Technical Resources
Floodplain management technical resources help communities understand and apply National Flood Insurance Program requirements, local floodplain regulations, permitting standards, and related development review processes.
TEMA provides guidance and technical assistance to support local floodplain administrators, community officials, planners, permitting staff, engineers, surveyors, and other partners involved in managing development in flood-prone areas.
Local Responsibilities
Communities that participate in the National Flood Insurance Program are responsible for adopting and enforcing local floodplain management regulations. These requirements help guide development in mapped flood hazard areas and support continued community participation in the program.
Local floodplain management responsibilities may include reviewing development proposals, issuing permits, maintaining records, enforcing local floodplain regulations, and helping residents understand requirements that may apply to their property.
Model Ordinances
TEMA, in coordination with FEMA, has developed Tennessee Flood Damage Prevention Model Ordinances for National Flood Insurance Program-participating communities.
NFIP-participating communities are required to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations that are legally enforceable and uniformly applied throughout the community. Local governments have the authority and responsibility to manage development in the floodplain.
Floodplain management ordinances are adopted, administered, and enforced by the local community, not by TEMA. Requirements in a local ordinance are based on the flood zones mapped in that community.
Development Requirements
Development in or near a mapped floodplain may require local review before work begins. This may include construction, repairs, substantial improvements, placement of fill, grading, excavation, manufactured homes, accessory structures, or other development activity.
Property owners, contractors, and design professionals should contact the local floodplain administrator before beginning work in a regulated floodplain.
Elevation Certificates
An Elevation Certificate is a FEMA form used to document building elevation information. Elevation Certificates may be used for local floodplain management, flood insurance rating, map change requests, or development review.
Local officials, surveyors, insurance agents, and property owners may use Elevation Certificates to better understand how a structure relates to flood hazard information shown on the flood map.
Substantial Improvement and Substantial Damage
Substantial improvement and substantial damage requirements help communities reduce future flood risk when buildings in flood hazard areas are improved, repaired, or rebuilt.
These requirements may apply when the cost of improvements or repairs equals or exceeds a certain percentage of the building’s market value. Local floodplain administrators are responsible for making substantial improvement and substantial damage determinations under local floodplain regulations.
Floodplain Management Guidance
FEMA provides guidance, forms, templates, and technical references to help communities administer local floodplain management programs.
These resources may help local officials and community partners understand permitting, enforcement, flood-resistant construction, elevation requirements, map changes, and other National Flood Insurance Program topics.
Contact Your Local Floodplain Administrator
Floodplain development requirements are managed locally. If you have questions about permits, development requirements, elevation certificates, or whether a property is located in a regulated floodplain, contact the floodplain administrator for the community where the property is located.
TEMA Technical Assistance
TEMA provides technical assistance to communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program. Local officials and floodplain administrators may contact TEMA for guidance related to floodplain management requirements, community responsibilities, technical resources, and program coordination.
Additional Resources
The following resources provide additional guidance for local floodplain administrators, community officials, planners, surveyors, engineers, and other floodplain management partners.
- Community Rating System: The Community Rating System is a voluntary NFIP program that recognizes communities for floodplain management activities that exceed minimum requirements. Participating communities may be eligible for flood insurance premium discounts.
- Federal Regulations: Title 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 60, outlines minimum floodplain management standards for NFIP-participating communities.
- Community Status Book: FEMA’s Community Status Book provides information about Tennessee communities participating in the NFIP, including community identification numbers, program status, and effective map information.
- TN AFPM: The Tennessee Association of Floodplain Management provides training, professional development, certification information, and networking opportunities for floodplain management professionals in Tennessee.