The New Hampshire Floodplain Management Program
Partnering with FEMA and local communities to reduce flood risk across the Granite State.
New Hampshire's rivers, streams, lakes, and Seacoast can enrich our lives in many ways.
Above: Lake Massabesic in Manchester; At right: Pemigewasset River in Lincoln.
However, along with these water features comes an added risk of flooding.
(At right: The Main Street bridge over the Lamprey River, Raymond, 2007)
But remember that flooding can happen far away from rivers, lakes, and coastal areas too: it can flood anywhere it rains!
In fact, floods are the most common and costly type of disaster, not only in New Hampshire, but in the United States as a whole.
However, responsible development practices and land use planning techniques along with other activities can greatly reduce the risks from flooding in our communities.
The National Flood Insurance Program
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a partnership between local communities and the Federal government. A community that chooses to participate agrees to adopt and enforce a floodplain management ordinance that meets minimum NFIP requirements. This ordinance is designed to reduce future flood losses and protect people in areas at a high risk of flooding. These areas are known as 'Special Flood Hazard Areas.'
In NFIP communities, all residents and business owners can purchase NFIP flood insurance regardless of whether or not they are located in a Special Flood Hazard Area. However, per Federal law, lenders must require flood insurance for buildings in these areas as a condition of a Federally-backed mortgage or other loan on the property. Lenders may choose to enforce this requirement in non-NFIP communities too.
The NFIP in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, 219 communities choose to participate in the NFIP.
The NH Floodplain Management Program helps to administer the NFIP in the state in cooperation with FEMA. We provide technical assistance and training to local communities and the public about the NFIP, floodplain management, and flood risk. We also encourage communities to adopt sensible floodplain development practices that go beyond minimum NFIP requirements to keep residents safer and further reduce damage from future floods.
NH Communities that Go Beyond Minimum NFIP Requirements
Many NFIP communities in New Hampshire (see map) already enforce a variety of standards in their floodplain management ordinance that go beyond the NFIP minimum requirements to keep people and property safer from floods.
Click on a community on the map to see the higher standard(s) it has adopted.
Flood Mapping in New Hampshire
NFIP communities must enforce the requirements of their floodplain management ordinance in areas with a high risk from flooding (i.e., 'Special Flood Hazard Areas') which are shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) prepared by FEMA . Special Flood Hazard Areas include different flood zones , including Zones A, AE, AO, A1-30, and VE.
Viewing FEMA Flood Maps for Your Community
There are different ways you can view the FEMA flood maps for your community. Paper copies are available at your local community office. However, you can also access the maps online using the options below:
FEMA Map Updates Underway
When needed, and when funding is available, FEMA updates the flood maps using new and revised data and flood hazard analyses. The map on the right shows the location of current FEMA flood mapping projects underway in the state. These projects will result in more accurate flood maps in these areas in the future.
Get more information about the NFIP, floodplain management and mapping, and upcoming events and training on the NH Floodplain Management Program website .
