Effective: January 1, 2003

Through this public service program a variety of information and technical services related to surface water resources and floodplain management are provided to individuals, industry, business, professionals, public agencies, and governmental units.  Technical services related to floodplain management facilitate compliance with the provisions of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), State and local regulatory policy, and sound water resources management.  A library of current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) flood hazard maps and Flood Insurance Studies developed for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), engineering data and supportive studies related to flooding, a complete set of National Wetlands Inventory maps and US Geological Survey topographic quadrangles, and various surface water data files are housed in Building 5 at the Illinois State Water Survey (ISWS).  This information may be viewed by the public during regular business hours. 

The following list identifies those services most often requested.  Unless otherwise noted, current FEMA maps and studies are the sole source of floodplain information used to perform the floodplain management services.  Nominal service fees are charged to provide necessary additional funding for the program.  Requesters must provide adequate documentation of subject locations and identify specific types of information desired for staff to be able to respond to inquiries.

ITEM:     Identification of current FEMA floodplain map for individual properties or sites

The current FEMA floodplain map showing a particular site is identified and a copy provided to the requester.  This will be performed on the basis of printed matter (provided by the requester by mail or fax) precisely locating the property.  A determination of the flood zone status of a property will not be performed.  A list of companies that perform this service is available from FEMA (http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/fzone1.shtm).  Information about Letters of Map Change not yet incorporated in the current floodplain map may be obtained through FEMA’s Map Assistance Center: (877) FEMA-MAP.

Charge:  No charge for single sites, $10 per site for multiple site requests

ITEM:     Special Flood Hazard Area Determination pursuant to Governor's Executive Order IV, 1979, public or semi-public properties only

A determination of the flood zone status of a property is performed on the basis of printed matter (provided by the requester by mail or fax) precisely locating the property and/or structure.  Telephone requests for flood zone determinations on individual properties cannot be performed.  (Internet-generated maps are not sufficient location documentation.)  A Base Flood Elevation (BFE), if available from a FEMA Flood Insurance Study, will be provided.  Please note that the ISWS does not perform floodzone determinations for private property, waste handling sites, or environmental assessments.

Charge:  No charge. 

ITEM:     Determination of Base Flood Elevation (BFE) at a single site using a FEMA Flood Insurance Study profile

Performed on the basis of printed matter (provided by the requester by mail only) precisely locating the property and/or structure.  Telephone and fax requests for BFEs cannot be performed.  This service does not apply to “Zone A” properties; for “Zone A” properties, see below.

Charge:   $30.

ITEM:     Estimation of 100-Year Flood Elevations for an individual property

Estimates of 100-year flood elevations for an individual property will be performed for Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), delineated as "Zone A" on the FEMA Flood Insurance Maps, subject to the following conditions:

Estimates of 100-year flood elevations are performed on the basis of printed matter (provided by the requester by mail only) precisely locating the property and/or structure.  Telephone and fax requests for 100-year flood elevations on individual properties cannot be performed. 

The 100-year flood elevation(s) will be estimated only if sufficient topographic, hydraulic, and/or historical information is available at the ISWS or provided by the requester.  Field data collection will not be performed by ISWS.  Estimates of 100-year flood elevations will not be performed if engineering staff determine that sufficient data is not available, or other extenuating circumstances (e.g., unknown storm sewer configuration) limit the reasonable accuracy of the estimate. 

This service is not offered for properties to be subdivided for development. 

The ISWS does not have the authority to certify a 100-year discharge or elevation.  Technical analyses provided by the ISWS must be submitted to the appropriate federal, state, and/or local officials for their acceptance.

Northeastern Illinois

Within Northeastern Illinois (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties) estimates of 100-year flood elevations for SFHAs will be routinely performed only at locations where the stream drainage area is less than 1.0 sq. mi. and where the watershed is primarily rural.

Estimates of 100-year flood elevations at locations where the drainage area exceeds 1.0 sq. mi. and the watershed is primarily rural may be performed, but require the approval of the IDNR Office of Water Resources (OWR), Bartlett.  The ISWS report and supporting documentation will be submitted directly to IDNR OWR,  not to the requester.  IDNR OWR will review the information and if it approves the elevation will forward the report materials to the requester.

Appropriate field data (minimum of one measured stream cross section) must be submitted for the ISWS to perform an elevation estimate in Northeastern Illinois.  ISWS will specify the information needed in each case.

Charges:     Base fee of $150.  Additional charges apply when hydraulic structures must be analyzed or when other physical conditions or circumstances mandate more extensive analysis; requester will be notified before additional charges are accrued.  (ISWS charges do not include associated surveyor costs incurred by the requester.) 

ITEM:        Copies of Flood Insurance Study (FIS) computer runs - input/output data from hydrologic and hydraulic (H&H) FIS models

Upon written request that includes a map, or FIS volume and flood profile identifiers, with the upstream and downstream limits of the subject reach specified, ISWS holdings will be searched for H&H models.  Staff will review the models for general agreement with data published in the related FIS and will notify the requester of the results of the review before copying material.  ISWS will not distribute superseded models without the effective model if ISWS has the effective model in any media.

Charges:       Base search fee per stream:

                                $75 for models with apparent good agreement with the current effective flood profile;

                                $35 for preliminary runs (when the final or current model cannot be found at ISWS);

                                $10 for incomplete models (critical parts of input or output missing from source copy);

                        plus copy/distribution fees:

                                $0.20/page copied from paper original or printed from CD

                                $0.40/page printed from microfiche

                                $3.00/floppy disk with files

                                No additional distribution charge for files sent by email

Multiple search charges may apply for extensive stream reaches that are modeled in separate segments.  No charges apply if ISWS does not have the model requested.

This service does not include searches for complete study materials (such as work maps). Models and study materials can also be requested from the FEMA Project Library, http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/st_order.shtm.

ITEM:        Photocopies of FEMA Flood Insurance Study contents (e.g., tables, profiles, text)

Charges:     $10 search fee per study; $0.20 copy fee per page

ITEM:        Photocopies of portions of FEMA flood hazard maps

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), Floodway Boundary and Floodway Map (FBFM)

Flood Hazard Boundary Map (FHBM), Community Status Book (CSB)

Charges:     No charge for 1-5 pages; $5.00 minimum charge for 6-25 pages; $0.20 per page exceeding 25 pages.  Maximum paper size for copies is 11" x 17".

                      The ISWS is not a distribution center for FEMA materials. 

                      Original, complete map panels and FIS reports may be ordered from:

FEMA Map Service Center

(800) 358-9616, or fax (800) 358-9620

http://msc.fema.gov 

ITEM:        7-Day 10-Year Low Flow (Q_7,10) Maps

Charges:     Printed maps - First map per order $10; each additional map $5; full set of 11 maps $60. 

Photocopies of maps - A copy of a single portion of a map will be provided at no charge.

A $10 search fee will apply to multiple requests and those that exceed 5 copied pages.

Note: Scanned Q_7,10 maps are posted at  http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/docs/maps/lowflow/

ITEM:        Photocopies of portions of National Wetland Inventory (NWI) maps

Charges:     $10 search fee per location; 11” x 17” maximum paper size for copies

                      ISWS is not a distributor of NWI maps.  Full-size NWI quad sheets may be ordered from:

                                                Center for Governmental Studies, Northern Illinois University - (815) 753-0914

                                                or see the NWI website http://wetlands.fws.gov/ for additional information

ITEM:        General information searches

It is the intent of this program to provide supportive services to other government agencies, professionals, and private individuals as part of our directive to disseminate technical information.  Searches for general surface water information and reports on file at the State Water Survey, requiring less than one hour of professional time to locate and less than 5 copied pages, are free of charge.  Other charges as noted.

Charges:     Charges will apply to requests that require time in excess of one hour.  Charges will be assessed in proportion to the time, effort, and resources required to fulfill the request.  The requester will be notified prior to accrual of charges.  Photocopies:  No charge for 1-5 pages; $5.00 minimum charge for 6-25 pages; $0.20 per page exceeding 25 pages.  Maximum paper size for copies is 11" x 17".  Complete ISWS publications as per the rate schedule of the ISWS Publication Distribution Office: (217) 333-8888.

ITEM:        Miscellaneous charges

Additional charges will be assessed for requests in which special handling is desired or required. Examples include: express mail, color copies, prints from microfiche, oversize copies.

NOTE:       Responsibility for payment

Services performed for private citizens, local units of government, and institutions must be authorized directly by the person(s) or appropriate authority.  Services will be billed directly and must be paid by the individual or entity.  Intermediaries such as engineers, attorneys, Realtors, etc., may contact the survey on their client's behalf, but the client must pay directly to the ISWS.