Flood Map Modernization: Program Strategy Shows Promise, but Challenges Remain

In response to our recommendation that FEMA develop and implement data standards to identify and use consistent data collection and analysis methods for communities with similar risks, FEMA published its Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan in November 2004. The plan describes FEMA's strategy for addressing our concerns and discusses the varying types of data collection and analysis techniques the agency plans to use to develop flood hazard data in order to relate the level of study and level of risk for each county. As the map modernization effort reached the halfway point, FEMA performed a mid-program evaluation that considered input from Congress, the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General, and other stakeholders.

In response to this recommendation, FEMA published a Partnership Building Plan in March 2005. This plan delineates FEMA's strategy for strengthening the agency's flood mapping and floodplain management efforts through the Cooperating Technical Partners program. The strategy encourages unification of multiple governmental entities for producing quality mapping products for the communities served. The plan addresses the variations in resources and technical expertise among governmental entities and allows for differing levels of participation or leverage according to the capabilities of the participating communities' governmental entities.

GAO's report on FEMA staffing, GAO-07-139 "FEMA Needs Adequate Data, Plans, and Systems to Effectively Manage Resources for Day-to-Day Operations," which was released on January 19, 2007, indicates that this recommendation has not yet been implemented. GAO concluded that FEMA lacks processes and plans that enable an agency to define staffing levels, identify the critical skills needed to achieve its mission, and eliminate or mitigate gaps between current and future skills and competencies. GAO recommended that FEMA take steps to better manage resources for its day-to-day operations, including collecting data that enables managers to monitor progress and support resource priorities. Update 6/13/08: According to DHS/FEMA, for the first time in a decade, FEMA attained a 95 percent staffing level and strengthened regional capability through the creation of over 100 new positions in FEMA's ten regional offices. According to FEMA Map Modernization officials, the program management office conducted further analysis on the staffing levels and was given approval for 43 term positions. The analysis of the staffing needs showed that some of the previously identified needs could be met by contract staff and would not require immediate deployment of new Federal staff. As of January 4th, 2008, 30 term positions were filled and the others are at various stages of being filled. Finally, FEMA has entered the final year of congressionally appropriated funding of the Flood Map Modernization Program. Upon completion, Map Modernization will provide reliable digital flood hazard data and maps for 92 percent of the Nation's population and easy access and sharing of that information.

In response to our recommendation, FEMA set goals in its November 2004 Multi-Year Flood Hazard Identification Plan for key performance indicators. FEMA's four indicators are (1) Population with Digital GIS Flood Data Available Online, (2) Population with Adopted Maps that Meet Quality Standards, (3) Percent of Effort Leveraged; that is, state and local resources provided for map modernization as a percentage of FEMA resources provided, and (4) Appropriated Funds Sent to Cooperating Technical Partners (CTP). To track its progress of map modernization annually, FEMA set target percentages for achieving these performance indicators in fiscal years 2006 through 2009. FEMA updated the goals in its March 2006 Flood Map Modernization Mid-Course Adjustment.