Where can I find flood maps?
FEMA is the official public source for flood maps for insurance purposes:
- FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center
- FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer
NOAA is responsible for producing flood forecast maps that combine precipitation data with USGS streamflow data:
- NWS - National Water Prediction Service: River forecasts and long range flood outlook
- Coastal Inundation Dashboard: Real-time and historical coastal flooding information
USGS flood map products include:
- USGS Flood Information: Maps and resources for current and historical floods.
- Flood Inundation Mapper: Shows where river flooding might occur over a range of water levels. Only available for a few areas.
- Flood Event Viewer: Data collected during short-term flood events like hurricanes and multi-state storms. Includes rapid-deployment gages, temporary sensors, and high-water marks.
- Coastal Change Hazards Portal: Extreme storms, shoreline change, and sea-level rise.
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High-water marks provide valuable data for understanding recent and historical flood events. The proper collection and recording of high-water mark data from perishable and preserved evidence informs flood assessments, research, and water resource management. Given the high cost of flooding in developed areas, experienced hydrographers, using the best available techniques, can contribute...
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Identifying and preserving high-water mark data Identifying and preserving high-water mark data
High-water marks provide valuable data for understanding recent and historical flood events. The proper collection and recording of high-water mark data from perishable and preserved evidence informs flood assessments, research, and water resource management. Given the high cost of flooding in developed areas, experienced hydrographers, using the best available techniques, can contribute...
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Floods are among the most powerful forces on earth. Human societies worldwide have lived and died with floods from the very beginning, spawning a prominent role for floods within legends, religions, and history. Inspired by such accounts, geologists, hydrologists, and historians have studied the role of floods on humanity and its supporting ecosystems, resulting in new appreciation for...
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Jim E. O'Connor, John E. Costa
Mapping a flood before it happens Mapping a flood before it happens
What's missing from flood forecasts? Maps—The only maps generally available today are maps used for planning. They are maps of theoretical floods, not maps of flooding forecast for an approaching storm. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Weather Service (NWS) have developed a way to bring flood forecasting and flood mapping together, producing flood maps for tomorrow's...
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Joseph L. Jones
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Updated Date: February 10, 2026