Floodplains_Content Page_Risk MAP

Risk MAP Projects

Risk MAP (Mapping, Assessment and Planning) is the next phase in floodplain mapping.

The Risk MAP process includes:

  • A multi-year FEMA program using a watershed approach
  • High quality flood maps and information
  • Non-Regulatory tools to better assess the risk from flooding
  • Planning and outreach support to communities to help them take action to reduce flood risk

Please visit FEMA to learn more about RiskMAP.

To view and download effective maps, flood insurance studies or data please visit FEMA's Map Service Center.

To view and download preliminary maps, flood insurance studies or data for active projects please visit FEMA's Preliminary Data Search Tool.

Countywide Projects

Bayfield County

Bayfield County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Revised floodplains will be produced using better available data resulting in new engineered Zone A and redelineated detailed studies. The updated panels will include the new riverine studies and FEMA's revised Lake Superior coastal floodplains. A project kick-off meeting was held on March 19, 2020, to present the process and timeline of the project.

Flood Risk Review Meeting (Archive)

Draft work maps and data were discussed during a Flood Risk Review Meeting held on August 22, 2024, in Washburn. The meeting also discussed the National Flood Insurance Program and flood mitigation opportunities. An informal 30-day comment period started on August 22, 2024, allowing communities to provide input on the draft maps and data.

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Bayfield County preliminary flood maps were released on July 31, 2025. They can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period is expected to open sometime in Summer/Fall 2026.

CCO Meeting Material/Open House (Archive)

A local official officials meeting was held virtually on December 18, 2025. A public open house was held virtually on January 21, 2026. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary materials with stakeholders and to answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO Meeting and open house are now available for viewing.

Maps

Note - Below are preliminary flood storage maps for Bayfield County, Wisconsin. A flood storage map is part of the mapped floodplain that identifies the natural flood storage capacity of that watershed area. A shapefile has also been sent to affected communities. If your community is listed on one of the flood storage maps below, flood storage language should be part of the community ordinance and the appropriate flood storage maps adopted.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Burnett County

Burnett County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Revised floodplains will be produced with better available data resulting in new engineered Zone A and redelineated detailed studies. A project kick-off meeting was held on February 10, 2022, to present the process and timeline of the project.

Hydrologic and hydraulic modeling is on-going for revised studies in Burnett County.

Project Kick-Off Meeting Materials (Archive)

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Chippewa County

Chippewa County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Revised floodplains will be produced with better available data resulting in new engineered Zone A and redelineated detailed studies.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A virtual meeting was held with community leaders on December 7, 2022. This meeting was held to provide information on FEMA’s mapping project, discuss the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

Flood Risk Review/Resilience Meeting (Archive)

Chippewa County work maps and draft data were discussed at the Flood Risk Review and Resilience Meeting held on May 1, 2025. Non-regulatory products (Depth, WSE, Percent Annual Chance, Percent chance of flooding over a 30-year period grids) were also discussed and shared.

An informal 30-day comment period ended on May 31, 2025 allowing communities to provide input on the draft maps and data. The draft data for the proposed floodplains can be viewed on the Chippewa County Draft FEMA Floodplain Map Viewer (acrgis.com).

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Chippewa County preliminary flood maps were released on April 15, 2026. They can be downloaded at, FEMA's Preliminary Map Products website.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period is expected to open in the Fall of 2026.

Maps

Note - Below are preliminary flood storage maps for Chippewa County, Wisconsin. A flood storage map is part of the mapped floodplain that identifies the natural flood storage capacity of that watershed area. A shapefile has also been sent to affected communities. If your community is listed on one of the flood storage maps below, flood storage language should be part of the community ordinance and the appropriate flood storage maps adopted.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

Douglas County

Douglas County floodplain maps are currently being updated. We are using better available data to produce newly engineered Zone A areas and update mapping along the Lake Superior coastline with data that FEMA has been working on as part of the Great Lake Coastal mapping effort.

A project kick-off meeting was held on March 20, 2020, to present the process and timeline of the project. Data was gathered from local, state, and federal sources to incorporate into the map products as base data.

Flood Risk Review Meeting (Archive)

Work maps and draft data were discussed at the Flood Risk Review Meeting held on January 25, 2023. An informal 30-day comment period started with this meeting allowing communities to provide input on the draft maps and data.

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process (Archive)

Douglas County preliminary flood maps were released on December 2, 2024.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period was open August 1, 2025 to October 30, 2025.

Appeals Process Public Fact Sheet

CCO Meeting Material/Open House (Archive)

A local official meeting and public open house was held in-person and virtually on January 23, 2025 at the Douglas County Government Building. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps with stakeholders and to answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO meeting and Public Open House are now available for viewing.

Adoption Phase

This project has reached the Letter of Final Determination (LFD) date of June 10, 2026. This is the start of the 6-month adoption phase for affected communities. The current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) panels and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) will be superseded by these updated FIRMs and FIS and the references to these will need to be updated in your local floodplain ordinance. The updated FIRMs and FIS can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

Floodplain Ordinance Materials

The DNR has a Model Floodplain Ordinance which meets the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Chapter NR 116, Wis. Admin. Code. All ordinance updates need to contain the minimum standards in the model. Please be on the lookout for an email from DNR staff explaining the update process.

DNR staff are prepared to assist with the community ordinance review and explain both the adoption process, and state and federal regulatory requirements. At the community’s request, DNR staff will set up the draft ordinance for the community to review, free of charge.

Communities should have DNR staff review the final draft local floodplain ordinance well before the ordinance is presented to the local governing body for adoption in order to ensure compliance with the NFIP and Chapter NR 116, Wis. Admin. Code.

The effective date of these products is December 10, 2026. The floodplain ordinance must be adopted and approved by the DNR and FEMA by this date for your community to remain in good standing in the NFIP. Please send floodplain ordinance adoption questions to DNRFloodplain@wisconsin.gov.

Maps

Note - Below are flood storage maps for Douglas County, Wisconsin. A flood storage map is part of the mapped floodplain that identifies the natural flood storage capacity of that watershed area. A shapefile has also been sent to affected communities. If your community is listed on one of the flood storage maps below, flood storage language should be part of the community ordinance and the appropriate flood storage maps adopted.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

Forest County

Forest County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Revised floodplains will be produced with better available data resulting in new engineered Zone A and redelineated detailed studies. This project is currently in data development and expected to have draft maps issued in 2026.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A meeting was held with community leaders on April 13, 2023. This meeting was held to provide information on FEMA's mapping project, discuss the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for their input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

Marinette County

Marinette County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Using the latest LiDAR, floodplains will be modeled resulting in new engineered Zone A studies. We will also be incorporating detailed and coastal studies done previously by another FEMA contractor. This project is currently in the data development phase and is expected to have draft maps issued in 2026.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A project kickoff meeting was held both in-person and via Zoom with community leaders on June 29, 2023. This meeting was held to provide information on FEMA’s mapping project, discuss the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for their input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

Menominee County

Pre-Discovery Meeting (Archive)

The Pre-Discovery Meeting was held January 20, 2026. This meeting prepared stakeholders for key pieces upcoming in the Discovery process, including data collection, data analysis, draft maps and report, and the future Discovery Meeting. It also discussed next steps if FEMA funds continuation of the project. It also covered information on FEMA’s Risk MAP process, the National Flood Insurance Program, asked the communities for any input, and answered any questions the communities had.

Discovery

Menominee County was chosen by the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) for the Discovery process, which will kick off in 2026.

The goal of Discovery is to work with local communities to better understand local flood risk, mitigation efforts, and spark county-wide discussions about increasing resilience for flooding. It also includes evaluating the potential to update effective floodplain maps and mitigation planning needs for Menominee County.

A Discovery Meeting will be held in 2026 to review the Draft materials, discuss areas of flooding concerns, and receive comments. The Discovery report and maps will be updated following the Discovery meeting to reflect voiced mitigation needs, wants, and any other flooding concerns.

Draft discovery material (Archive)

For questions, please contact Zach Schaefer.

Monroe County

Monroe County floodplain maps are being updated countywide and as part of the Kickapoo River Watershed update. Portions of the Kickapoo River will be updated with new in-channel survey, updated gage analysis, and revised detailed modeling. All current effective approximate studies in the County will be updated to revised engineered approximate studies and delineated using LiDAR.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A project kick-off meeting was held on October 5, 2021. This meeting was held to provide information on FEMA’s mapping project, discuss the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for their input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

Flood Risk Review/Resilience Meeting (Archive)

Draft work maps and data were discussed during the Flood Risk Review and Resilience Meeting held on June 5, 2024, in Sparta. Draft results were presented for both the Countywide and Kickapoo River Watershed updates along with non-regulatory products such as water surface elevation grids, depth grids, changes since last FIRM, and areas of mitigation interest. There was an informal 30-day comment period that started on June 6, 2024, allowing communities to provide input on the draft maps and data.

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Monroe County preliminary flood maps were released on October 7, 2025. They can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period is expected to open sometime in Summer/Fall 2026.

CCO Meeting Material/Open House (Archive)

A local officials meeting was held virtually on January 28, 2026. A public open house was held virtually later that same day. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary materials with stakeholders and to answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO Meeting are now available for viewing.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Pierce County

Pierce County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. There is funding to complete hydrologic analyses, hydraulic analyses, and survey on select streams. New draft data and workmaps will be created as part of this revision.

A contract was awarded to conduct the survey work which is needed for the hydraulic modeling of the new detailed studies. The survey work is projected to be completed by spring 2026.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A Project Kick Off Meeting was held virtually on January 29, 2026. This meeting discussed the project scope, modeling methods, FEMA’s Risk MAP process, and touched on the NFIP and Mitigation programs. It also discussed next steps if FEMA funds continuation of the project. We asked the communities for any input and had time to answer any questions from the communities.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Polk County

Polk County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. Revised floodplains will be produced with better available data resulting in new engineered Zone A and redelineated detailed studies. This project is currently in data development and expected to have draft maps issued in 2025.

Project Kick Off Meeting (Archive)

A virtual meeting was held with community leaders on December 7, 2022. This meeting was held to give background on FEMA's mapping project, the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for any input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Price County

Price County is a Map Modernization Project intended to deliver digital products to affected communities, replacing the current paper maps. The project will also use recent LiDAR to redelineate detailed flood studies and revised approximate studies.

The project is now in the data development phase. During this phase, the base map data and aerial photo are gathered from local and state sources. The floodplains are also being updated using hydrologic and hydraulic methods. Once this is complete, draft work maps and data will be produced and shared with local officials at a meeting. This will include a 30-day comment period on the draft data.

Project Kick Off Meeting (Archive)

A project kickoff meeting was held with community leaders on January 24, 2022. This meeting was held to give background on FEMA's mapping project, the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for any input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Sawyer County

Sawyer County is a Map Modernization Project where we are using better quality data to update floodplains and provide digital products to affected communities replacing the old, outdated paper maps.

The project is currently in the data development phase. During this phase, the base map data and aerial photo are gathered from local and state sources. The floodplains are also being updated using hydrologic and hydraulic methods. Once this is complete, draft work maps and data will be produced and shared with local officials.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A project kick-off meeting was held via Zoom on May 20, 2021. This meeting was held to give background on FEMA's mapping project, the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for any input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

St. Croix County

St. Croix County floodplain maps are being updated countywide. There is funding to complete hydrologic analyses, hydraulic analyses, and survey on select streams. New draft data and workmaps will be created as part of this revision.

A contract was awarded to conduct the survey work which is needed for the hydraulic modeling of the new detailed studies. The survey work is projected to be completed by spring 2026.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

The Project Kick Off Meeting was held on September 29, 2025. This meeting discussed the project scope, modeling methods, FEMA’s Risk MAP process, and touched on the NFIP and Mitigation programs. It also discussed next steps if FEMA funds continuation of the project. We asked the communities for any input and had time to answer any questions from the communities.

For questions, please contact Allison Kielar.

Watershed Projects and Physical Map Revisions (PMR)

 

Kickapoo Watershed (Crawford, Monroe, Richland, Vernon)

Crawford County

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Crawford County preliminary flood maps were released on May 15, 2025. This includes revised studies within the Kickapoo River Watershed. They can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period is open June 4, 2026 to September 2, 2026.

CCO Meeting Material (Archive)

A local officials' meeting was held virtually on August 5, 2025. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps with stakeholders and answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO meeting are now available for viewing.

For questions, please contact Zach Schaefer.

Richland County

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Richland County preliminary flood maps were released on January 31, 2025. This includes revised studies within the Kickapoo River Watershed. They can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

CCO Meeting Material/Open House (Archive)

A local officials' meeting and public open house was held in-person and virtually on March 18, 2025 at the Village of Viola Municipal Office. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps with stakeholders and answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO meeting and Public Open House are now available for viewing.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period was from September 18 to December 17, 2025. The project is now entering the Produce Final Products phase.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Vernon County

Preliminary Maps and Appeal Process

Vernon County preliminary flood maps were released on April 30, 2025. This includes revised studies within the Kickapoo River Watershed. They can be found at FEMA Map Service Center.

The due process phase includes a 90-day comment and appeal period in which stakeholders have the opportunity to correct errors in the preliminary mapped floodplain if supported by revised engineering analysis. The comment and appeal period is open June 10, 2026 to September 8, 2026.

CCO Meeting Material (Archive)

A local officials' meeting was held virtually on July 31, 2025. DNR staff were available to review the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps with stakeholders and answer questions. Reference materials for the CCO meeting are now available for viewing.

Maps

Note - Below are preliminary flood storage maps for Vernon County, Wisconsin. A flood storage map is part of the mapped floodplain that identifies the natural flood storage capacity of that watershed area. A shapefile is available upon request and is available for viewing on the Surface Water Data Viewer. If your community is listed on one of the flood storage maps below, flood storage language should be part of the community ordinance and the appropriate flood storage maps adopted.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Watershed Project History

Discovery (Archive)

The Kickapoo Watershed was chosen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the Discovery process, which kicked off in 2017. The goal of Discovery is to work with local communities to better understand local flood risk, mitigation efforts, and spark watershed-wide discussions about increasing resilience for flooding. It also includes evaluating the potential to update effective floodplain maps and mitigation planning needs for the basin. This report documents the coordination with stakeholders, and relevant data collected during the Kickapoo Watershed Discovery. This process concluded in September 2018 and the final Discovery Report, Map, and shapefiles are available for download.

Project Kick-Off Meeting (Archive)

A virtual meeting was held with community leaders on January 13, 2022. This meeting was held to provide information on FEMA’s RiskMAP process, discuss the National Flood Insurance Program, ask the communities for input, provide a project timeline, and answer any questions the communities may have.

Flood Risk Review/Resilience Meeting (Archive)

Work maps and draft data were discussed at the Flood Risk Review and Resilience Meeting held on January 11, 2024, in Viroqua. These meetings were for Crawford, Richland, and Vernon counties. Meetings for Monroe County were held on June 5, 2024 in Sparta, as there is a countywide update in addition to the Kickapoo Watershed study. Non-regulatory products such as WSE grids, depth grids, CSLF, and AOMI were also discussed. An informal 30-day comment period started on January 16, 2024 allowing communities to provide input on the draft maps and data.

Trempealeau River Watershed (Buffalo, Jackson, Trempealeau)

Pre Discovery Meeting (Archive)

The Pre Discovery Meeting was held August 15, 2024. This meeting discussed the project scope, modeling methods, and touched on the NFIP and Mitigation programs. It also discussed next steps if FEMA funds continuation of the project. It also covered information on FEMA’s Risk MAP process, the National Flood Insurance Program, asked the communities for any input, and answered any questions the communities had.

Discovery (Archive)

The Trempealeau River Watershed was chosen by the Federal Emergency management Agency (FEMA) for the Discovery process, which kicked off in 2024.

The goal of Discovery is to work with local communities to better understand local flood risk, mitigation efforts, and spark watershed-wide discussions about increasing resilience for flooding. It also includes evaluating the potential to update effective floodplain maps and mitigation planning needs for the Trempealeau River Watershed.

A Discovery Meeting will be held in 2025 to review the Draft materials, discuss areas of flooding concerns, and receive comments. The Discovery report and maps will be updated following the Discovery meeting to reflect voiced mitigation needs, wants, and any other flooding concerns.

Please direct any questions or comments to Allison Kielar.

Wolf River Watershed (Outagamie, Waupaca)

A project for updating select approximate and detailed study streams in the Wolf River Watershed with new floodplains is starting in Outagamie and Waupaca Counties. At this time, stream survey, hydrology and hydraulics have been funded. This will take the project through draft data with work maps.

A contract was awarded to conduct the channel survey work which is needed for the hydraulic modeling of the new detailed studies. The survey work was completed in 2025.

Project Kickoff Meeting (Archive)

The Project Kick Off Meeting was held October 10, 2023. This meeting discussed the project scope, modeling methods and touched on the NFIP and Mitigation programs. It also discussed next steps if FEMA funds continuation of the project. It also covered information on FEMA’s Risk MAP project, the National Flood Insurance Program, asked the communities for any input, and answer any questions the communities may have.

For questions, please contact G. Fritz Statz.

Business Plans (Archive)