April 14, 2006 - This week the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released the highly anticipated advisory base flood elevation recommendations for areas along the Louisiana coast. The reports covers two areas, structures inside levee protected areas, and those outside levee protected areas. FEMA recommends substantially damaged homes and businesses protected by levees elevate three feet, or follow what is shown on the current effective flood insurance rate map, whichever is higher. For those with substantially damaged dwellings outside levee-protected areas in these parishes, FEMA recommends what is shown on the current effective flood insurance rate map, plus one to three additional feet in elevation, depending on parish location.

In response to requests for updated rebuilding guidance from state and local officials in both Mississippi and Louisiana following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, FEMA will be assessing existing flood risk data and issuing updated and more accurate advisory guidance to help speed the recovery. The flood recovery guidance documents provide Advisory Base Flood Elevations as an interim product to assist communities in their rebuilding efforts, while new ('preliminary') Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are being completed and provided to the communities for comment by the end of this year.

For more information visit
http://www.fema.gov/hazard/flood/recoverydata/katrina/katrina_la_resources.shtm