What is a flood map?
A flood map is a risk assessment tool used to help determine the different flooding risks in a community. The most current maps, called Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps, depict high-, medium- and low-risk zones. 25-30 percent of all flood claims come from moderate- to low-risk flood areas.
What is a watershed?
A watershed is an area of land that water flows across as it moves toward a common body of water, such as a stream, river, lake or coast.
What is a floodplain?
Part of every watershed, a floodplain is a dry or semi-dry land area where water collects when it rains.
- Typically found near rivers, lakes, coasts and depressions
- Provides temporary natural storage for runoff
- Serves as recharge areas for the aquifer
- Provides important natural habitats for animals and plants
Federal flood maps — used to assess flooding risks — are being updated for our area with our help & input.
Why these maps need updating
This national effort of map modernization will produce more reliable flood risk data and in a digital format. This new format will enable communities to overlay and analyze new flood data with street layouts, demographics, infrastructure and evacuation routes. It also provides more timely access to update maps as flood risks change. The result will be a powerful, digitized tool for local risk assessment, floodplain management, land use and emergency planning.
Most of the flood maps are over 10 years outdated because of natural and physical changes caused by land use, development and erosion.
Our role
The Southwest Florida Water Management District was established in 1961 to operate and maintain several large flood protection projects. Our responsibilities have expanded to include managing water supply and protecting water quality and the natural systems.
We're serving as a cooperating technical partner for the Federal Emergency Management Agency who is managing this project nationally. Locally, we're working with engineers and governments to update flood insurance rate maps.
Benefits of the updates
- Homeowners can make better decisions about protecting property.
- Communities can better manage floodplains and wetlands, flood risks, land and water resources, and disasters.
- Insurance companies can better help homeowners assess risks and calculate flood insurance premiums.
- Banks and lenders use the data to help protect borrowers and loans, and determine whether property owners are required by law to obtain flood insurance.
