| 1. |
Construction of a residential building in an identified SFHA with a lowest floor below the BFE is a violation of the floodplain management requirements set forth at 44 CFR 60.3(c)(2), unless the community has obtained an exception to NFIP requirements from FEMA and has approved procedures in place. |
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True |
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False |
| 2. |
In Fig. 2; Structure on a stem wall foundation. The lowest floor is raised above the BFE. The space enclosed by the stem walls is filled with engineered compacted fill. |
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True |
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False |
| 3. |
Constructing a crawlspace beneath the first floor will raise the lowest floor of the structure above the surrounding grade (see Figure 3). Openings in the foundation walls are recommended. If flooding reaches the building, the openings allow flood waters to enter the area below the lowest floor and equalize the hydrostatic pressure on the foundation walls |
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True |
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False |
| 4. |
On a slab on grade foundation; This method normally provides less flood protection than crawlspace construction because it does not elevate the house above the adjacent grade (see Figure 4). As a result, the lowest floor of the house can be as low as the BFE and would be inundated by any flood greater than the BFE. Placing additional engineered fill beneath the building to a level above the BFE would provide freeboard and therefore increased flood protection. |
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True |
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False |
| 5. |
Although basements are a desired feature in some areas of the United States, NFIP minimum requirements generally do not allow their construction in the SFHA, because of the increased risk of flood damages. The only instances where this is not the case are buildings for which FEMA has granted a special exemption to allow flood proofed basements. However, once land is removed from the SFHA through a map revision, these NFIP minimum requirements no longer apply. As a result, builders and property owners who build on land removed from the SFHA sometimes elect to install basements, which are at a higher risk of flood damage than the foundation types described previously.
Constructing a basement on such land is not recommended, because the basement (i.e., lowest) floor and portions of the basement walls may well be subjected to subsurface flooding. The basement may therefore be subject to seepage and lateral hydrostatic and uplift pressure caused by high groundwater levels associated with flooding in surrounding areas. Additionally, when flooding exceeds the BFE, the basement area may be totally inundated with floodwater. When builders and homeowners decide to accept the additional risk associated with basement construction on filled land, they need to ensure that the basement and the rest of the house are reasonably safe from flooding. |
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True |
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False |
| 6. |
Placing the lowest floor of the basement at or above the BFE has the effect of eliminating flood induced damage up to the BFE (see Figure 5). In general, the higher the basement floor is above the BFE the lower the risk of damage from seepage and hydrostatic pressure caused by flood-related groundwater. Where possible, the basement should be built with its floor at or above the BFE. An
added benefit is that floods that exceed the BFE will cause significantly less damage to a structure with this type of basement than to structures with basements whose floors are at greater depths. |
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True |
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False |
| 7. |
In the event that the lowest floor is not elevated to or above the BFE and fill is not placed to a level above the BFE, the next best method of reducing flood risk is to place the lowest opening into the basement (e.g., window well) at a level higher than the BFE (see Figure 7). This will reduce the chances that surface flooding will enter and inundate the basement. However, the basement walls and floor slab will still be subjected to hydrostatic pressure with the potential for damage and seepage into
the basement. In addition, the above-grade basement walls will be exposed to water from floods greater than the Base Flood. For this reason, the lowest opening in the basement walls should be above the BFE, as shown in Figure 7. |
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True |
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False |
| 8. |
Basement Foundation With Lowest Opening at BFE is the least preferable condition of all because it results in the highest flood risk and is not recommended (see Figure 8). The lack of fill above the BFE, coupled with the lowest floor being
below BFE and lowest opening at the BFE, exposes the basement to flooding from both subsurface flooding and any flood greater than the Base Flood. |
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True |
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False |
| 9. |
In general, the higher the basement floor is above the BFE the lower the risk of damage from seepage and hydrostatic pressure caused by flood-related groundwater. |
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True |
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False |
| 10. |
Figure 4 illustrates _______________________________. |
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Structure on a slab-on-grade foundation |
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Structure on a pile foundation |
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