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There are several ways of assessing your flood risk. If you live in a mandatory evacuation area and/or are required to have flood insurance, you can be virtually certain you live in a high flood risk area. These areas are referred to as "Special Flood Hazard Areas." A second way of assessing your risk is to refer to a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to determine the flood zone designation for the area in which your property resides. Flood zone designations are available for most, but not all areas. FIRM maps are available for public viewing at Palm Beach County's Main Library, at most building departments, or at the Division of Emergency Management. Contact information is provided in other sections of this website. Assuming your area does appear on a FIRM map... zones designated as "A" or "V" are defined as higher risk areas. Other zone designations still may be subject to flooding, but less frequently and with less severity. (Flood zone designations, along with explanations, can be found in the "Do-It-Yourself" Assessment Tools section) 
Coastal area residents should refer to a Storm Surge Map to determine their potential flood risk from tropical storms. These maps, prepared by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, show peak surge inundation associated with Category 1, 3, and 5 hurricanes. You can also check whether an elevation certificate for your property is on file with your insurance agency, lending institution or local building department. This document will tell you the elevation of the lowest level of your structure relative to the base flood elevation. (More detailed information on elevation certificates can be found in the "Where Can I Get Professional Flood Information?" section) If you are new to an area or are considering the purchase of a home... in addition to checking the above sources, check with others living in the area to determine if there has been any history of flooding. Marshy vegetation like ferns and water seeking trees like cypress and melaleuca could be clues to a potential problem. Be sensitive to the elevations of surrounding homes, road crowns, etc. and to recent development projects that might create future runoff problems for you. Of course, be aware of the capacities of storm drainage systems in the area. |
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