Community Resources

Communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) must adopt and enforce a flood damage prevention ordinance (or court order) that meets or exceeds the NFIP minimum standards at 44 CFR §60.3. Included in the ordinance/court order is some language that addresses substantial damage and substantial improvements within the community’s floodplain areas. However, the ordinance/court order does not provide procedures or a detailed plan for managing substantial damage from floods and other hazardous events. A Substantial Damage (SD) Plan helps identify vulnerable structures and neighborhoods and ensures a strategy and personnel are in place for making damage assessments and determinations and enforcing the proper regulations in a post-disaster environment. In addition, the process of developing an SD Plan fosters communication between the floodplain administrator, other city/county staff, and elected officials and increases their awareness of flood risk areas. The TWDB has created two templates that Texas communities can utilize for their local SD Plan. The standard template covers any community in the NFIP; the other template addresses communities that also participate in the Community Rating System (CRS). The templates and other helpful resources are provided below.

• Sample SD letters notices
• TX Local Community SDP Template Standard
• TX Local Community SDP Template CRS Version
• Local SD Vulnerability Methods

Developing a Substantial Damage Plan for Credit under the Community Rating System

Handouts are black and white letter-size packets.  Brochures are color legal-size (14 x 8.5) sheets designed for folding.  Other handouts and brochures are currently in development.

• Living in a Floodplain Risks, Planning, & Recovery Handout
• Living in a Floodplain Risks, Planning, & Recovery Brochure
• Builders Checklist for Texas Coast and Shoreline Handout
• Builders Checklist for Texas Coast and Shoreline Brochure
• Regulations on Crawl Spaces and Basements Handout
• Regulations on Crawl Spaces and Basements Brochure

• National Flood Insurance Program Elevation Certificate and Instructions (1660-0008) Expiration 06/30/2026
• Texas Geographic Information Office (TxGIO): The State's clearinghouse for digital maps and geographic data.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA's website offers extensive information regarding the NFIP, mitigation, disaster information and assistance, preparedness, regional contact information, best practices and publications, just to name a few.
• FEMA Map Service Center (MSC): The MSC offers online access to past, current and future Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), current and future Flood Insurance Studies (FIS), Letters of Map Change, Flood Map Status Information System (FMSIS), the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) and other associative mapping information. The MSC also offers instructions on how to make a Firmette.
• The FEMA Library : The FEMA Library is a searchable web-based collection of all publicly accessible FEMA information resources, including: CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes, audio tapes, disability resources, posters and display items, brochures, publications, guidance and policy papers, program regulations and guidelines, forms and slide presentations.
• Mitigation Best Practices Portfolio: Contains a collection of best practices, case studies and mitigation best practices (Hurricane Katrina).
• 44 CFR: Excerpts for Floodplain Management
• Guide to Flood Map (FEMA 258): This FEMA publication provides a step-by-step guide on how to read a Flood Insurance Rate Map.
• 2023 Texas Quick Guide: This guide will help provide additional information on floodplain management in Texas.
• FEMA Community Listing of FPAs
• Community Officials Flood Resources Guide Volume 1

• User's Guide to Technical Bulletins (Technical Bulletin 0) (2009) - Provides a list of available technical bulletins, a key word/subject reference index for all the bulletins, and information about how to obtain copies of the bulletins.
• Openings in Foundation Walls and Walls of Enclosures (Technical Bulletin 1) (2008) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the requirement for openings in below-Base Flood Elevation foundation walls for buildings located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.
• Flood Damage-Resistant Materials Requirements (Technical Bulletin 2) (2008) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the required use of flood damage-resistant construction materials for building components located below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas (both A and V Zones).
• 3-93 Non-Residential Floodproofing – Requirements and Certification – (FIA-TB-3) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning watertight construction and the required certification for floodproofed non-residential buildings in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH whose lowest floors are below the Base Flood Elevation.
• Elevator Installation (Technical Bulletin 4) (2010) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the installation of elevators below the Base Flood Elevation in Special Flood Hazard Areas (both A and V Zones).
• Free-of-Obstruction Requirements (Technical Bulletin 5) (2008) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning obstructions to flood waters below elevated buildings and on building sites in Coastal High Hazard Areas (Zones V, VE, and V1-V30).
• 6-93 Below-Grade Parking Requirements – (FIA-TB-6) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the design of below-grade parking garages beneath buildings located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.
• 7-93 Wet Floodproofing Requirements (FIA-TB-7) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning wet floodproofing of certain types of structures located in Zones A, AE, A1-A30, AR, AO, and AH.
• 8-96 Corrosion Protection for Metal Connectors in Coastal Areas (FIA-TB-8) - Provides guidance on the need for, selection of, and use of corrosion-resistant metal connectors for the construction of buildings in coastal areas.
• 9-99 Design and Construction Guidance for Breakaway Walls Below Elevated Coastal Buildings (Technical Bulletin 9) (2008) - Provides guidance on the NFIP regulations concerning the design and construction of breakaway walls beneath elevated buildings in Coastal High Hazard Areas (Zones V, VE, and VI-V30).
• 10-01 Ensuring that Structures Built on Fill In or Near Special Flood Hazard Areas are Reasonably Safe From Flooding (FIA-TB-10) - This technical bulletin discusses building techniques, including the use of fill, that can be used to ensure structures are reasonably safe from flooding.
• 11-01 Crawlspace Construction for Buildings Located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (FIA-TB-11) - Provides interim guidance on minimum NFIP requirements as well as best practices for crawlspace construction in the Special Flood Hazard Area.
• FEMA 265 Managing Floodplain Development in Approximate Zone A Areas - A Guide for Obtaining and Developing Base Flood Elevations - Provides engineering guidelines for determining base flood elevations in Special Flood Hazard Areas studied by approximate methods only.

• NFIP Watermark: This is an electronic publication providing articles and information on flood insurance and mitigation activities.
• FloodSmart: This is the official website of the NFIP offering extensive information on flood insurance and flood risks for communities, agents and homeowners.

• Texas Floodplain Management Association: The Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA) is an organization of professionals involved in floodplain management, flood hazard mitigation, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), flood preparedness, warning and disaster recovery. TFMA also offers floodplain management training opportunities in Texas.
• Association of State Floodplain Managers at www.Floods.orgThe Association of State Floodplain Managers is an organization of professionals involved in floodplain management, flood hazard mitigation, the National Flood Insurance Program, and flood preparedness, warning and recovery. ASFPM has become a respected voice in floodplain management practice and policy in the United States because it represents the flood hazard specialists of local, state and federal government, the research community, the insurance industry, and the fields of engineering, hydrologic forecasting, emergency response, water resources, and others.