Flood Plain Managment

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Flood Plain Management 

In the U.S. 21,000 communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). By Federal law, each of these communities must designate a floodplain administrator. Trained professionals are needed for these positions, but today there are fewer than 8,000 Certified Floodplain Managers (CFMs). Of these, only about 40 % are local officials. In all there are about 9 NFIP communities for each local CFM. WKU is working to meet this urgent national need with the nation's only Floodplain Management Minor. Since its inception in 2007, 36 WKU students have passed the national certification exam for floodplain managers. Thirteen states have fewer than 36 CFMs.

This minor has been coordinated with the Geography and Geology Department and with the Kentucky Association of Mitigation Manager.

The Floodplain Management minor (reference number 361) requires completion of at least 21 semester hours including 13 core hours taken by all students and an additional 8 hours of electives. At least six hours of the minor must be taken from classes not counting toward completion of the major.

The minor provides students with basic knowledge and skills needed to implement and administer flood mitigation and recovery programs. Students develop familiarity with federal floodplain management regulations, the National Flood Insurance Program, hydrology, surveying, and tools such as Geographic Information Systems that are critical to administering an aggressive floodplain management program.

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