| Introduction | | | | determine which land areas are likely to be flooded. |
| Flood Insurance protects your house & | | | | These maps are based on surveys of the elevation of |
| possessions from loss by rising water from the | | | | land areas relative to known flood risks (creeks, rivers, |
| outside. Think about a river or creek overflowing into | | | | lakes, etc.). |
| your home... a frightening thought. Homeowner's and | | | | Floodplain - Any normally dry land area that is |
| other property insurance specifically exclude this peril. | | | | susceptible to being inundated by water often because |
| If you own a house in a known flood risk area (i.e., the | | | | it is adjacent to a watercourse. The 100-year |
| 100-year floodplain) with a bank loan, your mortgage | | | | Floodplain is the land that would be inundated by a |
| bank will normally require flood insurance. For most | | | | 100-year flood event. |
| homeowners, handling this mortgage bank flood | | | | Flooding - Rising water from outside enters a structure. |
| insurance requirement is all they focus on and they | | | | An example would be a house inundation from a flash |
| ignore their true flood hazard. Then when a major | | | | flood. The flood peril also includes mudslide. |
| storm does come, they have inadequate flood | | | | Hundred Year Flood - An engineering term used to |
| insurance coverage often with too little coverage on | | | | describe the relative flooding risk. A house that is |
| their house (often only the home loan balance) and no | | | | located inside the Hundred Year Floodplain is |
| contents protection. | | | | considered to have a 1% chance of being flooded in |
| Also, over 25% of flood damage happens each year | | | | any given year. Most mortgages require that a house |
| to properties outside of a known flood risk area | | | | that is located in a Hundred Year Flood risk area must |
| (100-year floodplain). Central Texas had a recent | | | | be insured for flood. |
| example of an "out-of-the-blue" rain event that caused | | | | LOMA (Letter of Map Amendment) - Document used |
| very intense flooding well beyond the known flood risk | | | | to establish that a building is not located in a Special |
| areas. The so-called "Marble Falls Rain Bomb" in June | | | | Flood Hazard Area. A typical situation in which a |
| 2007 damaged over 100 homes & business | | | | LOMA would be important is when a part of a house |
| around the city of Marble Falls with a very sudden 19 | | | | lot is subject to flooding in a 100-year storm but the |
| inch rainfall. A "Preferred Risk Flood Insurance Policy," | | | | house itself has been built at a higher elevation. |
| available to homeowners beyond the 100-year | | | | National Flood Insurance Program - This is the |
| floodplain, can protect your home and possessions at | | | | government agency that provides insurance for the |
| a very modest price. | | | | flood peril in the United States. Insurance companies |
| My city of Austin is part of the Central Texas "Flash | | | | are licensed to sell flood insurance policies for this |
| Flood Alley" and has a long history of major flooding | | | | government agency. All financial backing, rules and |
| along its creeks and the Colorado River. Dams located | | | | contract terms are set by the National Flood Insurance |
| on Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan, built in the 1940's, | | | | Program which is part of FEMA. |
| has helped control the very destructive flooding of the | | | | Special Flood Hazard Area - A geographic area that is |
| Colorado River. Today, the biggest risk is along the | | | | prone to flooding. An example would be an area |
| many creeks in our urban areas and the Colorado | | | | adjacent to a river that has an elevation low enough to |
| River south of Lady Bird Lake dam. Shoal, Bull and | | | | be subject to flooding. |
| Walnut creeks in North Austin plus Onion and | | | | Flood Zones Designations: |
| Williamson creeks in South Austin have considerable | | | | A - River / stream flood risk |
| history of inundating adjacent areas. | | | | AE - River / stream flood risk with mapped base flood |
| Our neighboring Hill Country also has many creeks | | | | elevations |
| subject to flooding plus several major rivers that can | | | | AO - River / stream flood risk with shallow water |
| rage with great torrents after heavy rain. The Llano | | | | depths (1-3 feet) |
| and Pedernales Rivers both have had major flood | | | | AH - River / stream flood risk with shallow water |
| events in recent years. The Llano River, surging into | | | | paths (flows of 1-3 feet) |
| Lake LBJ has caused major flood damage along its | | | | V - Coastal or Storm Surge flood risk |
| normally calm waters on several occasions. | | | | VE - Coastal or Storm Surge flood risk with mapped |
| The hardest part of understand both your flood risk | | | | base flood elevations |
| and flood insurance policies is the terminology. Most | | | | X - Not a Special Flood Risk Area (elevation above |
| folks are confounded by its mix of insurance and | | | | the 100-year floodplain) |
| engineering terms. Once you have a key to decipher | | | | Flood Insurance Overview |
| the flood insurance nomenclature, things will make | | | | Property Coverages: |
| more sense. You also want to understand what your | | | | Building - Provides protection up to your limit for |
| "Flood Zone" designation means. Finally, I have included | | | | damage or destruction of your house or other dwelling |
| an overview of the main components of a flood | | | | from peril of flood including rising water and mudslide. |
| insurance policy. | | | | Contents - Provides protection for your clothes, |
| Flood Insurance Terminology: | | | | appliances, furniture and other possessions at your |
| Base Flood Elevation - This is the level at which there | | | | residence from peril of flood including rising water and |
| is a 1% chance of flooding in any given year. A building | | | | mudslide. Flood Insurance offers "Actual Cash Value" |
| that is located on land below the "Base Flood | | | | as the basis of settlement. Contents coverage is |
| Elevation" is inside the 100-year floodplain. | | | | optional and has a separate deductible. |
| Elevation Certificate - Clarifies the relative elevation of | | | | Secondary Structures (fences, sheds, etc.) - None (No |
| your house in relation to the know flood risk. This | | | | coverage is extended to secondary structures from |
| allows for more accurate rating of the flood insurance | | | | the standard flood policy. Coverage is only available |
| policy and may reduce your flood insurance rates. | | | | for the main structure.) |
| Flood Maps ("FIRM" - Flood Insurance Ratings Maps) - | | | | Loss of Use: None (not available which is unfortunate) |
| Created by FEMA's (Federal Emergency | | | | Helpful Links |
| Management Agency), these maps were created to | | | | FEMA / National Flood Insurance: FloodSmart. |