Statewide 100-year Floodplain Polygons for West Virginia

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Frequently-anticipated questions:


What does this data set describe?

Title: Statewide 100-year Floodplain Polygons for West Virginia
Abstract:
The statewide 100-year floodplain polygon data set was first compiled in 2006 from the best flood data currently available from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Data sources for the current version include the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Effective DFIRM databases, Preliminary DFIRM databases and Q3 digital floodplain shapefiles.
  1. How should this data set be cited?

    West Virginia GIS Technical Center, 20111101, Statewide 100-year Floodplain Polygons for West Virginia.

    Online Links:

  2. What geographic area does the data set cover?

    West_Bounding_Coordinate: -82.698657
    East_Bounding_Coordinate: -77.676669
    North_Bounding_Coordinate: 40.452177
    South_Bounding_Coordinate: 37.165440

  3. What does it look like?

  4. Does the data set describe conditions during a particular time period?

    Calendar_Date: 01-Nov-2011
    Currentness_Reference: publication date

  5. What is the general form of this data set?

    Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: vector digital data

  6. How does the data set represent geographic features?

    1. How are geographic features stored in the data set?

      This is a Vector data set. It contains the following vector data types (SDTS terminology):

      • G-polygon (2052)

    2. What coordinate system is used to represent geographic features?

      Grid_Coordinate_System_Name: Universal Transverse Mercator
      Universal_Transverse_Mercator:
      UTM_Zone_Number: 17
      Transverse_Mercator:
      Scale_Factor_at_Central_Meridian: 0.999600
      Longitude_of_Central_Meridian: -81.000000
      Latitude_of_Projection_Origin: 0.000000
      False_Easting: 500000.000000
      False_Northing: 0.000000

      Planar coordinates are encoded using coordinate pair
      Abscissae (x-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.001024
      Ordinates (y-coordinates) are specified to the nearest 0.001024
      Planar coordinates are specified in meters

      The horizontal datum used is North American Datum of 1983.
      The ellipsoid used is Geodetic Reference System 80.
      The semi-major axis of the ellipsoid used is 6378137.000000.
      The flattening of the ellipsoid used is 1/298.257222.

      Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition:
      Altitude_System_Definition:
      Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988
      Altitude_Resolution: 1.000000
      Altitude_Distance_Units: feet
      Altitude_Encoding_Method:
      Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates

  7. How does the data set describe geographic features?

    VECTUSR.femaAll5
    Location and attributes for floodplain polygons (Source: FEMA Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners, Appendix L: Guidance for Preparing Draft Digital Data and DFIRM Databases (available at <http://www.fema.gov/fhm/dl_cgs.shtm>))

    OBJECTID
    Internal feature number (Source: ESRI)

    ZONE
    Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) (Source: DFIRM, Draft, Q3)

    SHAPE
    Feature geometry (Source: ESRI)

    TYPE
    Data source, i.e. Effective, Preliminary, Draft, Q3 (Source: WVGISTC)


Who produced the data set?

  1. Who are the originators of the data set? (may include formal authors, digital compilers, and editors)

  2. Who also contributed to the data set?

    West Virginia GIS Technical Center

  3. To whom should users address questions about the data?

    Eric Hopkins
    West Virginia GIS Technical Center
    GIS Specialist
    West Virginia University
    Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
    USA

    (304) 293-9463 (voice)
    ehopkins@wvu.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M.


Why was the data set created?

This data set was developed primarily for use in the West Virginia GIS Technical Center's web-based Flood Tool, which enables users to estimate flood risk and the "in" or "out" status of specific properties or structures relative to areas (Flood Zones) of 1% annual chance flooding.


How was the data set created?

  1. From what previous works were the data drawn?

  2. How were the data generated, processed, and modified?

    Date: 2006 (process 1 of 4)
    Dataset compiled from Effective DFIRM, Draft DFIRM, and Q3 flood hazard polygon data

    Data sources used in this process:

    • DFIRM, Draft, Q3

    Date: Jul-2008 (process 2 of 4)
    Incorporated new Effective DFIRM and Draft DFIRM data. Zone A, Zone AE, and Zone AO polygons were copied into the existing statewide data set.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • DFIRM, Draft DFIRM, Q3

    Date: 26-Aug-2010 (process 3 of 4)
    Incorporated new Effective and Preliminary DFIRM data. Zone A, Zone AE, and Zone AO polygons were copied into the existing statewide data set.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • DFIRM, Preliminary DFIRM, Draft DFIRM, Q3

    Date: 06-Oct-2016 (process 4 of 4)
    Incorporated new model-based Approximate A Zone (Advisory Flood Height) data from AMEC Earth and Environmental for five counties into the new statewide floodplain data set: Marion, Harrison, Mineral, Mingo and Wayne. The floodplain polygons in these five counties match the water surface and depth grid raster data provided by AMEC and incorporated into the WV Flood Hazard Determination Tool.

    Data sources used in this process:

    • modeled Approximate A Zone, Advisory Flood Height (AFH) Note that we need to add source elements that describe the items listed above under Source_Used_Citation.

  3. What similar or related data should the user be aware of?

    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 2008, Effective Countywide DFIRMs for West Virginia: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Washington, DC, USA.

    Online Links:

    Other_Citation_Details: DFIRM dates are 2008 and earlier
    Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), 1988, Digital Q3 Flood Data: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Washington, DC, USA.

    Online Links:

    FEMA Cooperating Technical Part, Flood mapping contractors, Unpublished Material, Draft DFIRM Data.

    Online Links:


How reliable are the data; what problems remain in the data set?

  1. How well have the observations been checked?

    The DFIRM Database consists of countywide vector files and associated attributes produced in conjunction with the hard copy FEMA FIRM. The published effective FIRM and DFIRM maps are issued as the official designation of the SFHAs. As such they are adopted by local communities and form the basis for administration of the NFIP. For these purposes they are authoritative. Provisions exist in the regulations for public review, appeals and corrections of the flood risk information shown to better match real world conditions. As with any engineering analysis of this type, variation from the estimated flood heights and floodplain boundaries is possible. Details of FEMA's requirements for the Flood Insurance Studies (FISs) and flood mapping process that produces these data are available in the Guidelines and Specifications for Flood Hazard Mapping Partners. Attribute accuracy was tested by manual comparison of source graphics with hardcopy plots and a symbolized display on an interactive computer graphic System. Independent quality control testing of FEMA's DFIRM databases was also performed. To obtain more detailed information in areas where Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) and/or floodways have been determined, users are encouraged to consult the Flood Profiles and Floodway Data and/or Summary of Stillwater Elevations tables contained within the FIS reports that accompany the Effective DFIRM databases. Users should be aware that BFEs shown in the S_BFE table represent rounded whole-foot elevations. These BFEs are intended for flood insurance rating purposes only and should not be used as the sole source of flood elevation information. Accordingly, flood elevation data presented in the FIS report must be used in conjunction with the FIRM for purposes of construction and/or floodplain management. The 1-percent-annual-chance water-surface elevations shown in theDFIRM database S_XS table match the regulatory elevations shown in the FIS report. This data set does not include cross section (XS) or BFE information.

  2. How accurate are the geographic locations?

    Horizontal accuracy of Effective DFIRM data was tested by manual comparison of source graphics with hardcopy plots and a symbolized display on an interactive computer graphic system. Independent quality control testing of FEMA's DFIRM database was also performed.

  3. How accurate are the heights or depths?

  4. Where are the gaps in the data? What is missing?

    Data contained in the DFIRM Database files reflect the content of the source materials. Features may have been eliminated or generalized on the source graphic, due to scale and legibility constraints. With new mapping, FEMA plans to maintain full detail in the spatial data it produces. However, older information is often transferred from existing maps where some generalization has taken place. Flood risk data are developed for communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for use in insurance rating and for floodplain management. Flood hazard areas are determined using statistical analyses of records of river flow, storm tides, and rainfall; information obtained through consultation with the communities; floodplain topographic surveys; and hydrological and hydraulic analysis. Both detailed and approximate analyses are employed. Generally, detailed analyses are used to generate flood risk data only for developed or developing areas of communities. For areas where little or no development is expected to occur, FEMA uses approximate analyses to generate flood risk data. Typically, only drainage areas that are greater than one square mile are studied.

  5. How consistent are the relationships among the observations, including topology?

    The floodplains depicted in this data have been compared to the NFHL, Effective DFIRM, Preliminary DFIRM or Q3 source material to check for alignment errors or omissions. Effective DFIRMs, including the NFHL, which is compiled from Effective DFIRM data, have been subjected, during production and after delivery, to more thorough analysis and checking for spatial agreement of features.


How can someone get a copy of the data set?

Are there legal restrictions on access or use of the data?

Access_Constraints: None
Use_Constraints:
This data is derived from effective, preliminary and draft FEMA flood data, but is not intended to replace official FEMA publications. Acknowledgement of FEMA and the West Virginia GIS Technical Center will be appreciated in presentations or publications that make use of this data.

  1. Who distributes the data set? (Distributor 1 of 1)

    West Virginia GIS Technical Center
    c/o Eric Hopkins
    West Virginia University
    Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
    USA

    (304) 293-9463 (voice)
    ehopkins@wvu.edu

    Hours_of_Service: 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M.
    Contact_Instructions:
    The WVGISTC can assist with data download or data use issues. Specific data requests should be directed to FEMA via the Map Service Center (<http://msc.fema.gov>). Such requests must include the full name of the community or county and the FIRM panel number(s) or the 7.5- minute series quadrangle sheet area(s) covered by the request. FIRM panel numbers can be found by using the WV Flood Tool (<http://mapwv.gov/flood>).
  2. What's the catalog number I need to order this data set?

  3. What legal disclaimers am I supposed to read?

    No warranty expressed or implied is made by the West Virginia GIS Technical Center regarding the utility of the data on any other system nor shall the act of distribution constitute any such warranty.

  4. How can I download or order the data?


Who wrote the metadata?

Dates:
Last modified: 14-Sep-2010
Metadata author:
West Virginia GIS Technical Center
c/o Eric Hopkins
West Virginia University
Morgantown, West Virginia 26506
USA

(304) 293-9463 (voice)
ehopkins@wvu.edu

Hours_of_Service: 9:00 A.M - 5:00 P.M.
Metadata standard:
FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata (FGDC-STD-001-1998)
Metadata extensions used:


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