Why are Mississippi’s coastal communities getting new flood hazard maps?
Flood hazard maps, also known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) or Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), are important tools in protecting lives and property in the coastal communities of Mississippi. They indicate the risk for flooding throughout the coastal area. However, the existing maps—the FIRMs—are out of date. Some formerly rural areas were never mapped in sufficient detail, and other areas have not been re-mapped in more than 25 years. Over time, water flow and drainage patterns have changed dramatically due to surface erosion, land use, and natural forces. The likelihood of inland, riverine, and coastal flooding in some areas has changed, as shown by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. New digital mapping techniques will provide more detailed, reliable and current data on the coastal communities’ flood hazards. The result: a better picture of the areas most likely to be affected by flooding and a better foundation from which to make key decisions.
