eligible for credit under this activity, the levee must provide protection from at least a 
25-year flood. Base flood levees may already be credited under the NFIP because areas in the 
floodplain that are protected by them are usually mapped B, C, or X Zones and flood 
insurance premium rates are substantially lower than those for unprotected floodplain 
properties. 

Example 621.a-2. The elevation of 3 feet below the crown of Floodvilles levee 
approximates the 10-year flood elevation on the profile. Therefore, LPL = 0 and there 
is no credit for this activity. Floodville may review the freeboard criteria in 44 CFR 
65.10(b)(1) to see if the Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA) would accept 2 feet of freeboard. 

NOTE: The area protected by the levee may be mapped as an A, AE, or numbered A Zone to 
reflect internal drainage problems. If it is an AO Zone, it definitely reflects internal drainage 
problems. Where the SFHA is based on an internal drainage problem, the protected area has 
a base flood elevation lower than the rivers and the levee has been mapped as providing 
protection from the base flood. This activity does not provide credit for levees in these cases. 
If the area protected by the levee is later remapped as an X, A99, AR, or AO Zone or other 
SFHA that only reflects internal drainage, the community will lose its CRS credit for this 
activity. Remapping the floodplain due to a flood protection project provides a separate and 
greater flood insurance premium rate reduction (see Section 530). 

It is important to note that operation and maintenance must be under the jurisdiction of a 
Federal or State agency, an agency created by Federal or State law, or an agency of a 
community participating in the NFIP. A levee maintained by a levee district is acceptable; 
one maintained by a homeowners association is not. 

b. The levee must have been constructed before January 1, 1991; and 
c. The community must have a levee emergency plan that specifies actions to be 
taken at various flood stages. Actions that must be included are: 
1. Periodic patrols of the structure; 
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Levee Safety 

2. Closing openings that are structural parts of the system (sandbagging is not 
acceptable); 
3. Warning local emergency officials when the flood reaches within 4 feet of the 
crown of the levee; 
4. Monthly communications checks with local emergency officials; 
5. Annual inspections of emergency equipment and stockpiles; and 
6. Annual drills. 
The NFIP rules in 44 CFR 65.10(c), Operation plans and criteria, specify what needs to be 
done to protect the levee from failure. For example, the standards for allowable closures are 
found in 65.10(c)(1). 

Items c.1 through c.6 specify what needs to be done to protect lives and property in the 
protected area if the levee fails or is overtopped. Acting when a flood is within 4 feet of the 
crown allows time to advise local officials that the levee protection is being threatened. A 
different threshold for advance notice of failure or overtopping may be submitted for review. 

If the community requests credit for a flood response plan under Activity 610 (Flood Warning 
Program), items 1, 2, and 3 should be incorporated into that plan. Items 4, 5, and 6 should be 
coordinated with the maintenance, testing, and drills of the communitys flood response plan. 
However, the emergency plan for the levee must be designed and implemented by the agency 
that operates and maintains the levee, which may or may not be the community. 

622 Impact Adjustment 

a. Option 1: 
If all of the buildings in the communitys SFHA are protected by a single levee or a 
levee system built to a single flood protection level, rLP = 1.0. 

b. Option 2: 
rLP = 0.01, 
where bLP = 5 and bLP = the number of buildings protected by the 
levee. 

c. Option 3: 
rLP = bLP, where bLP = the number of buildings protected by the levee. 
bSF 


bSF = the number of buildings in the SFHA. 

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If the levee protects all of the buildings in the SFHA, the impact adjustment ratio rLP = 1.0 
(Option 1). 

If at least five buildings are protected by the levee (i.e., bLP = 5 or more), then a default 
impact adjustment ratio of 0.01 may be used. If the community has fewer than 500 buildings 
in its SFHA (i.e., bSF < 500), it will receive more credit points by using Option 3. If the levee 
protects more than 1% of the buildings in the SFHA, it will receive more credit points under 
Option 3. However, Option 2 may still be used if the community does not want to calculate 
bSF. 

Otherwise, rLP is calculated by dividing the number of buildings that the levee protects (bLP) 
by the number of buildings in the SFHA (bSF) (Option 3). There is no credit for protecting 
buildings not in the SFHA as shown on the FIRM. 

A discussion of impact adjustment ratios using buildings, including the variable bSF, appears 
in Sections 301 through 303. 

Example 622.b-1. Riverviews levee protects 82 buildings in the SFHA: 
bLP = 82. There are 150 buildings in Riverviews SFHA: bSF = 150. Using Option 3, 

rLP = 82 = 0.55 
150 


623 Credit Calculation 

c620 = 9 x LPL x rLP 

Example 623-1. Riverviews levee protects 82 buildings to approximately the 75year flood level: LPL = 75. As noted above, rLP = 0.55. 

c620 = 9 x 75 x 0.55 = 371.25 = 371 

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Levee Safety 

624 Credit Documentation 

The community must submit the following documentation with its application: 

a. EITHER: 
1. 
A statement signed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers or other federal 
agency with jurisdiction that has inspected the levee that 
(a) States the levee protection level; and 
(b) Provides the date of construction; OR 
2. 
A certification by a licensed professional engineer that 
(a) States that the levee or floodwall meets all the NFIP levee recognition 
requirements (44 CFR 65.10) except for height (65.10(b)(1)); 
(b) Provides the date of construction; and 
(c) Provides the protection elevation and the flood recurrence interval for that 
elevation. Data sources and calculations must be included. 
The levee must be certified by a licensed professional engineer as meeting all of the NFIPs 
requirements for levee recognition as iterated in 44 CFR 65.10. These requirements are 
reprinted in Figure 620-2 and cover the levee design, operation, and maintenance in 
subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively. 

b. A copy of the communitys levee emergency plan meeting the specifications of 
Section 621.c. 
c. A map showing the area the levee protects, designated as LP. No credit is 
provided for levees that protect vacant land or properties in B, C, or X Zones. 
The credit points for this activity are adjusted in Section 622 according to the number of 
buildings protected (bLP). To assist in calculating and verifying the number of buildings 
protected, the area protected by the levee must be shown on a map. 

The map may be the communitys FIRM or the Impact Adjustment Map prepared in 
accordance with the instructions in Section 403. The data for the map can be found in the 
original design study for the levee. As an alternative, bLP can be the buildings in the area 
below the flood protection elevation as extrapolated from the best available contour map. 

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d. [If the community determines the impact adjustment ratios using Options 2 or 3 
(Section 622.b or 622.c)] Documentation showing how bLP was determined. If the 
community used Option 3, documentation showing how bSF was determined. 
The variable bSF represents the number of buildings in the SFHA. It is discussed in detail in 
Sections 302 and 303. 

The community must submit the following documentation with its annual CRS 
recertification (see Section 214): 

e. A certification by a licensed professional engineer that the levee has been 
maintained in such a manner that it meets all the NFIP levee maintenance 
requirements. 
As an alternative to certification, the community may use a copy of the Corps annual 
inspection report, provided that it rates the levee maintenance as satisfactory or outstanding. 

The following may be cause for loss of credit under this activity: 

 
Failure to properly maintain the levee; 
 
Failure to conduct the monthly checks and annual inspections and drills; or 
 
Failure to submit the appropriate documentation each year. 
Many levees have been funded or partially funded by the Corps of Engineers or other federal 
or state agencies. To ensure that their investment is being properly maintained, these agencies 
often conduct inspections and send inspection results to the levee owner (e.g., the levee 
district). Copies of these results suffice as documentation that the levee is being maintained 
but not necessarily that the checks, inspections, and drills have been conducted. 

625 For More Information 

Additional information, reference materials, and examples can be found at the CRS Resource 
Center at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CRS/. 

a. The following document is available at no cost from 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, ATTN: CECW-PF 
20 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20314 
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Levee Safety 

Design and Construction of Levees, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of the 
Chief of Engineers, Engineering Manual 1110-2-1913, 1978. 

b. 
See the documents listed for Activity 610 (Flood Warning Program) in Section 615. 
c. 
Rural communities can request help on this activity from the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service. Requests should be submitted to the local soil and water 
conservation district, which is usually located in the county seat. 
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44 CFR  65.10 Mapping of Areas Protected by Levee Systems. 

(a) General. For purposes of the NFIP, 
FEMA will only recognize in its flood hazard and 
risk mapping effort those levee systems that meet, 
and continue to meet, minimum design, operation, 
and maintenance standards that are consistent 
with the level of protection sought through the 
comprehensive flood plain management criteria 
established by  60.3 of this subchapter. 
Accordingly, this section describes the types of 
information FEMA needs to recognize, on NFIP 
maps, that a levee system provides protection 
from the base flood. This information must be 
supplied to FEMA by the community or other 
party seeking recognition of such a levee system 
at the time a flood risk study or restudy is 
conducted, when a map revision under the 
provisions of Part 65 of this subchapter is sought 
based on a levee system, and upon request by the 
Administrator during the review of previously 
recognized structures. The FEMA review will be 
for the sole purpose of establishing appropriate 
risk zone determinations for NFIP maps and shall 
not constitute a determination by FEMA as to 
how a structure or system will perform in a flood 
event. 
(b) Design criteria. For levees to be 
recognized by FEMA, evidence that adequate 
design and operation and maintenance systems 
are in place to provide reasonable assurance that 
protection from the base flood exists must be 
provided. The following requirements must be 
met: 
(1) Freeboard. (i) Riverine levees must 
provide a minimum freeboard of three feet above 
the water-surface level of the base flood. An 
additional one foot above the minimum is 
required within 100 feet in either side of 
structures (such as bridges) riverward of the levee 
or wherever the flow is constricted. An additional 
one-half foot above the minimum at the upstream 
end of the levee, tapering to not less than the 
minimum at the downstream end of the levee, is 
also required. 
(ii) Occasionally, exceptions to the minimum 
riverine freeboard requirement described in 
paragraph (b)(1)(i) of this section, may be 
approved. Appropriate engineering analyses 
demonstrating adequate protection with a lesser 
freeboard must be submitted to support a request 
for such an exception. The material presented 
must evaluate the uncertainty in the estimated 
base flood elevation profile and include, but not 
necessarily be limited to an assessment of 
statistical confidence limits of the 100-year 
discharge; changes in stage-discharge 
relationships; and the sources, potential, and 
magnitude of debris, sediment, and ice 
accumulation. It must be also shown that the 
levee will remain structurally stable during the 
base flood when such additional loading 
considerations are imposed. Under no 
circumstances will freeboard of less than two feet 
be accepted. 
(iii) For coastal levees, the freeboard must be 
established at one foot above the height of the one 
percent wave or the maximum wave runup 
(whichever is greater) associated with the 
100-year stillwater surge elevation at the site. 
(iv) Occasionally, exceptions to the minimum 
coastal levee freeboard requirement described in 
paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section, may be 
approved. Appropriate engineering analyses 
demonstrating adequate protection with a lesser 
freeboard must be submitted to support a request 
for such an exception. The material presented 
must evaluate the uncertainty in the estimated 
base flood loading conditions. Particular 
emphasis must be placed on the effects of wave 
attack and overtopping on the stability of the 
levee. Under no circumstances, however, will a 
freeboard of less than two feet above the 100-year 
stillwater surge elevation be accepted. 
(2) Closures. All openings must be provided 
with closure devices that are structural parts of 
the system during operation and design according 
to sound engineering practice. 
Figure 620-2a. FEMAs levee safety criteria (page one). 

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Levee Safety 

(3) Embankment protection. Engineering 
analyses must be submitted that demonstrate that 
no appreciable erosion of the levee embankment 
can be expected during the base flood, as a result 
of either currents or waves, and that anticipated 
erosion will not result in failure of the levee 
embankment or foundation directly or indirectly 
through reduction of the seepage path and 
subsequent instability. The factors to be 
addressed in such analyses include, but are not 
limited to: Expected flow velocities (especially in 
constricted areas); expected wind and wave 
action; ice loading; impact of debris; slope 
protection techniques; duration of flooding at 
various stages and velocities; embankment and 
foundation materials; levee alignment, bends, and 
transitions; and levee side slopes. 
(4) Embankment and foundation stability. 
Engineering analyses that evaluate levee 
embankment stability must be submitted. The 
analysesprovided shall evaluate expected seepage 
during loading conditions associated with the 
base flood and shall demonstrate that seepage into 
or through the levee foundation and embankment 
will not jeopardize embankment or foundation 
stability. An alternative analysis demonstrating 
that the levee is designed and constructed for 
stability against loading conditions for Case IV as 
defined in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 
(COE) manual, Design and Construction of 
Levees (EM 1110-2-1913, Chapter 6, Section 
II), may be used. The factors that shall be 
addressed in the analyses include: Depth of 
flooding, duration of flooding, embankment 
geometry and length of seepage path at critical 
locations, embankment and foundationmaterials, 
embankment compaction, penetrations, other 
design factors affecting seepage (such as drainage 
layers), and other design factors affecting 
embankment and foundation stability (such as 
berms). 
(5) Settlement. Engineering analyses must be 
submitted that assess the potential and magnitude 
of future losses of freeboard as a result of levee 
settlement and demonstrate that freeboard will be 
maintained within the minimum standards set 
forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section. This 
analysis must address embankment loads, 
compressibility of embankment soils, 
compressibility of foundation soils, age of the 
levee system, and construction compaction 
methods. In addition, detailed settlement analysis 
using procedures such as those described in the 
COE manual, Soil Mechanics 
Design--Settlement Analysis (EM 1100-2-1904) 
must be submitted. 

(6) Interior drainage. An analysis must be 
submitted that identifies the source(s) of such 
flooding, the extent of the flooded area, and, if the 
average depth is greater than one foot, the 
water-surface elevation(s) of the base flood. This 
analysis must be based on the joint probability of 
interior and exterior flooding and the capacity of 
facilities (such as drainage lines and pumps) for 
evacuating interior floodwaters. 
(7) Other design criteria. In unique 
situations, such as those where the levee system 
has relatively high vulnerability, FEMA may 
require that other design criteria and analyses be 
submitted to show that the levees provide 
adequate protection. In such situations, sound 
engineering practice will be the standard on 
which FEMA will base its determinations. 
FEMA will also provide the rationale for 
requiring this additional information. 
(c) Operation plans and criteria. For a levee 
system to be recognized, the operational criteria 
must be as described below. All closure devices 
or mechanical systems for internal drainage, 
whether manual or automatic, must be operated in 
accordance with an officially adopted operation 
manual, a copy of which must be provided to 
FEMA by the operator when levee or drainage 
system recognition is being sought or when the 
manual for a previously recognized system is 
revised in any manner. All operations must be 
under the jurisdiction of a Federal or State 
agency, an agency created by Federal or State 
law, or an agency of a community participating in 
the NFIP. 
Figure 620-2b. Page two of FEMAs levee safety criteria. 

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Levee Safety 

(1) Closures. Operation plans for closures 
must include the following: 
(i) Documentation of the flood warning 
system, under the jurisdiction of Federal, State, or 
community officials, that will be used to trigger 
emergency operation activities and demonstration 
that sufficient flood warning time exists for the 
completed operation of all closure structures, 
including necessary sealing, before floodwaters 
reach the base of the closure. 
(ii) A formal plan of operation including 
specific actions and assignments of responsibility 
by individual name or title. 
(iii) Provisions for periodic operation, at not 
less than one year intervals, of the closure 
structure for testing and training purposes. 
(2) Interior drainage systems. Interior 
drainage systems associated with levee systems 
usually include storage areas, gravity outlets, 
pumping stations, or a combination thereof. 
These drainage systems will be recognized by 
FEMA on NFIP maps for flood protection 
purposes only if the following minimum criteria 
are included in the operation plan: 
(i) Documentation of the flood warning 
system, under the jurisdiction of Federal, State, or 
community officials, that will be used to trigger 
emergency operation activities and demonstration 
that sufficient flood warning time exists to permit 
activation of mechanized portions of the drainage 
system. 
(ii) A formal plan of operation including 
specific actions and assignments of responsibility 
by individual name or title. 
(iii) Provision for manual backup for the 
activation of automatic systems. 
(iv) Provisions for periodic inspection of 
interior drainage systems and periodic operation 
of any mechanized portions for testing and 
training purposes. No more than one year shall 
elapse between either the inspections or the 
operations. 
(3) Other operation plans and criteria. Other 
operating plans and criteria may be required by 
FEMA to ensure that adequate protection is 
provided in specific situations. In such cases, 
sound emergency management practice will be 
the standard upon which FEMA determinations 
will be based. 
(d) Maintenance plans and criteria. For levee 
systems to be recognized as providing protection 
from the base flood, the maintenance criteria must 
be as described herein. Levee systems must be 
maintained in accordance with an officially 
adopted maintenance plan, and a copy of this plan 
must be provided to FEMA by the owner of the 
levee system when recognition is being sought or 
when the plan for a previously recognized system 
is revised in any manner. All maintenance 
activities must be under the jurisdiction of a 
Federal or State agency, an agency created by 
Federal or State law, or an agency of a 
community participating in the NFIP that must 
assume ultimate responsibility for maintenance. 
This plan must document the formal procedure 
that ensures that the stability, height, and overall 
integrity of the levee and its associated structures 
and systems are maintained. At a minimum, 
maintenance plans shall specify the maintenance 
activities to be performed, the frequency of their 
performance, and the person by name or title 
responsible for their performance. 
(e) Certification requirements. Data submitted 
to support that a given levee system complies 
with the structural requirements set forth in 
paragraphs (b)(1) through (7) of this section must 
be certified by a registered professional engineer. 
Also, certified as-built plans of the levee must be 
submitted. Certifications are subject to the 
definition given at  65.2 of this subchapter. In 
lieu of these structural requirements, a Federal 
agency with responsibility for levee design may 
certify that the levee has been adequately 
designed and constructed to provide protection 
against the base flood. 
[52 FR 30316, Aug. 25, 1986] 

Figure 620-2c. Page three of FEMAs levee safety criteria. 

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630 DAM SAFETY 


Summary of Activity 630 
631 Credit Points. There are two elements in this activity for a maximum of 175 points. 
a. State dam safety program (SDS): Up to 75 points are provided if the community is in a 
state with a dam safety program that has been accepted by FEMA for Community Rating 
System (CRS) credit. The state dam safety office must have stated that the communitys 
program is in compliance with the state program. 
b. Dam failure emergency action plan (DFP): Up to 100 points are provided for the 
communitys dam failure emergency action plan. 
632 Impact Adjustment. There is no impact adjustment for SDS. The credit points for DFP 
are adjusted in one of three ways. 
a. Under Option 1, if the plan covers all buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), 
the impact adjustment ratio is 1.0. 
b. Under Option 2, if the plan does not cover all buildings in the SFHA, a default impact 
adjustment ratio of 0.25 may be used. 
c. Under Option 3, if the plan does not cover all buildings in the SFHA, the impact adjustment 
ratios reflect the proportion of the buildings in the SFHA covered by the plan. 
633 Credit Calculation. The credit points for DFP are multiplied by the impact adjustment 
ratios and added to SDS. 
634 Credit Documentation. 
The community must have the following available to verify implementation of this activity. 
a. [Required only if applying for DFR or DFP credit under Section 631.b.1] The portions of the 
emergency plan or other documentation that show that it has dam failure inundation areas, 
flood elevations, and estimated arrival times, an annual report from the dam operator, annual 
exercises; and monthly communications checks. 
. b. [Required only if applying for credit under Section 631.b.2] The portions of the communitys 
emergency plan that detail at least three methods of disseminating a dam failure warning. 
c. [Required only if the community is applying for credit under Section 631.b.3] 
1. The portions of the communitys emergency plan that indicate evacuation routes and 
procedures for notifying and evacuating critical facilities; and 
2. Documentation of the notification of occupants of the dam failure inundation area as 
discussed in Section 631.b.3. 
d. [If Option 3 was used to determine the impact adjustment ratios] The Impact Adjustment 
Map. 
635 For More Information. 
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Dam Safety 

630 DAM SAFETY


Credit is provided to the community based on its states dam safety program. 

Background: A state dam safety program reduces the probability of dam failure and 
includes a much larger jurisdiction than the community. Community management of 
areas subject to flooding in the event of dam failure and community preparedness for 
dam failure further reduce the damage potential. 

Dams can create a false sense of security for floodplain residents. Unlike levees, they do not 
need flood conditions to fail. They can be breached with little or no warning and send a wall 
of water downstream. The combination of high velocity, great depth, and short notice has 
proven particularly deadly and destructive. One way to minimize this hazard is to enforce 
construction and maintenance standardsusually through a state dam safety program. 

There are almost 11,000 dams in the United States that are classified as high hazard dams. 
A high hazard dam is one whose failure would threaten life and property. Of these 11,000 
high hazard dams, fewer than 5,000 have emergency action plans (EAPs). All states require 
EAPs for new dams, but only a few have statutes that require owners of existing dams to 
produce EAPs. 

Although the legal definition of a dam for regulatory purposes varies from state to state, 
many dams are very small. A dam may be as low as 5 feet, with an impoundment of no more 
than 5 acre-feet of water. In many states, highway and railroad embankments may legally be 
dams, although they may not be rigorously regulated. This means that, if your community has 
one or more high hazard dams upstream, it should not necessarily expect a 100-foot wall of 
water to suddenly swamp developed areas. On the other hand, if a dam failure caused even a 
25- or 50-year flood with no warning or preparations on a clear day, the results could be 
devastating. 

Activity Description: 

a. The state dam safety element (SDS) provides credit for any community in a state 
with a dam safety program that has submitted the necessary documentation of its 
program to the Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency 
Management Agency (FEMA). Community Rating System (CRS) credit for this 
element will be determined for each state based upon the elements of its dam 
safety program. 
Two conditions are prerequisites for credit under this element: 

1. 
If a state does not receive credit for this element, no community within that state 
is eligible for credit for this element. 
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Dam Safety 

State dam safety programs are scored based on a separate Schedule for State Dam Safety 
Programs, based on the standards outlined in the Model State Dam Safety Program developed 
by the Association of State Dam Safety Officials (ASDSO) and published by FEMA as 
Publication 123. If the status of a states dam safety program is unknown, the community 
should contact the FEMA Regional Office (see Appendix A). If a state program receives few 
or no points, it is hoped that local interest will encourage the appropriate state agency or 
legislature to improve the state program. 

2. A community must meet state dam safety standards to receive credit for this 
element. 
If a community owns or regulates the construction, operation, or maintenance of any dams, 
the community dam safety program must meet the state standards for dam safety in order for 
the community to be eligible for credit for this element. The separate dam safety Schedule 
requires states to advise FEMA when any community is in violation of the states program. 

Credit is provided for a community program that mitigates the threat to its floodplain 
properties from a failure of an upstream dam through emergency preparedness. 

A community may also be eligible for credit under Activity 430 (Higher Regulatory 
Standards) if it requires new buildings to be protected from flooding caused by a dam failure. 


631 Credit Points 

Maximum credit for Activity 630: 175 points. 

a. State dam safety program (SDS) (Maximum credit: 75 points) 
SDS = up to 75 points, if the community is in a state with a dam safety program that 
has been accepted by FEMA for CRS credit. The state dam safety office must have 
stated that the communitys program is in compliance with the state program. 

This credit is available to all communities in states with acceptable dam safety programs, 
including communities that are not downstream of any dams. There is no impact adjustment 
for this credit. Credit is automatically provided. The value of SDS is determined by FEMA 
based upon its review of the state dam safety program. 

CRS Coordinators Manual 630-3 Edition: 2006 


Dam Safety 

Example 631-1. Riverview is in a state with a dam safety program that has been 
credited by FEMA for 50 points:. The state dam safety office has confirmed that the 
City does not own or regulate any dams. 

SDS = 50 

b. Dam failure emergency action plan (DFP) (Maximum credit: 100 points) 
DFP = DFP1 + DFP2 + DFP3 
1. DFP1 = 25, if the community has the following: 
(a) An emergency action plan that 
(1) Specifies that the community will be notified in the event of an impending 
or actual failure of a dam upstream from the community; 
(2) Provides projected inundation areas, flood elevations, and estimated 
arrival times for flood peaks arising from a failure of the dam; and 
(3) Calls for an exercise at least annually. The results of the exercise are 
evaluated and used to revise the action plan. 
(b) A procedure to obtain annual reports by the dam operators on the safety and 
operational status of their dams. Copies of these reports must be senttothe 
community and the state dam safety office; and 
(c) Monthly communication checks between dam operators and emergency 
services officials. 
Credit for this element is patterned after Activity 610, Flood Warning Systems. The first sub-
element, DFP1, provides credit if the community demonstrates that it is aware of the hazard 
and can be reasonably sure of being notified if a dam failure is imminent or has occurred. 
Credit for the other sub-elements is based on specific items in the communitys emergency 
preparedness plan. 

Emergency action plans (EAPs) are usually prepared by dam owners so that they and 
downstream communities understand the potential results of the generally unlikely event of a 
dam failure and prepare for them. A good EAP will discuss the different ways a dam may fail 
and the floods that will result if such failures occur. An EAP that qualifies for DFP1 credit 
must also include a hydraulic analysis that produces a dam failure inundation map, flood 
elevations, and arrival times at various points downstream from the dam. 

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Dam Safety 

If a community has a dam upstream that has no EAP, it can either prepare its own EAP or 
work with the State Dam Safety Office to require that the owner provide one. 

The annual report by the dam operators must include any factors that have changed since the 
EAP that affect the safety of the dam or increase the likelihood of failure. Such factors might 
include the results of recent inspections, revisions to the hydrologic studies used to forecast 
possible dam failures, revisions in the operation plans, and/or current conditions such as the 
water level of the reservoir and the snowpack in the watershed above the dam. 

Example 631-2. Riverview has an adopted emergency action plan for the areas 
that would be affected by a failure of Safe Dam. It is based on an emergency action 
plan (EAP) prepared by the owner of Safe Dam. The owner has agreed by letter to 
provide a status report each March 1, when the reservoir of Safe Dam is normally at 
its highest level for the year. The plan specifies that the dam operator will contact the 
emergency manager once each month by radio and telephone to ensure that the 
established communications systems are in good order at all times. Riverviews 
emergency plan includes a provision for an annual exercise, although this exercise 
does not have to be based on dam failure. 

DFP1 = 25. 

2. 
DFP2 = 25, if the community has the following: 
(a) Credit for DFP1, and 
(b) An adopted emergency plan that details at least three methods of notifying 
affected residents of an imminent flood event resulting from a possible or 
ongoing dam failure. At least three of the following notification methods must 
be available: 
 
Sound or voice siren system, 
 
Telephonic notification, AM transmitters, and receivers dedicated to dam 
failure notification, 
 
NOAA Weather Radio. Receivers with Specific Area Message Encoding 
(SAME) are preferred, 
 
Mobile public address, 
 
Emergency Alert System, 
 
Cable television override, and 
 
Door-to-door notification. 
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Dam Safety 

Many communities have prepared multi-hazard emergency response plans or comprehensive 
emergency management plans. Unless such a plan has an annex, standard operating 
procedures, or other parts that specifically address the communitys dam safety problem, it 
may not be specific enough to qualify for CRS credit. For CRS credit, a dam failure 
emergency action plan must specifically relate to the dam safety issue and identify 
appropriate response activities. 

Because a dam failure is generally unexpected, and because the flood wave resulting from a 
dam failure can travel rapidly downstream, the warning dissemination methods appropriate 
for this hazard are those used in flash flood situations. In many cases, there will be only a few 
hours to evacuate, and in some cases, only minutes. 

Example 631-3. Riverviews emergency action plan specifies four methods of 
warning dissemination: 

DFP2 = 25. 

3. DFP3 = 50, if the community: 
(a) Has credit for DFP1 and DFP2; 
(b) Has an adopted emergency plan that includes evacuation routes and 
detailed procedures for notifying and evacuating critical facilities, specifically 
including schools,hospitals, nursing homes, jails, and other locations where 
there are populations that may have difficulty evacuating the dam failure 
inundation area; and 
(c) At least annually notifies occupants in the dam failure area of the hazard, the 
area affected, evacuation routes, and flood safety topics appropriate to the 
hazard. 
Because dams failures are rare events, it is difficult for people to believe that they are in 
danger. It is necessary for them to receive repeated messages so that if the event occurs they 
understand that they have to act quickly. When the time comes, they also have to know what 
to do and where to go. Depending on the communitys situation, they may have to put the 
family in the car and leave immediately, leaving animals to fend for themselves and leaving 
all of their possessions. 

Facilities with special populations are a particular concern in this type of emergency. It is 
likely that the staff of such facilities do not have the ability to evacuate their students, 
patients, clients, inmates, etc. and will need extraordinary assistance to avoid a catastrophe. 

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Dam Safety 

Example 631-4. Riverview has worked with the local telephone company to get 
dam failure information published in the telephone directory. The entry includes the 
dam failure inundation map from the EAP, evacuation routes from their own 
emergency plan, and flood safety information appropriate for the 6 hours of warning 
expected in the event of a dam failure. 

Riverview has three critical facilities within the dam failure inundation area. The 
emergency plan specifies that a day care center with a capacity of 50 children will be 
evacuated by a city-owned bus to the high school six blocks away. The three story 
county hospital is outside the 100-year floodplain, and is subject to an estimated two 
feet of flooding in the event of a dam failure. Working with the Riverview emergency 
manager, the emergency power supply has been relocated and data processing and 
records departments were moved to the second floor. Inmates at the city jail will be 
evacuated to the federal prison outside of town using buses from the prison. 

DFP3 = 50. 

632 Impact Adjustment 

There is no impact adjustment for SDS. 
a. Option 1: 
If the dam failure emergency plan covers all buildings in the SFHA, the impact 
adjustment ratio rDFP = 1.0. 
b. Option 2: 
If only some of the buildings in the SFHA are covered by the dam failure emergency 
plan, the community may use the default value rDFP =0.25. 
c. Option 3: 
The impact adjustment ratio rDFP is computed by dividing the number of buildings 
covered by the dam failure emergency action plan by the total number of buildings 
in the SFHA (bSF): 
rDFP = bDFP , where 
bSF 
bDFP = number of buildings covered by the dam failure emergency action 
plan 
bSF = the number of buildings in the SFHA 
rDFP cannot be greater than 1.0. 
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Dam Safety 

Example 632.1. Riverview is downstream from Safe Dam on Dang Creek. Even 
though the dam meets all the states dam safety requirements and is well 
maintained, Riverview has developed a dam failure emergency action plan in 
conjunction with the dam operator. The area along Dang Creek subject to inundation 
is larger than the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) for Dang Creek mapped on the 
Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). It covers 192 buildings, of which 68 are in the 
SFHA: bDFP = 192. 

Riverviews regulatory floodplain includes several other streams with dams 
upstream. These dams do not have emergency action plans, so Riverview does not 
have the information it needs for dam failure planning. There are 150 buildings in 
Riverviews SFHA; bSF = 150. 

rDFP 
= 
192 = 1.28 The maximum value for rDFP = 1.0, rDFP = 1.0 
150 

633 Credit Calculation 

a. DFP = DFP1 + DFP2 + DFP3 
b. cDFP = DFP x rDFP 
c. c630 = SDS + cDFP 
Example 633-1. 

a. 
From the examples in Section 631, SDS = 50, DFP1 = 25, 
DFP2 = 25, DFP3 = 50 
DFP = 25 + 25 + 50 = 100. 

b. 
From the example in Section 632, rDFP = 1.0 
cDFP = 100 x 1.0 = 100 
c. 
c630 = 50 + 100 = 150 
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Dam Safety 

634 Credit Documentation 

There is no documentation required for the community to receive credit points based 
on the states dam safety program. The credit points will automatically be added to the 
communitys credit, provided the state verifies community compliance with the states 
program. 
The community must provide the following documentation: 
a. [Required only if the community is applying for credit under Section 631.b.1] The 
portions of the communitys emergency plan or other documentation that show the 
dam failure inundation areas, flood elevations, and estimated arrival times, an 
annual report from the dam operator, annual exercises, and monthly 
communications checks. 
b. [Required only if the community is applying for credit under Section 631.b.2] The 
portions of the communitys emergency plan that detail at least three methods of 
disseminating a dam failure warning. 
c. [Required only if the community is applying for credit under Section 631.b.3] 
1. The portions of the communitys emergency plan that indicate evacuation routes 
and procedures for notifying and evacuating critical facilities; and 
2. A copy of the materials that notify occupants of the dam failure inundation area 
as discussed in Section 631.b.3. The materials must be distributed each year 
and must reach at least 90% of the properties in the dam failure inundation area. 
An outreach project to the community or to floodplain properties credited under 
Activity 330 (Outreach Projects) may qualify for this credit provided that it 
explains the dam failure hazard, the area affected, evacuation routes, and flood 
safety topics appropriate to the hazard. 
d. [Required only if the community determines the impact adjustment ratios using 
Option 3 (633.c)] The Impact Adjustment Map with the appropriate acronyms 
marked. Documentation showing how the impact adjustment ratio was determined. 
635 For More Information 

Additional information, reference materials, and examples can be found at the CRS Resource 
Center at http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/CRS/. 

a. 
More information on dam safety activities and state programs can be found on the website 
for the Association of State Dam Safety Officials at http://www.damsafety.org/ and on 
FEMAs dam safety website, http://www.fema.gov/fima/damsafe. 
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b. 
The following can be obtained from 
Federal Emergency Management Agency 
Mitigation Directorate 
500 C Street, S.W. 
Washington, D.C. 20472 

Model State Dam Safety Program, Association of State Dam Safety Officials, FEMA


123, 1998. 
Successes & Challenges: The National Dam Safety Program. Association of State 
Dam Safety Officials, 2002. 


Suggested Procedures for Safety Inspection of Dams, Ohio Department of Natural 
Resources, 1987. 


Dam Safety: An Owners Guidance Manual, FEMA-145, 1987. 
Federal Guidelines for Dam Safety: Emergency Action Planning for Dam Owners, 
FEMA-64, 2002. 


Dam Inundation Mapping Pilot Study, FEMA, 1999. 
FEMAs Dam Safety Office website: http://www.fema.gov/fima/damsafe/
. 


c. 
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can provide technical information and advice to 
communities interested in developing dam safety programs. Requests for assistance 
should be submitted to the Flood Plain Management Services Coordinator at the District 
Office of the Corps. 
The National Inventory of Dams (NID) includes almost 70,000 dams. The Corps 
hosts the NID at http://crunch.tec.army.mil/nid/webpages/nid.cfm. 

CRS Coordinators Manual 630-10 
Edition: 2006