What is a floodplain?

Any land that is susceptible to being inundated by water from any source. A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land area from:

  • The overflow of inland or tidal waters
  • The unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source
  • The collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or other body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels or suddenly caused by an unusually high water level in a normal body of water, accompanied by a severe storm, or by an unanticipated force of nature, such as:
    • Flash flood or an abnormal tidal surge
    • By some similarly unusual and unforeseeable event

Show All Answers

1. What is a floodplain?
2. What is a floodway and who designates it?
3. How do I find out if my property is in a floodplain?
4. What are the penalties if I don't secure all my permits?
5. How are premiums calculated?
6. What constitutes as substantial improvement or substantial damage?
7. How are flood hazard areas and flood levels determined?
8. What are flood hazard zones and what do they mean?
9. If a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is believed to be incorrect, what can be done to change it?
10. What is Letter Of Map Amendment (LOMA)?
11. What comprises technical or scientific data?
12. What is a Letter Of Map Revision (LOMR)?