CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Sally McConkey, Water Resources Engineer at the Illinois State Water Survey, has been selected as a member of the newly created Technical Mapping Advisory Council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as directed by Congress.

The Council will develop recommendations for FEMA’s flood mapping program to ensure that flood insurance rate maps reflect the best available science and are based on effective methodologies to consider the impact of future development on flood risk.

The experts on the Council were selected based on Congressionally mandated membership guidelines to ensure that a variety of stakeholder perspectives are reflected in the deliberations and recommendations. The members represent a broad range of engineering and mapping disciplines from federal, state, and local agencies, and various private-sector associations and organizations that deal with flood-related issues.

Sally McConkey is immediate past Chair of the Association of State Floodplain Managers and is their representative on the Council. McConkey is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Illinois, a Certified Floodplain Manager, and Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer. She founded the Coordinated Assessment and Mapping Program at the Illinois State Water Survey, and has served as manager of the program since 2004.

The national flood mapping program provides flood maps to inform communities about the local flood risk and help set minimum floodplain standards so communities may build safely and resiliently. The flood insurance rate maps established under the program are used to set flood insurance premiums.