New floodplain map will impact local residents

County and city officials are coming to grips with changes to the flood insurance rate map, which could have a significant impact on local property owners.

For only the third time since 1973, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is producing new flood insurance rate maps, which allow communities to know what areas have higher risks of flooding, thereby making it easier to develop strategies for mitigating that risk.

But as the name suggests, these maps also have a lot to do with flood insurance.

The mapping process is a requirement for any community wishing to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which makes flood insurance available to homes, businesses and local governments.

Created using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), the new map shows significant changes from the previous map for Eddy County, which was last updated in 1998. Though preliminary for now, the new map should be finalized by January 31, 2025.

According to the new map, several homes along 5th Avenue North in New Rockford, as well as multiple properties along the BNSF railroad tracks and near the baseball diamond, are now considered within "Zone A" of the special flood hazard zone.

Zone A is considered to be high risk with a 1% chance of flooding yearly, or with a 26% chance of flooding at least once in the life cycle of a 30-year home mortgage.

The change could have a number of consequences for property owners in those locations, as well as for the City of New Rockford and Eddy County governments.

Eddy County and New Rockford have participated in the NFIP since 2017 and 1973, respectively, and they'll need to update their ordinances if they want to maintain access to emergency funds and keep flood insurance available for their residents.

Structures within Zone A of the flood hazard area are subject to different regulations and requirements than others. For example, any new structure built within Zone A must be elevated to one foot above the base level elevation for the flooding threat.

Homes which suddenly find themselves in a flood hazard area are grandfathered in, and wouldn't need to elevate their house or meet other construction requirements for new structures in a flood hazard area.

However, according to an informational packet from FEMA recently presented to New Rockford city commissioners, "when improvements to existing buildings, structures and manufactured homes meet the definition of 'substantial improvement,' or when damage meets the definition of 'substantial damage,' communities must enforce requirements to bring those structures into compliance by meeting the requirements for new construction."

Substantial improvement is defined as any reconstruction, rehabilitation, addition or other improvement which equals or exceeds 50% of the market value of that structure.

Substantial damage, meanwhile, is similarly defined as any restoration that costs as much as or more than 50% of the structure's market value before being damaged, which is not limited to flood damage.

In the coming months, before the new map is finalized, both the city and county will have to adopt new ordinances reflecting the building requirements within special flood hazard areas.

Were the city or county not to comply, FEMA precisely states what the consequences could be.

"Floodplain permitting, inspection and enforcement of the city or county ordinance is essential for the participating communities to stay in good standing with FEMA. Communities who are not in good standing with FEMA have the chance of being removed from the NFIP program, which would disallow residents the ability to buy NFIP flood insurance and could disqualify a homeowner from receiving individual public assistance in the case of a disaster."

For a comparison between the existing flood insurance rate map and the new map, visit FEMA's website at https://emilms.fema.gov/is_0727/groups/108.html, and select option 3 on the page.

When the map shows up, simply type "New Rockford" in the top-left search bar. The existing Zone A flood hazard areas are shown in blue, and the new Zone A areas are shown in yellow.

Or, simply place a call to the FEMA Mapping and Insurance exchange toll free at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627).

Additional information about flood insurance rate maps is available at fema.gov.

City residents with questions could also contact the New Rockford City Auditor, Andrew Presnell. County residents with questions can contact the Eddy County Emergency Manager and Floodplain Manager Lisa Thompson by calling (701) 302-8279.