Best Available Information
Previously, floodplains in Lincoln were regulated primarily based upon maps generated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the National Flood Insurance Program. The City's floodplain regulations didn't clearly address situations where improved flood mapping showed flood hazards along streams that didn't have a FEMA-mapped floodplain.
As 'watershed master plans' are completed by the City and Lower Platte South Natural Resources District (NRD) for drainage areas, or watersheds, more accurate floodplain information becomes available. Floodplains identified through these watershed master plans are called 'floodprone areas' to distinguish them from those shown on the official FEMA maps, however, both represent a "100-year floodplain." Over time, this information is incorporated into the FEMA maps, but there is typically considerable delay before this 'best available' flood hazard information is incorporated by the Federal government into the FEMA maps.
The flood standards for New Growth Areas incorporate the use of 'best available' flood hazard information by clearly applying standards to both the FEMA-mapped floodplains as well as to 'floodprone areas' identified through watershed master plans or other studies accepted by the City, to better protect future homes and businesses from flood hazards.