A Sneak Peek into ASFPM’s Toolkit for Local Floodplain Administrators

Over the next year, the Association of State Floodplain Managers will work to develop a practical toolkit to help local floodplain administrators navigate the essential, day-to-day responsibilities of floodplain management. In this article, we’ll provide an early look at what we’re hearing from floodplain managers about what that toolkit should contain.  

The new toolkit builds on established tenets of effective floodplain management: communities need the authority, resources, knowledge, and support to manage flood risk successfully. The 10 guiding principles outlined in ASFPM’s Effective State Floodplain Management Programs report, published in 2003, remain relevant today. However, that report focuses on the state role and doesn’t reflect the technological advances and programmatic changes of the past two-plus decades. Local floodplain administrators need practical guidance tailored to their specific responsibilities and the challenges they face.

What we’re hearing from the field

After holding two symposia (one with state government officials and one with local floodplain administrators) and reviewing feedback from multiple ASFPM Flash Feedback surveys, several themes have emerged.  

During the “Essentials of Local Floodplain Management Symposium” in April 2026, participants agreed that a successful local floodplain management program is one that has:

• Strong communication between and/or integration of floodplain management with other program areas (e.g., engineering, planning, building codes, emergency management, public works, maintenance crews, GIS);
• Strong relationships across sectors and between key departments and parties;
• Consistency in staffing, administrative procedures, and federal/state support;
• Supportive local leadership; and
• Knowledgeable staff with capacity to perform duties as necessary and easy access to subject matter experts, as needed (e.g., engineers).

Conversely, communication gaps, limited staff capacity and a lack of support from elected officials makes the work more difficult.

During the June Symposium on “ASFPM Support of State Capacity Needs,” a portion of the conversation focused on the concept of an Essentials of Local Floodplain Management Toolkit. It was discussed that any such toolkit should be designed around the actual work of a local floodplain administrator, and be “a practical operating system,” not just another reference manual. Participants stressed that the toolkit should focus on the basic, core duties of a local floodplain administrator, including where to start. It should also include a compilation of resources, with state-specific information if/when possible.

Across all feedback engagement points, participants also identified the resources that would be most helpful for local floodplain administrators. Guidance and how-to documents topped the list, followed by examples and case studies, training, one-pagers, templates, and checklists. 

As for topics, the top three topics mentioned in the resource requests were regulations, risk assessment and mapping, and post-disaster emergency management. These were followed closely by basic floodplain management concepts and permitting.

These findings reflect the realities of the job. In the Advice for New Floodplain Managers Flash Feedback survey distributed Sept. 2026, the top floodplain management activities local floodplain administrators mentioned most frequently were:

• Permitting;
• Answering questions from the general public;
• Handling elevation certificates; and 
• Floodplain education and outreach. 

Meanwhile, the number one question posed by the general public is, “Is my property/am I/is the project in the floodplain? A flood zone? Flood hazard area?” Followed closely by, “Do I need flood insurance?” “What flood zone am I in?” and “How long does it take to obtain a floodplain development permit?” 

Next steps

The Essentials of Local Floodplain Management Toolkit is still in development. Over the coming year, ASFPM will continue organizing and prioritizing the ideas and resources gathered through this outreach to help shape a practical, useful toolkit grounded in the real-world needs of local floodplain managers and designed to help them carry out their essential work.