CERTIFIED FLOODPLAIN
MANAGER (CFM) EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Types of floodplains - ....ANSWER ...-Riverine, coastal, and shallow
Watershed - ....ANSWER ...-area that drains into a lake, stream, or body of water.
Also called basin or catchment area.
Channel - ....ANSWER ...-Ground features that carry water through and out of a
watershed
Riverine Flooding - ....ANSWER ...-flooding that occurs along a channel
Flash flooding - ....ANSWER ...-flooding that occurs in hilly and mountainous
areas that may come scant minutes after a heavy rainfall. One can also occur in urban
areas where pavements and drainage improvements speed runoff to a stream.
Overbank Flooding - ....ANSWER ...-The most common type flooding in the US.
It occurs when downstream channels receive more rain or snowmelt than normal, or a
channel is blocked by ice or debris. Excess water overloads the channels and flows out
onto the floodplain
Velocity - ....ANSWER ...-One measure of a flood is the speed of moving water.
Measured in feet per second
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 1
,Thalweg - ....ANSWER ...-The channel bottom
Meander - ....ANSWER ...-a curve in the channel. The outside bank of the
meander is subject to erosion, the inside bank is subject to deposits
Accrete - ....ANSWER ...-to build up a shoreline by depositing sand, either by
nature or human actions
Actual Cash Value - ....ANSWER ...-The replacement cost for a building, minus a
depreciation percentage based on age and condition.
Alluvial Fan - ....ANSWER ...-An area at the base of a valley where the slope
flattens out, allowing the floodwater to decrease in speed and spread out, dropping
sediment and rock over a fan-shaped area.
Amendment - ....ANSWER ...-A change to a FEMA floodplain map that removes
an area that was inadvertently included in the Special Flood Hazard Area
Approximate studies - ....ANSWER ...-Flood hazard mapping done using
approximate study methods that show the approximate outline of the base floodplain. An
approximate study does not produce a base flood elevation.
Base Flood Depth - ....ANSWER ...-A measurement of the base flood in feet above
ground, used for shallow flooding
Basement - ....ANSWER ...-Any area of the building having its flood subgrade
(below ground level) on all sides
Base floodplain - ....ANSWER ...-the area of water and land inundated by the base
flood
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 2
, Basin - ....ANSWER ...-Also known as a Watershed, an area that drains into a lake,
stream or other body of water.
Bathymetry - ....ANSWER ...-The measurement of depths of water in the ocean or
lakes
Bench marks - ....ANSWER ...-Monuments on the ground that show the elevation
of the spot above sea level. Also called Elevation Reference Marks.
Building - ....ANSWER ...-A walled and roofed structure including a gas or liquid
storage tank that is principally above ground as well as a manufactured home. Also
known as structure
Building Condition Survey - ....ANSWER ...-A windshield survey conducted to
obtain a preliminary evaluation of the extent and severity of damage to buildings after a
disaster
CAP - ....ANSWER ...-Community Assistance Program
Cfs - ....ANSWER ...-cubic feet per second, the unit by which discharges are
measured (A cubic foot of water is about 7.5 gallons)
CLOMA - ....ANSWER ...-Conditional Letter of Map Amendment
CLOMR - ....ANSWER ...-Conditional Letter Of Map Revision
Closed Basin Lake - ....ANSWER ...-A lake that has either no outlet or relatively
small one, where rainfall or groundwater can cause the lake's level to ride faster than it
can drain
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 3
MANAGER (CFM) EXAM 2025
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Types of floodplains - ....ANSWER ...-Riverine, coastal, and shallow
Watershed - ....ANSWER ...-area that drains into a lake, stream, or body of water.
Also called basin or catchment area.
Channel - ....ANSWER ...-Ground features that carry water through and out of a
watershed
Riverine Flooding - ....ANSWER ...-flooding that occurs along a channel
Flash flooding - ....ANSWER ...-flooding that occurs in hilly and mountainous
areas that may come scant minutes after a heavy rainfall. One can also occur in urban
areas where pavements and drainage improvements speed runoff to a stream.
Overbank Flooding - ....ANSWER ...-The most common type flooding in the US.
It occurs when downstream channels receive more rain or snowmelt than normal, or a
channel is blocked by ice or debris. Excess water overloads the channels and flows out
onto the floodplain
Velocity - ....ANSWER ...-One measure of a flood is the speed of moving water.
Measured in feet per second
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 1
,Thalweg - ....ANSWER ...-The channel bottom
Meander - ....ANSWER ...-a curve in the channel. The outside bank of the
meander is subject to erosion, the inside bank is subject to deposits
Accrete - ....ANSWER ...-to build up a shoreline by depositing sand, either by
nature or human actions
Actual Cash Value - ....ANSWER ...-The replacement cost for a building, minus a
depreciation percentage based on age and condition.
Alluvial Fan - ....ANSWER ...-An area at the base of a valley where the slope
flattens out, allowing the floodwater to decrease in speed and spread out, dropping
sediment and rock over a fan-shaped area.
Amendment - ....ANSWER ...-A change to a FEMA floodplain map that removes
an area that was inadvertently included in the Special Flood Hazard Area
Approximate studies - ....ANSWER ...-Flood hazard mapping done using
approximate study methods that show the approximate outline of the base floodplain. An
approximate study does not produce a base flood elevation.
Base Flood Depth - ....ANSWER ...-A measurement of the base flood in feet above
ground, used for shallow flooding
Basement - ....ANSWER ...-Any area of the building having its flood subgrade
(below ground level) on all sides
Base floodplain - ....ANSWER ...-the area of water and land inundated by the base
flood
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 2
, Basin - ....ANSWER ...-Also known as a Watershed, an area that drains into a lake,
stream or other body of water.
Bathymetry - ....ANSWER ...-The measurement of depths of water in the ocean or
lakes
Bench marks - ....ANSWER ...-Monuments on the ground that show the elevation
of the spot above sea level. Also called Elevation Reference Marks.
Building - ....ANSWER ...-A walled and roofed structure including a gas or liquid
storage tank that is principally above ground as well as a manufactured home. Also
known as structure
Building Condition Survey - ....ANSWER ...-A windshield survey conducted to
obtain a preliminary evaluation of the extent and severity of damage to buildings after a
disaster
CAP - ....ANSWER ...-Community Assistance Program
Cfs - ....ANSWER ...-cubic feet per second, the unit by which discharges are
measured (A cubic foot of water is about 7.5 gallons)
CLOMA - ....ANSWER ...-Conditional Letter of Map Amendment
CLOMR - ....ANSWER ...-Conditional Letter Of Map Revision
Closed Basin Lake - ....ANSWER ...-A lake that has either no outlet or relatively
small one, where rainfall or groundwater can cause the lake's level to ride faster than it
can drain
…FOR DTUDY PURPOSES ONLY…©️2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED… 3
