Flood Zone Map: What is It?

Flood maps show detailed flood hazard mapping that helps identify high-risk and moderate-risk flood areas. These maps are crucial for understanding a home’s flood risk and are often updated to reflect new maps and risk zones. The MSC (Mapping Service Center) plays a key role in ensuring these maps are accessible, helping communities plan for flood risk reduction and disaster recovery. 

When buying or building a home, it’s important to consider its geographical location and properties that relate to the land surrounding it. Knowing a bit about flood zones is an essential part of protecting your most valued assets. Additionally, viewing maps that show flood zones in your area is one of the most effective ways to assess your potential risk of incurring flood damage.

What is a Flood Map?

Whether you face the onslaught of a hurricane or a mere few inches of water from a flooded riverbed, you run the risk of incurring significant damage to your home and property. A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is a document created and released by FEMA. This gives you access to the most up-to-date information on current flood trends and damage incurred to homes and property. This information is gleaned over numerous flood seasons, considering:

• Annual rainfall statistics.
• Historic weather patterns in your area.
• Significant past weather events.
• Damage due to storms and flooding.

Understanding Flood Zone Maps 

Flood Zone Maps are essential tools for understanding flood hazards in various communities. Created under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), these maps detail areas within the 100-year flood zone, indicating the highest risk of flooding. They are vital for homeowners and local officials to determine insurance requirements, especially for properties with federally backed mortgages. 

The maps not only show high-risk flood areas but also help in flood risk management by highlighting the effectiveness of levees, drainage systems, and flood mitigation projects. For homeowners, understanding the spatial distribution of flood depth, as depicted on the community’s flood map, is crucial in purchasing an appropriate flood insurance policy through an insurance agent. While flood maps are good for a general understanding of where flooding can occur, many maps can be outdated and provide a false sense of comfort. This is why technology, like that used by Neptune Flood, can help better understand your individual property’s risk. 

Monitoring Flood Zone Maps for More Information

Even if you live outside of a flood zone area, you may be at risk of flood damage. According to statistics from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), nearly 25 percent of all flood insurance claims fall outside a known flood zone. With only a fraction of people who have flood insurance, many find themselves having to pick up the pieces and repair or replace property out of pocket. Standard homeowner policies do not typically cover flood damage, so be sure to add flood insurance to your existing policy. This will provide you with protection and peace of mind.

Who Has Access to Flood Zone Maps?

Maps that show flood zones are easily accessible to almost anyone, from business institutions to private citizens. Law enforcement agencies and community leaders may use this information to proactively plan and prepare for areas of significant concern. That said, you, as a homeowner, can view these types of maps to assess your level of risk during natural disasters.

Flood zone maps also help you prepare in advance to ensure the health and safety of you and your family, as well as the security of any property. Federal agencies, construction companies, and insurance agencies also use them to assess the level of risk in a particular area. This can be used as a means of adding property and insurance values.

Do They Affect Insurance Coverage and Rates?

Flood maps are used to determine insurance requirements and costs. If you own property in a low-risk zone, you can expect your insurance premiums to be lower than if you live in a high-risk area. Some cities require the purchase of flood insurance if they determine that your property is in a high-risk zone. Talk to an insurance professional to determine your coverage needs, as well as what to expect to pay for a policy.

Do They Document Real Flooding?

For the most part, these maps predict the outcome of a geographical area, considering past events. Map drafters use this information to create hypothetical floods, which help residents understand the level of risk they may face if their home is in those zones.

How are Flood Zone Maps Created?

You can create this type of map by using several innovative technologies, including:

• LIDAR technology.
• TRIMR2D computer models.
• Geographical information systems.

LIDAR, or light detection and ranging, simulates flow for a floodplain in 2D. This helps predict which pathways water will follow in an actual flood.

TRIMR2D computer models are known as flow models. They help solve equations that explain the physics of fluid flow.

GIS, or geographical information system, is an innovative technology that can be like computer-generated cartography. This technology pinpoints areas that are likely to flood when to expect a flood and even potential water depth. This gives you the most in-depth information on what you might expect for your area.

Will it Help Predict Floods?

While it is wonderful to be able to predict what you can expect each flood season, the reality is that flood maps can only assess your level of risk. However, floods are predictable under the right conditions. To efficiently predict a flood, you will need the following information:

• Assessment of rainfall totals in real-time.
• Assessment of changes in water levels, also in real-time.
• An evaluation of a storm’s duration, size, and intensity.
• Awareness of soil moisture, ground temperature, and vegetation that could impact absorption and water flow.

FEMA Flood Map Service Center 

Homeowners have access to both paper and online maps, with digital maps being more accessible via FEMA’s digital service center. You can do this by following these steps: Start by typing in your full address. Then, FEMA’s system will generate a very detailed map of your area, along with a legend explaining and evaluating the level of flood risk in your area.

While Technology is Good, Flood Maps aren’t Foolproof

Flood zone maps might be an innovative tool for helping you make decisions about your home, but they are not foolproof. With nearly 20 percent of flood insurance claims outside of “high-risk” areas, there is no substitute for proper preparation and coverage.

Neptune Flood: Providing Peace of Mind for You

Living in a flood zone can be risky, but it should not cost you your life savings. Neptune Flood offers affordable flood coverage for you, your family, and your home. This provides peace of mind in the most difficult of times. That said, expert technology, the use of algorithms, and insurance expertise ensure that you are getting the best coverage that money can buy. Contact us today for an assessment and quote for your property, and look forward to coverage in any type of weather.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How often are flood maps updated?

Flood maps are generally updated every five years, but updates can occur more frequently based on significant weather events and technological advancements.

2. How can businesses use flood zone maps to their advantage?

Businesses use flood maps to assess risk, plan for disasters, ensure insurance coverage, and choose safer development locations.

3. What is LIDAR technology, and how does it improve flood zone mapping?

LIDAR technology uses laser pulses to create high-resolution topographical maps. This technology provides precise data on land elevation, which is crucial for accurately predicting how water will flow during a flood, improving the accuracy of flood zone maps.