In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, FEMA created new flood maps for New Jersey. Anyone who has national flood insurance in the Garden State should check out these maps, so they can properly protect themselves from future incidents.

But not everybody is experienced with flood maps and may not know what they are and how to read them.

What are flood maps?
These maps are created by the National Flood Insurance Program for floodplain management and insurance purposes. They show a community's base flood elevations, flood zones and flood boundaries. People who own property can use these maps to determine what flood zone they are in.

How to read flood maps
Knowing what flood maps are is half the battle for property owners. Next, they'll have to determine how to read them.

• The Index - The index is a guide to map sheets found on specific flood maps. These areas are generally large, so the index allows people to know what areas are shown on each map. This should be used to help determine which part of the flood map illustrates the area people are looking to find out flood hazard information for. 
• The panel - This portion of the flood map is used to show a community. Maps with more than one panel mean that the community was too large to fit on one page. Property owners can use the index to determine which panel they should use to find flood hazard information for their area. Some specific information that can be found on the panel includes the floodplain boundary, hazard area designation, base flood elevation and zone division line. The flood insurance risk zone designation, river mile marker, stream line and coastal barrier can also be found on the panel. 
• The title block - This section contains the name of the community, the panel number, the date and any other information needed to help property owners identify their flood map panel.
• The body - The body of a flood map shows the maps contents, including the primary features of a community such as major roads, corporate limits and      other landmarks. Flood hazard information will also be found on this part of the map.

Knowing the parts and information of a flood map is essential for any property owner looking to purchase flood insurance, as it allows them to know exactly what they need to do in order to be protected from floods.