Floodplain Management

CCWA recognizes that floodplain management is an integral part of the stormwater program. An effective floodplain management program minimizes and essentially prevents increases in flood losses to both public and private property while preserving and restoring important habitat within the natural floodplain.

Floodplain Management Program Goals:

• Help identify areas that are commonly flooded
• Encourage property owners who have floodplain on their property to inquire more about flood insurance opportunities through the National Flood Insurance Program
• Encourage property owners to learn more about the flood hazards that occur in their communities in an effort to raise awareness.

Flood Insurance Rate Maps

New flood insurance rate maps for Clayton County went into effect on June 7, 2017. After years of extensive studies and analysis, CCWA revised the County’s floodplain maps, as guided by FEMA. These updated maps are more precise than older maps due to the incorporation of improved flood hazard and risk data, and the latest science has been used to make them more accurate. Flood risks change over time due to construction, development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors. These changes send water flowing in new directions, creating flood risks that did not exist previously — precisely why flood maps must be updated periodically. Updated maps give staff a better understanding of local risk assessment, floodplain management, land use, and emergency planning.

Determining Floodplain Status

To determine floodplain status, CCWA recommends Clayton County residents visit the Georgia Flood Map Program site at www.georgiadfirm.com.  This site provides useful floodplain information available for specific property, such as the flood zone, the Base Flood Elevation (or BFE), whether the home is in a floodway, what official FEMA flood panel map their property could be found on, etc.  All this information is useful in determining whether a property owner needs flood insurance for their home or not, which could be essential when protecting personal property during a flood event.