DATABASE

Data Management

A variety of entities are responsible for contributing, updating, and managing data within the National Levee Database. Generally, these groups include the National Levee Database host, entities responsible for levees, and entities responsible for specific datasets.

National Levee Database Host and Manager

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosts and maintains the National Levee Database. As part of this responsibility, the agency coordinates with entities responsible for levees to obtain and share updated data, and to provide access to responsible entities to login in and manage data for specific levee(s) or national datasets.

Entities Responsible for Levees

Entities responsible for levees can be federal, state, tribal, local, or private organizations who operate and maintain a levee, or who regulate or manage multiple levees. Those responsible for levees provide data to populate the National Levee Database and are responsible for ensuring its quality. Data can be edited or provided within the National Levee Database or submitted to the National Levee Database Helpdesk.

Some data is required in specific formats and may be reviewed or validated prior to it being updated in the National Levee Database. For example, most fields related to the levee location and alignment must be of a specific quality and format and are reviewed before changes can be made in the National Levee Database. See the Data Dictionary for more information on data specifications.

Entities Responsible for National Datasets

Some datasets within the National Levee Database are maintained by other federal agencies. In some cases, the agency responsible for this data maintains it in the National Levee Database. For example, FEMA populates and maintains data related to the National Flood Insurance Program and accreditation status for specific levees within the National Levee Database. Other data, such as national statistics and summaries of agriculture or buildings in areas behind levees is generated using existing datasets published separate from the National Levee Database.

Managing and Assigning Roles within the Database

The National Levee Database Helpdesk and national team are responsible for managing and assigning roles within the database. This team includes U.S. Army Corps of Engineers staff who work to ensure entities responsible for levees and national datasets have access to edit, submit, or share timely levee data.

The following table summarizes how data is managed within the database. While most data are updated and provided by entities responsible for levees, anyone can submit a request to update or provide new data.