Fema Flood Map: Fill & Download for Free

Yes. there are plenty of homes available, more than I could list that are not located in a FEMA flood zone. When you find a home you are interested in, go to: FEMA Flood Map Service CenterFeel free to call me 512–364–8637 for more info on Central Texas real estate.

The best and most reliable information is a survey of your property. One should have been done prior to purchase; ask your real estate agent or attorney if you didn’t receive one. If your home is in a flood zone, it should be noted on your survey.If you don’t have access to your survey, one way to find out is to use online references.ESRI has the flood hazard layer on their mapping service - click the link, then put your address into the query box and hit enter: http://fema.maps.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=cbe088e7c8704464aa0fc34eb99e7f30If your home is in a flood zone, the returning map may look something like this:The legend on the left of the screen will tell you about the layers, and the map window will have your zone labeled.If your home is not in a flood zone, it will say “area of minimal risk (zone x)”, like this:Not every community is in the national flood hazard data layer, however. Some have maps that are still in progress. The image below shows the communities with information in the national flood hazard map, identified in red:If your community is not yet in the national flood hazard layer, you will need to go to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center. Here’s how:Go to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center: FEMA Flood Map Service CenterEnter your address in the box provided, then click “Search.”The web site will return a map window with a pinpoint on your address.Above the map is a box with a search icon that says “Map Image.” Click on this.The MSC will return a scan of the most recent flood map they have on file. It will look something like this:If your home is shown within the dark shaded areas, you’re likely in a special flood hazard area (SFHA). If it’s not, you’re likely in the “area of minimal flood risk (zone x).”I say “likely” because it’s difficult to extrapolate your location on these maps if you haven’t done it before.One final suggestion: if you have any questions, call your local government agency and ask to speak to the floodplain manager. If they don’t have one, ask to speak to the person in charge of enforcing FEMA flood regulations. They should be able to help you determine if you are in a special flood hazard area or not.PS…Whether you’re in an SFHA or not, it’s always a good idea to get flood insurance. That way you don’t have to compete with others for grant money after a natural disaster.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey Map my house is 78.5 ft. above sea level so our houses in this 300 house neighborhood are fine, but we are on an island with several nearby neighborhoods flooded because the Corps. of Engineers opened two major reservoirs nearby. They did it to avoid collapse but they only gave a few hours notice at night so hundreds of expensive houses and important highways were flooded.That also flooded two sewage treatment plants so we were under an order to limit water sent into the sewage system until a couple of days ago. City said that if we didn’t comply with this limit sewage could back up in our houses. That would be rather unpleasant so we apparently complied successfully. No news of bathtubs and sinks (and other stuff) overflowing with sewage.It has become obvious that heavy rainfall events will become common. Puerto Rico just got 30 inches of rain in Irma. It has been pointed out if you get three 100–500 year floods in two years, something is definitely wrong with the FEMA flood maps. At least 75% of our flooded homes did not have flood insurance because they were not in areas that FEMA considers to be flood plains.To the best of my knowledge all our freeways and toll roads are operative again. Many homes and buildings will have to be demolished or were destroyed in the storm.