Practice Test Geeks(CFS) Certified Floodplain Surveyor Practice Test
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Floodplain Mapping & Elevation Determination Flashcards

7 cards from real CFS practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Floodplain Mapping & Elevation Determination flashcards as text

  1. A stream has recently been straightened and channelized since the effective FIRM was published. What FEMA process should be initiated to update the flood map?

    Answer: Physical Map Revision (PMR) via a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)

    Physical changes to a waterway that affect flood elevations require a LOMR (Letter of Map Revision), which updates the FIRM to reflect the new hydraulic conditions.

  2. Which of the following best describes a 'coastal barrier' as defined under the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (CBRA)?

    Answer: Undeveloped coastal features such as barrier islands, spits, and tombolos that shelter the mainland

    CBRA defines coastal barriers as undeveloped natural landforms including barrier islands and spits that protect the mainland coast from wave and storm surge energy.

  3. When preparing a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR), what is the key word 'conditional' intended to convey?

    Answer: FEMA concurs that proposed project conditions would warrant a map change, but the map is not yet revised

    A CLOMR is FEMA's comment on a proposed project indicating that if the project is built as described, a LOMR would be warranted — but the map change does not occur until construction is complete.

  4. An Elevation Certificate is completed using Section C. The surveyor notes the building diagram number is 6 (enclosure below elevated building on fill). What does this mean for NFIP rating?

    Answer: The lowest floor is the top of fill, and the enclosure is rated as living space

    Diagram 6 indicates an elevated structure on fill with an enclosure; for rating, the lowest floor is the top of the fill, and any enclosed space below BFE increases premium exposure.

  5. What is a 'split-lot' condition in floodplain mapping, and how is it addressed for flood insurance purposes?

    Answer: A lot bisected by a SFHA boundary, where the insurable value is allocated based on the portion in the SFHA

    A split-lot occurs when a SFHA boundary crosses a single parcel; flood insurance rates reflect the proportion of the structure or value located within the high-hazard zone.

  6. Which hydrologic method is commonly used to estimate peak discharges for ungauged rural watersheds in the United States as part of a flood study?

    Answer: FEMA's Regression Equations (StreamStats)

    USGS StreamStats provides regional regression equations that estimate flood-frequency discharges for ungauged basins based on watershed characteristics.

  7. Under 44 CFR § 60.3(c), what is the minimum lowest-floor elevation requirement for new construction in Zone AE when a regulatory floodway has NOT been designated?

    Answer: At or above the BFE, using fill or structural elevation

    NFIP minimum standards require the lowest floor of new construction in Zone AE to be elevated at or above the BFE, whether by fill or structural means, when no floodway has been designated.