Floodplain FAQs
What is a floodplain?
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) defines a floodplain as any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source. A FEMA regulated floodplain typically consists of a floodway or the channel of a river or stream and the adjacent land that must remain free from obstruction so that the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event can be conveyed downstream, and the floodway fringe or the remaining portion of the floodplain.
What do the FEMA Flood zone designations mean?
The most common flood zone designations in the City of Rogers are as follows:
Zone A - Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event. Detailed hydraulic analysis have not been performed and base flood elevations or flood depths have not been determined.
Zone AE - Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event determined by detailed methods. Base flood elevations are shown within these zones.
Zone X (shaded) - Moderate risk areas within the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (500-year) floodplain.
Zone X (unshaded) - Minimal risk areas outside the 1-percent-annual-chance and 0.2-percent-annual-chance floodplains.
Is my property located in a floodplain?
Please visit the City of Rogers GIS website or the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Maps are available at City Hall, located at 301 W. Chestnut and can be viewed during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm.
Am I required to have flood insurance?
Flood insurance is mandatory if located in a FEMA regulated floodplain using a federally regulated or insured lender. Click on the following link from FEMA for additional information: FEMA Flood Insurance link. Flood insurance may be required by some lenders even if located outside the boundaries of a FEMA regulated floodplain.
Can I get flood insurance if my property is not located in a floodplain?
Yes. Flood insurance is offered through private insurance companies. Contact your insurance agent for coverage and rates. Flooding can happen anywhere and most home hazard insurance policies do not automatically cover flood damage. Click on the following link from FEMA’s website for additional information: FEMA How to buy flood insurance link
What if my property or building is added to a floodplain?
The property or building will be subject to mandatory flood insurance if using a federally regulated or insured lender. The property would also be subject to the Flood Hazard Reduction Code to help prevent flood loss in the future. See Sec. 22-105 of the City Code of Ordinances for flood hazard reduction requirements.
Can I be removed from the floodplain?
In some cases, yes. FEMA provides multiple ways of revising or amending the floodplain maps to remove a building from the floodplain which may reduce flood insurance premiums. Please consult a licensed surveyor or civil engineer.
Are there specific building requirements in the floodplain?
Yes. In the City of Rogers, finished floor elevations are required to be elevated 2-feet above the effective base flood elevation (BFE) as published in the effective Flood Insurance Study (FIS). This requirement includes additions to existing buildings. See Sec. 22-106 of the City Code of Ordinances for additional building requirements.
What is an elevation certificate and when do I need one?
It is a certificate used only to certify building elevation and provide information necessary to ensure compliance with community floodplain management ordinances; to determine the proper insurance premium rate; and or support a request for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) to remove a building from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA).
An elevation certificate is required when any building is constructed in the floodplain, including building additions.
Do I need a permit to work in the floodplain?
Yes, a permit is required for work in a FEMA regulated floodplain. Additional coordination with State and Federal agencies are required depending on the area to be disturbed within the boundary of the floodplain.
Additional FEMA FAQs:
FEMA – Frequently Asked Questions: FEMA frequently asked questions link