Floodplain management

Planning

Holistic flood hazard management is critical to address the delicate balance between flood risk reduction, resource protection, and land-use development. We developed guidance on Comprehensive Planning for Flood Hazard Management for communities undertaking this effort.

Comprehensive flood hazard management plans are intended to help communities identify, inform, prepare for, and mitigate flood hazards that affect their citizens, businesses, and infrastructure. These plans are a valuable tool to identify the risks and needs of communities requesting assistance through the Flood Control Assistance Account Program, Floodplains by Design, and other state and federal grant programs, as well as to prioritize projects undertaken by flood control zone districts. 

Regulation

If you're planning to do any development work on a property located in a floodplain, contact your local government to obtain a floodplain development permit. Local governments are responsible for managing development in floodplains under the NFIP; however, some local governments have higher regulatory standards than the minimums of the NFIP, such as regulating a larger area than what is shown on Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Please check in with your local government's floodplain administrator before planning a project. 

The NFIP provides flood insurance to property owners. There are more than 36,000 flood insurance policies in Washington providing nearly $10 billion in insurance coverage. We help communities understand and comply with the requirements of the federal program  — in addition to Washington floodplain management laws — to keep their flood risks lower.

In Puget Sound, we help local governments comply with the standards in the National Marine Fisheries Service NFIP Biological Opinion, which protects endangered species in the floodplain. For more about this effort, see FEMA's current guidance for local communities working to implement the insurance program while protecting federally listed endangered species.

Washington counties and cities engaged in planning under the state Growth Management Act are required to periodically review and update their Critical Areas Ordinances. These ordinances address frequently flooded areas to promote safety from floods (see Guidance for Floodplains - Critical Area Ordinance).