On Aug. 3, 1970, Orleans Parish entered the Regular Program of the National Flood Insurance Program, making it one of the first communities in the country to take advantage of the protection provided by the program. Earlier, FEMA had completed a Flood Study and produced the first Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the parish. The parish adopted the new maps and instituted permitting requirements in the newly identified high-risk areas known as Special Flood Hazard Areas.

Since 1978, more than 119,000 flood losses have been reported by policyholders and more than $7 billion has been paid to flood victims as a result of these losses. More than 89,000 NFIP policies are now in effect in the parish, providing more than $16.6 billion in coverage. The annual premiums for these policies exceed $56.6 million.

The Orleans Parish flood maps were last updated in 1984. New maps are being prepared using state-of-the-art mapping technology and they will be presented for adoption by the parish upon completion.