This in from John Lambert, over in the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs:
The ADECA Office of Water Resources (OWR) has completed mapping all of the counties in the state of Alabama with Digital Floodplain Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMS) on updated base maps. OWR will be hosting Digital Tools Training workshops to familiarize the communities in Alabama on how to use the digital information that is now available. The Digital Tools Training will focus on use of the DFIRM database and the various potential uses of the digital data contained within the database. The workshop is designed to educate the everyday user (i.e. floodplain administrators, GIS staff) on the different types of data contained within the DFIRM database, how to view the data, and the potential uses of the data. This training will be valuable to all floodplain administrators, regardless of their access to GIS software, and will highlight the availability of free GIS data viewers (e.g. Arc Reader, Arc Explorer, etc.). OWR’s goal is to establish a higher comfort level with using the digital data while stressing the ease of use and timely results when compared to traditional methods.
The training dates/locations (limited availability, fist come, first served) are:
- May 4: Mobile
- May 5: Montgomery
- May 6: Shelby County
- May 26: Gadsden
- May 27: Huntsville
For more information, contact John Lambert at (334) 242-4991 or by email at Jaime.Lambert@adeca.alabama.gov.