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Flood Map Updates
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Why are we
getting new flood risk maps?
- The new maps are part of a
nationwide effort by FEMA to replace paper maps with a
digital product.
- Our current FEMA produced flood
risk maps, also known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs),
are out of date and some over 20 years old.
- The maps currently used no longer
reflect surface water flows and drainage patterns
changed by erosion and land use.
- The likelihood of flooding in
certain areas of our area has changed since the
paper maps were produced
New digital maps will provide more
reliable and current information on Sarasota County area
flood hazards. The result is a better picture of the
areas most likely to be impacted by rainfall flooding
and a better foundation from which to make key
decisions.
- Up-to-date maps will help
determine actual risk to encourage wise
community-based floodplain management and improve
citizens’ flood hazard awareness.
Who is responsible for modernizing the maps?
The Sarasota County flood map update project is a
joint effort with Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA) in cooperation with Southwest Florida
Water Management District and the cities of North
Port, Sarasota, Venice, and a portion of the Town of
Longboat Key.
What is a Flood
Risk Map?
- Flood risk maps,
published by FEMA, are also called Flood
Insurance Rate Maps or “FIRMs” and are used to
determine the flood risk to your home or
business. They are tied to federal regulations.
- Sarasota County flood
risks are caused by two sources: storm surge
(coastal) and rainfall (riverine).
- This first digital
map change will only reflect changes to the
riverine flooding to low-lying areas, places
where water pools or collects and flows
during the course of a natural rain event.
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What are the benefits of the new flood
hazard maps?
- Everyone will be
able to go online and identify their
parcel and the designated flood risk
zones.
- The digital map
will have a greater degree of accuracy
in order to make better financial
decision about protecting property.
- Community
planners and local officials will have a
greater understanding of the flood
hazards and improve local planning
activities.
- Builders and
developers will have more detailed
information to design and construct for
the local flood hazard areas.
- Insurance
companies and lending institutions will
have easy online access to updates and
upcoming changes in order to serve their
customers and community more
efficiently.
What is a floodplain and how do I
determine if my property is located in
this area
- A floodplain
is any land subject to flooding to
from any source.
- The
current update will not include
coast lines changes but are
concentrated on rainfall (riverine)
flooding inland in low-lying
areas where water collects,
pools, and flows during the
course of natural rain event.
- These
areas are classified as
Flood-prone Areas and if
captured on a FEMA Flood
Insurance Rate Map they are
called Special Flood Hazard
Areas (SFHA).
- The new
digital maps will show the low-
and moderate-risk zones are
represented on the maps by the
letter “X” or an “X” that is
shaded.
- The
inland high-risk zones will be
labeled with designations such
as “A”, “AE”, “AO” or “AH.”
- Coastal
high-risk zones that have
additional risks from storm
surge are labeled “V” or “VE.”
What is a 100-year flood zone?
The term 100-year flood is used
to describe high-risk flood
zones. A high-risk flood zone is
an area of land that has a 1
percent chance of flooding in
any year. This does not mean a
flood that happens once every
100 years.
- The
Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs)
use the 100-year flood event
as a measure.
- In
Sarasota County, this
measurement is equivalent to
10 inches of rainfall in a
24-hour period.
-
According to national
statistics, you have a 25
percent chance of flooding
and a 4 percent chance of a
fire in a 30-year time
period.
How will the new flood
hazard maps affect me?
We won’t know the answer
exactly until SWFWMD has a
draft digital FIRM, probably
in the summer of 2009. We do
know that some properties
will not be affected and
their flood risk will be
unchanged. Other properties
may be mapped into a
higher-risk area. Some
properties may be mapped
into a lower-risk area than
before.
We
will be notifying you by
mail if your property is
affected and many public
announcements and meetings
will be scheduled during
this process.
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My property has never
flooded before. Why am I
in a high-risk flood
zone?
Anywhere it can rain, it
can flood. If you live
on relatively high
ground or in an area
that has never been
flooded, you may still
be at some level of
risk. Everyone lives in
a flood zone.
-
Flood zones indicate
areas of low,
moderate and high
risk. In low- and
moderate-risk zones,
flooding can still
occur.
-
The risk may be
reduced, but it
is never
removed.
Flooding can be
caused by heavy
rains, inadequate
drainage systems,
failed flood control
structures such as
levees and dams, as
well as tropical
storms and
hurricanes. It is
important to
understand the flood
risks you face
before deciding
whether to purchase
flood insurance. The
fact that a flood
has not occurred in
recent years does
not mean that a
flood will not
happen in the
future.
How might the new
flood maps affect me
financially
-
When new maps
are officially
adopted sometime
in 2010, if your
structure is
mapped into a
high-risk area
and you have a
mortgage with a
federally-regulated
lender, you will
be required to
purchase flood
insurance.
-
If your property
is mapped into a
low-or
moderate-risk
area, you are
not required to
purchase or
maintain
insurance, but
are strongly
encouraged to do
so.
-
The cost of
properly
protecting your
home and
contents from
flood damage is
far less
expensive than
the cost to
repair or
replace it after
a flood has
occurred.
-
Talk to your
insurance agent
to determine the
appropriate
level of
protection you
need and the
money savings
options that are
available.
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What is the
“Grandfathering
Rule” and
how can it
help me?
The National
Flood
Insurance
Program (NFIP)
has provided
“grandfathering”
rules to
recognize
policyholders
who have
built in
compliance
with the
flood map in
place at the
time of
construction
or who have
maintained
continuous
flood
insurance
coverage.
These rules
allow such
policyholders
to benefit
in the
premium
rating for
their
building.
For more
information,
contact your
insurance
agent.
What if my
home or
business is
mapped into
a high-risk
area but I
believe the
designation
is in error
-
Flood
map
designations
are
based on
the best
data
available
to
engineers
and
local
officials
at the
time a
community
is
surveyed
and
assessed.
-
Every
effort
is made
to
ensure
that the
maps
reflect
the most
accurate
and
reliable
information
about
the
flood
risk for
all
properties.
With
that
said,
you may
have
more
accurate
data
about
your
property.
-
When new
draft
maps are
released
to the
public,
a 90-Day
Appeal
and
Protest
period
begins.
-
During
this
period,
citizens
will
have
the
opportunity
to
submit
technical
and/or
scientific
data
to
support
a
claim
that
their
property
has
been
improperly
placed
in a
high-risk
area.
-
If
you
have
better
information,
such
as
an
elevation
certificate,
topographic
map
or
detailed
hydraulic
or
hydrologic
data,
then
you
may
appeal
the
flood
risk
indicated
by
the
new
maps.
More
details
on this
process
will be
available
once the
draft
maps are
produced
(June
2009*).
When
will the
new maps
become
effective?
-
Effective,
adopted
maps
will
most
likely
occur
in
2010.
We
anticipate
a
draft
digital
map
some
time
in
spring/summer
of
2009
and
are
working
on
opportunities
for
the
public
access
to
those
draft
maps
and
trained
staff
to
help
review
them.
Availability
of
information,
staff
and
updates
will
be
advertised
and
made
known
through
community
partners
and
stakeholders
as
well
as
online
on
this
Web
site.
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