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West Virginia Flood Tool

Frequently Asked Questions about the WV Flood Tool

What do if I experience technical difficulties?

First, make suree you are using a modern browswer, such as the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge.

Next, make sure you clear your cache as that resolves most problems.

  • Try to clear it using the CTRL+F5 (hold either CTRL key down and press the F5 key at the same time). You may have to do this quickly several times in a row for it to have an impact.
  • If the above does not resolve the issue, please visit this site (Clear My Cache NOTE: Opens in a new window) for instructions on how to deep clear your cache.

If that does not resolve your issue, please contact Eric Hopkins (304-293-9463) for additional help.

What is the source of the information presented in the Flood Tool?

The Flood Tool queries multiple data overlays to provide information to users:

The flood hazard zones and other flood features are derived from FEMA flood mapping products, including Effective Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) overlays extracted from the National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) or downloaded from the Map Service Center, Preliminary DFIRM overlays provided by FEMA, or Advisory flood data overlays obtained from FEMA and / or floodplain mapping partner contractors.

Advisory Flood Height and flood depth values come from HEC-RAS-based Zone A delineation models developed by a FEMA contractor.

Elevation values are taken from the USGS National Elevation Dataset (NED).

Risk MAP information comes from LEVEL I HAZUS runs acquired by the WV Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM), mitigation group.

Okay, I found my address/house/property and clicked on it to get flood information. What do I do now?

The next steps you take will depend on your results. If you have any questions about the results or wish to find more information, you may want to contact the floodplain administrator for your county or community, or the WV State NFIP Coordinator's office for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Coordinator's office staff are knowledgeable regarding the Flood Tool, flood maps and flood insurance requirements.

How do I search using GPS coordinates?

The Flood Tool defaults to Address search, but if you click and open the pull down menu via the arrow next to “Address” under the Search tab, more options are listed. Select “Coordinate” from the list then enter decimal degrees (dd), degrees-minutes-seconds (dms) or UTM coordinates, as appropriate. Don’t forget the negative sign (-) in front of the longitude degree value.

Can I search for a specific city or town?

Yes, by following the same guidance above, select “City” from the search method menu, then choose the city or town from the list by clicking on “Select City.”

I have a parcel number. How can I search for it in the Flood Tool?

Select “Parcel” from the search method menu. In the Parcel Search dialog window select your county then choose a search type, i.e. Owner Name, Parcel Number or Parcel Address.

Supported by all modern browsers: Please contact Eric Hopkins with questions or comments relating to the site. Copyright 2015.

Supported by all modern browsers: Please contact Eric Hopkins with questions or comments relating to the site. Copyright 2015.