URS Corp. has been awarded a flood-mapping contract with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The contract entails county-wide production of digital flood insurance rate maps (DFIRMs) for 39 counties and pre-production scoping for 59 counties in Georgia. Watershed Concepts will assist URS as a principal subcontractor.
DFIRMs deliniate flood-risk zones and serve as an integral part of the National Flood Insurance Program, which plays a critical role in defense against flood losses on an individual, community, state and national basis. The nationwide effort to modernize the maps is led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the National Flood Insurance Program.
The new maps will replace the current ones, which have become outdated and were produced using earlier technology. Since the new maps are in a digital format, they provide greater detail and make it easier for citizens to view the information. The flood maps help residents and business owners understand the current flood risk and allow them to make more informed decisions about protecting their property. In addition, they serve as a tool with which community planners, local officials, engineers and builders can determine where and how new structures and developments should be built to maximize safety.
Source: URS Corp.
