Natural Valley Procedure

Modeling and Mapping Non-Accredited Levees

LEVEE ANALYSIS AND MAPPING PROCEDURES OVERVIEW
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) responsibilities include educating and helping a
community understand their flood risk. One of the ways FEMA does this is by creating maps to help
communities understand the its flood risk and define this as high, moderate, or low risk of flooding.
When FEMA conducts a flood mapping project and a non-accredited levee system is involved, there are
specific considerations to take into account. FEMA created a set of procedures for non-accredited levees
to more accurately analyze and depict the flood hazard in an area impacted by a levee system. These
procedures, known as the “levee analysis and mapping procedures,” offer five different ways to analyze
a levee reach (or, section of levee). By applying one of these procedures, the community can more
accurately understand their risk and take steps to reduce that risk. The Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) Section 65.10, is the procedure guidance followed and will be referenced throughout this
document.

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
Natural Valley refers to the
FEMA begins analysis of all non-accredited levee systems using channel and floodplain of a river
the Natural Valley procedure to establish areas that may be or coastal area before the addition
flooded if the levee system were to breach, overtop, or fail of flood control structures like
completely. The Natural Valley procedure can be applied to the levees.
entire levee system, or a specific reach or reaches of the levee
system.

In its simplest terms, the Natural Valley procedure treats the levee as if it does not exist.

Image 1: The dashed lines depict where the levee would be – this procedure treats the levee as if it does
not exist.

RESULTING ZONE DESIGNATION

When the Natural Valley procedure is first used to identify the levee-impacted area (the area that
would be flooded if the levee system failed to perform), it is designated as a Special Flood Hazard Area
(SFHA).
Once the levee-impacted area has been found by the system-wide Natural Natural Valley can be used in two
Valley procedure, a community may choose to move forward with the ways:
levee analysis and mapping procedures for a specific levee reach. If the 1. In any levee mapping project,
Natural Valley procedure is applied to selected reaches, the flood hazard it is used system-wide to
area for each reach will usually be designated as Zone A or AE, an SFHA. determine the area that will
These zone designations determined in each reach may be impacted by be impacted if the levee
flooding from adjacent or other reaches, and localized interior drainage system were to not impede
flooding. flooding.
2. Additionally, it can be applied
INSURANCE CONSIDERATIONS to a single levee reach if the
levee analysis and mapping
The Natural Valley procedure is the least complex means of levee analysis
procedures are applied.
and requires the least amount of data of all established procedures for
analyzing flood hazards associated with non-accredited levee systems. For
communities with limited resources and data, this could be the most reasonable path forward.

Because Zone A/AE is a high-hazard area, property owners are encouraged to take proactive steps to
reduce their risk, including the purchase of flood insurance. In fact, while flood insurance is strongly
recommended for all structures, the Zone A/AE designation carries a flood insurance requirement. It is
mandatory for structures with mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders.

Given the mandatory insurance requirement, there are several options to

help keep insurance costs low: Natural Valley Procedure
• Newly Mapped Procedure: This cost-saving rating option helps Documentation
reduce the financial impact of a map change for properties newly The Natural Valley procedure can be
mapped as high-risk. applied to one or more non-
• Grandfathering: This rating option may provide a lower cost by accredited levee reaches. It would
locking in the insurance rate associated with the current make sense for a community to
moderate- or low-risk flood zone or Base Flood Elevation when choose Natural Valley if:
the policy renews in the future. The easiest way to take
advantage of grandfathering is to buy a policy before the new 1. The levee reach does not meet
flood maps take effect. the requirements of 44 CFR
• Community Rating System (CRS) credits: This program recognizes 65.10;
communities for their additional efforts beyond the minimum 2. Data necessary for more
standards to reduce flood damage to insurable property. Under complex methods is not and will
not be available
the CRS, communities that choose to participate may reduce the
in the near term; or
flood insurance premium rates for property owners in the
3. The community provides
community by taking these additional actions.
feedback that they would like to
use this procedure at the start of
To purchase flood insurance, individuals need to contact their insurance
a mapping project.
agent. Property owners with questions about flood insurance can call the
National Flood Insurance Program, toll free, at 1-888-FLOOD29 (356-
6329) or visit floodsmart.gov. See the Levees and Flood Insurance Fact Sheet for more information.
 OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
An “interior drainage” analysis must be conducted for all levee systems. Interior drainage represents all
water runoff, seepage (water going under the levee), and water collection on the landward side of the
levee system. The analysis must identify and demonstrate the potential runoff paths from the impacted
drainage area. Any areas of residual risk and interior drainage flooding that fall within these areas are
mapped as a SFHA, regardless of whether the levee system is accredited or not. This is a critical analysis
because it shows that risk can still exist, even if the levee meets certain 65.10 requirements.
Levees are designed to manage a certain amount of floodwater and can be overtopped or fail during
flood events exceeding the design level. When this occurs, the result can be devastating to the homes
and businesses nearby, and in some cases even worse than if the levee had not been there in the first
place. There is always more a community can do to reduce their risk, especially when it comes to
floodplain management, building codes, and zoning. See the Levee Risk and Mitigation Fact Sheet for
more information.

For more information on other procedures for analyzing and mapping hazards associated with non-accredited levees, visit:
https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/33587

The Code of Federal Regulations can be accessed at: https://www.govinfo.gov/help/cfr