CFS Case Analysis & Practical Application 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A surveyor is mapping a coastal community where FEMA's FIRM shows a Zone VE with a BFE of 12 feet. The structure's lowest horizontal structural member is at 11.5 feet. What is the correct finding?
- The structure is compliant because it is within 1 foot of BFE
- The structure is non-compliant because the lowest horizontal structural member must be at or above BFE (Correct answer)
- The structure is compliant because Zone VE only requires the lowest floor to meet BFE
- The structure is non-compliant only if it was built after the FIRM's effective date
Correct answer: The structure is non-compliant because the lowest horizontal structural member must be at or above BFE
In Zone VE, the bottom of the lowest horizontal structural member must be at or above the BFE, so 11.5 feet is non-compliant.
Question 2: During a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) review, a surveyor finds that a property's lowest adjacent grade is 2 feet above the BFE. Which outcome is most likely?
- FEMA will issue a LOMR-F because grading was involved
- FEMA will issue a LOMA removing the property from the Special Flood Hazard Area (Correct answer)
- FEMA will deny the request because the property must be 3 feet above BFE
- FEMA will require a new hydrologic study before issuing any letter
Correct answer: FEMA will issue a LOMA removing the property from the Special Flood Hazard Area
When the lowest adjacent grade is above the BFE with no fill involved, FEMA typically issues a LOMA removing the property from the SFHA.
Question 3: A floodplain surveyor is asked to evaluate a scenario where a stream's 100-year discharge has increased due to upstream development. The current FIRM does not reflect this change. What is the appropriate professional action?
- Advise the community to adopt the existing FIRM without changes
- Recommend a Conditional Letter of Map Revision to update the floodplain boundaries
- Perform a new hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and initiate a LOMR process (Correct answer)
- Inform the property owner that FEMA is solely responsible for all flood map updates
Correct answer: Perform a new hydrologic and hydraulic analysis and initiate a LOMR process
When changed conditions affect flood boundaries, a new H&H analysis and a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) are required to update the FIRM.
Question 4: A property owner claims their home is in Zone X but an elevation certificate prepared by a licensed surveyor shows the lowest floor is 1.5 feet below the published BFE for the adjacent Zone AE. What should the surveyor conclude?
- The property is correctly mapped in Zone X and no action is needed
- The elevation certificate contains an error and must be voided
- There may be a mapping error and a LOMA or LOMR review is warranted (Correct answer)
- The property owner should apply for a variance from the local floodplain administrator
Correct answer: There may be a mapping error and a LOMA or LOMR review is warranted
A discrepancy between the mapped zone and actual elevations suggests a potential mapping error that should be reviewed through a LOMA or LOMR process.
Question 5: During a post-flood field investigation, a surveyor observes that floodwaters reached 3.2 feet above the published BFE at a gauge location. What does this indicate?
- The flood exceeded the 500-year recurrence interval
- The event was likely more severe than the 1% annual chance flood (Correct answer)
- The BFE is incorrect and must be revised immediately
- The community failed to maintain its floodplain management ordinance
Correct answer: The event was likely more severe than the 1% annual chance flood
Water levels exceeding the BFE suggest the event surpassed the 1% annual chance (100-year) flood, though a full H&H analysis is needed to confirm recurrence interval.
Question 6: A surveyor is completing an Elevation Certificate for a building with an attached garage. The garage floor is 1 foot below the BFE and the living area floor is 0.5 feet above the BFE. What elevation should be recorded as the lowest floor?
- The garage floor elevation, because it is the lowest enclosed area
- The living area floor elevation, because garages are excluded from lowest floor calculations (Correct answer)
- The average of both floor elevations
- The BFE itself, as the reference datum for the structure
Correct answer: The living area floor elevation, because garages are excluded from lowest floor calculations
An attached garage used solely for parking, building access, or storage is excluded from the lowest floor definition under NFIP rules.
Question 7: A community is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area and wants to allow a new hospital to be built within the regulatory floodway. What is the surveyor's role in this scenario?
- Confirm that critical facilities are exempt from floodway regulations
- Perform a no-rise analysis to ensure the structure will not increase BFE in the floodway (Correct answer)
- Advise the community that no development is ever permitted in a regulatory floodway
- Calculate the freeboard required to offset the floodway encroachment
Correct answer: Perform a no-rise analysis to ensure the structure will not increase BFE in the floodway
Any encroachment in a regulatory floodway must demonstrate no rise in the BFE through a certified hydrologic and hydraulic analysis.
CFS Case Analysis & Practical Application 2
A surveyor is mapping a coastal community where FEMA's FIRM shows a Zone VE with a BFE of 12 feet.
The structure's lowest horizontal structural member is at 11.5 feet.
What is the correct finding?