Flooding remains the country’s number one disaster and can potentially affect everyone and every property.
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
With some areas still under drought restrictions, planning for flooding may seem unnecessary. However, understanding your property’s flood risk is key to your safety and that of those around you.
Floods occur naturally and can even strike almost anywhere, making it vital to recognize gaps in insurance coverage. For instance, many homeowners’ policies do not cover flooding. However, you can buy federal flood insurance no matter where you live if your county participates in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Understanding your property's flood risk is crucial. When an area is described as a 100-year floodplain, there is a 1-in-100 chance, or 1%, of flooding each year. In comparison, a 500-year floodplain carries a 1-in-500 chance, or 0.2%. While no location is entirely safe, some places are safer than others.
So how can you find out whether the property is in a designated floodplain? Each Texas county has a floodplain manager, who is often designated as the county engineer’s office. Many city engineering offices also deal with floodplain concerns. People building in floodplain areas must comply with city or county regulations.
FEMA is responsible for designating flood zones. FEMA provides an interactive Flood Map Service Center online, where you can enter your address to se"e your flood risk and download official flood maps.
Flood hazards are dynamic and often change with weather patterns, erosion, and new development. Because of this, FEMA’s flood maps are updated periodically. When that happens, your home insurance may be affected.
In 2019, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 8, directing the creation of the first-ever state flood plan. The state flood plan integrates the findings of the 15 river-basin-based regional flood plans and provides legislative and floodplain management recommendations to guide state, regional, and local flood control policy, according to the Texas Water Development Board.
TWDB develops and adopts a comprehensive state flood plan every five years. The most recent plan shows that the flood risk across Texas is significant and widespread.
The plan states that:
- Almost one-fourth of Texas’ land area (66,831 square miles) is in either the 1% (100-year) or 0.2% (500-year) annual chance flood hazard areas.
- About one in every six people in Texas either lives or works in areas known for flood hazards.
- The projected future condition 1% (100-year) annual chance floodplain is estimated to increase by 11% over the existing flood hazard area to a total of 62,245 square miles.
FEMA and TWDB go to great lengths to help citizens plan for future flooding events. The key is to be prepared before a flood and to know what to do during one. Knowing if you live in a floodplain is the first step to being prepared before, during, and after a flood event.
In Texas, disclosure law requires sellers to disclose whether the property is located wholly or partly in a 100-year or 500-year floodplain, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
If you find yourself living in a floodplain or have a home that was recently reclassified as flooding annually, FEMA provides six ways to retrofit your home to protect it from flooding.
Flooding can happen anywhere, regardless of the flood zone. One of the best things you can do when preparing for flooding is to buy flood insurance, according to FEMA.
Flood insurance is available to all property owners, renters, and business owners, including properties outside high-risk areas. To get more specific information about your property’s flood risk and the coverage and cost of flood insurance, contact an insurance agent.