Notes: FEMA flood products

Texas Hazard Mitigation Package (THMP)

 

Note about generating your own FIRM (FIRMette) online:

Users may choose to download [for free] a digital image of the FIRM, named a FIRMette. This product is a scanned FIRM in raster format. From the order wizard using any of the ordering methods above, click the VIEW button if/when that option is available. This will activate a new Map Viewer where you will be able to generate your own FIRMette. More detailed instructions on how to generate a FIRMette are included in the FIRMette Tutorial.

Notes about DFIRM and Q3 flood data:

Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRM's) and Digital Q3 Flood Maps are intended for use in geographic information systems (GIS).

DFIRM's are digital, vector format, replications of the paper-version, FIRM's. They are currently only available for a small section of the state and country, and where it does exist, may only be a partial coverage. The Map Modernization program describes this FEMA effort in more detail.

Digital Q3 Flood Maps are digital, vector format "representations" of the paper-version FIRM's. Q3 data does not replace the official FIRM (or DFIRM). The data is not suitable for in/out flood determinations, but rather intended for general planning purposes, such as what exists on the THMP site. Q3 data only contains a partial set of features found on FIRM's and data (maps) are only available for certain counties in each state.

Note about: Map Modernization
Flood Map Modernization is a multiyear Presidential initiative supported by Congress that is directed at improving and updating the Nation’s flood hazard identification maps. FEMA will provide reliable flood hazard data and maps for the United States to support the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan (MHIP) details FEMA’s plan for providing flood hazard data and maps for areas with the greatest flood risk.