Track: Water Resources
Identifying FEMA Flood Elevations Based on Property Appraiser Maps in a GIS Environment
J.J. MeadowsWilliam K. (Ken) Jones, P.E. , Michelle Morin
Efficient response to customer inquiries is a critical role of any government agency. This quality customer service approach has been identified as a top priority for the City of Tallahassee, Florida. The Stormwater Management Division has developed a GIS application that queries flood-related data stored in a GIS to optimize the handling of customer requests. The application, written in ArcView GIS and MapObjects software, allows for user-friendly query of GIS data and mapping, and timely and efficient response to customer inquiries by Stormwater Division and other City staff. By zooming into a specific area from general maps, a user may identify specific properties. The application then queries water resource information including watershed, streams reach, and established flood elevations and provides site-specific information to the user. The application is also used for research prior to permit application and in-house data request needs. The application began as a simple data access project including simple calls to existing digital data. The second phase included the addition of FEMA floodplain data in both graphic and table form. Several automated functions were also included to simplify the application for users. The final phase includes posting to the Intranet/Internet allowing for direct customer access to the data. This paper details the development process through each phase. Discussed are choice of software and software customization/programming, as well as management issues. Engineering calculations required to facilitate the query of FEMA floodplain elevation data are also addressed. The development process is presented in a manner designed to provide useful information and ideas for development of similar applications.
J.J. Meadows
PBS&J
1203 Governors Square Blvd.
Tallahassee, FL 32301
USA
Telephone: 850/942-2224
Fax: 850/942-8655
E-mail: Jjmeadows@pbsj.com