Department of Water Resources

Floodplain Management and the National Flood Insurance Program

North Dakota has a long history of flood-related challenges, and it has become even more common over the last two decades. One way to reduce the potential negative impacts of flooding is to have effective state and community floodplain management programs in place.

Floodplain management regulates development within the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) to ensure communities are more resistant to flood damage. The frameworks for building standards and minimum requirements follow those of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The NFIP, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created to help provide a means for property owners in participating communities to financially protect themselves. In exchange, those participating communities agree to adopt and enforce ordinances that meet or exceed FEMA and State requirements to reduce the risk of flooding.

North Dakota NFIP Stats

North Dakota Flood Insurance Stats

Building in the Floodplain

For questions regarding development requirements, Letters of Map Change, flood insurance, or locating a structure on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), please contact us or your local Floodplain Administrators.

Please keep in mind that a floodplain development permit must be obtained from the local Floodplain Administrator before any work may be started in a SFHA.

Risk MAP and other Risk Information

Risk MAP was initiated in 2009 for the purpose of identifying, assessing, communicating, and mitigating flood hazard risks, with the goals of delivering quality data that will increase public awareness and lead to actions that will reduce the risk to life and property.

ND Local Officials Toolkit

ND Risk Assessment Map Service (NDRAM)

North Dakota Risk Assessment MapService (NDRAM) allows users to zoom in and visually display current flood risks, both approximate floodplains from BLE and effective regulatory floodplains from FEMA’s NFIP. This new tool also provides users with water surface elevations, flood depths, and the ability to download engineering model data and print customized maps making it useful for planning, mitigation, and disaster recovery actions.

The Base Level Engineering (BLE) data is a FEMA Non-Regulatory product that is meant to provide additional information beyond those products that appear on a FEMA Regulatory Flood Insurance Rate Map. The BLE production approach combines high-resolution ground elevation data, and modeling technology advancements to create engineering models and flood hazard data. These analyses are produced at a large scale as opposed to targeting individual stream reaches. The flood hazard information prepared is based off engineering models that determine base flood elevations, water depth, and water velocity along each stream reach studied.

NDRAM Tutorial Video

ND Risk Assessment MapService (NDRAM)

NDRAM Fact Sheet/BLE Stats

Program Rules

North Dakota Century Code - Link to 61-16.2 "Floodplain Management"

Federal Regulations - Title 44 Code, Part 59

Floodplain Management Applications

Application for Floodway Review (SFN 61171)

Floodway "No-Rise" Certificate (SFN 61173)

Additional Resources

North Dakota Substantial Damage Program
Structures located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) that are substantially modified (either damaged or improved) more than 50 percent are required to comply with local building and floodplain requirements. Local community officials (typically floodplain administrators) are responsible for substantial damage and improvement (SI/SD) determinations. These determinations are required for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

The State of North Dakota has created a program to assist both communities and residents with the SI/SD process. This program presents an in-depth plan that outlines the steps and procedures that are necessary to comply with SI/SD requirements.

North Dakota’s Substantial Damage Plan Fundamentals
This document is meant to serve as a quick response for Substantial Improvement/ Substantial Damage requirements and opportunities.

North Dakota’s SI/SD Community Checklist
The Community Checklist will help you quickly determine which critical components your community has in place.

Guided Community Self-Assessment
This guided self-assessment includes questions pertaining to each of the major steps in the SI/SD determination process.

Substantial Damage Resident Fact Sheet
This fact sheet serves as a quick guide for residents who are unsure of how the SI/SD process will affect them.

Do I Need to Use Pre or Post-FIRM Standards?
Unsure of which standards the structure needs to be repaired to? This flowchart will help residents make that determination.

Letter of Map Change (FEMA forms)