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1. What is a floodplain?

A floodplain is defined as the area adjoining a watercourse which has been or may be covered temporarily by floodwater from a 100-year flood, or 1 percent annual chance flood. For additional information on FEMA flood zones, go here.

2. Do I need flood insurance?

You will need to verify if your property is within a floodplain zone. You can go to the Jefferson County Interactive Map and check the floodplain layer to view the floodplains in Jefferson County. You can also go to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and search your address to view if you are within a floodplain. The fact that a flood has not occurred recently does not mean that one may take place.

Structures located in high-risk flood areas have a significant chance (26%) of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage while only a 9 percent chance of loss from fires. A home mapped in a high-risk area is three times more likely to suffer damage from a flood than a fire in the lifetime of a typical mortgage!

For these reasons, flood insurance may be required as a condition of receiving Federal or federally backed financial assistance in areas with high-risk flooding. To learn more, you can go to the official web site of the National Flood Insurance Program.

3. Which permits do I need to work in a floodplain?

A floodplain permit must be obtained before doing any work within a floodplain. If wetlands are present, a permit must be obtained from the US Army Corps of Engineers. Depending on the work within a floodplain, a floodplain study by a Professional Engineer licensed in Colorado may be required with the permit application. A Letter of Map Change through FEMA may also be required depending on the type of work.

Please refer to the Floodplain Section Section 30 of the Zoning Resolution for more information on Floodplain permits in Jefferson County.

4. Is my property within a floodplain?

The Jefferson County floodplains include 100-year floodplains and flood prone areas. Floodplain development permits are still required if work and/or development is occurring.

Resources:

• Visit the Jefferson County Interactive Map and check the floodplain layer to view the floodplains in Jefferson County. The floodplains layers in the Jefferson County Interactive Map include Jefferson County designated floodplains that have not been acknowledged by FEMA (but may be in the future) in addition to FEMA designated floodplains.
• Visit the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and search your address to view if you are within a floodplain.
• View definitions of the FEMA floodplains. 

5. My property has never flooded. Why am I required to purchase flood insurance?

In accordance with the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, the Federal flood insurance requirement applies to structures located in Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) that carry a mortgage backed by a federally regulated lender or servicer.

These Acts prohibit Federal agency lenders, such as the Small Business Administration and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service, and Government-Sponsored Enterprises for Housing (such as Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae) from making, guaranteeing, or purchasing a loan secured by real estate or mobile home(s) in an SFHA, unless flood insurance has been purchased and maintained during the term of the loan.

In addition, the flood hazard information shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps is based on the best information available at the time the maps were prepared. In many areas, hydraulic and hydrologic studies were conducted to reflect the long-term projection of flood risk. Because of the infrequent occurrence of flood events and the relatively short history of the National Flood Insurance Program, SFHAs are not based only on flooding occurrences. The fact that a flood has not occurred within memory does not mean one may not happen soon.

The base flood is a relatively rare event. However, structures located in the SFHA have a 26% chance of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage. For these reasons, flood insurance is required as a condition of receiving Federal or federally backed financing.

6. Where can I learn more about purchasing flood insurance?

A flood insurance policy may be purchased from any licensed property insurance agent or broker who has good standing in the State in which the agent is licensed or through any agent representing a Write Your Own (WYO) company, including an employee of the company authorized to issue the coverage. A WYO company is a private insurance company that writes flood insurance under a special arrangement with the Federal government.

To purchase flood insurance, you may contact your insurance agent or one of the WYO companies. You may call the National Flood Insurance Program toll-free number at 1-888-FLOOD29 or check your local Yellow Pages directory to obtain the name of an agent in your area who writes flood insurance. To learn more about flood insurance, check out FEMA’s web page.

7. What can I do to protect my property and belongings in the event of a flood?

You can utilize flood resistant materials, dry flood proof your building, add waterproof veneer to exterior walls, raise electrical system components, anchor fuel tanks, raise or flood proof HVAC equipment, install sewer backflow valves, and protect wells from contamination by flooding. For more information refer to the Protect Your Property from Flooding guides on FEMA’s website.

8. How do I build adjacent to a floodplain?

You will need to confirm if where you are building is within a floodplain. Please refer to the FAQ for directions. If you are building within a FEMA 100-year floodplain or Jefferson County designated floodplain, a Floodplain Development Permit is required. Please refer to the Floodplain Section 30 (PDF) of the Zoning Resolution for more information on Floodplain Development Permits.

 Development within a FEMA Designated floodplain may also require a Letter of Map Change if changes are proposed to the floodplain boundary on the Flood Insurance Rate maps are proposed or a structure is inadvertently mapped in the floodplain. Please the FEMA Letter of Map Change for more information.