Building On/Near a Flood Plain

[kingranch]

I have alot of exp w this, Fema will be your guide. Its possible but be sure to get the most updated maps as they change every yr.

You can also only use the dirt that is existing if its near a river etc. Many stipulations. I would suggest building a pad and just have a large tiny home that has wheels under it. This would classify as a mobile structure and you will dodge alot of the red tape. You can still build outbuildings etc.

[Russ81]

Check your insurance as well, we knew we were at the end of the line when the water recedes to the gulf and built a pad a foot higher then our road. No water in the house Ike or Harvey.

I can't wrap my head around how they can build all those houses in old rice fields and get around the red tape of FEMA for the life of me in the houston metro-mess

[Hockley]

I can't wrap my head around how they can build all those houses in old rice fields and get around the red tape of FEMA for the life of me in the houston metro-mess

It is migrating west now. They just cut up a rice farm into 20 acre "Ranchettes" in Eagle Lake. I drove through yesterday and it still looks like a flooded rice field. I'm seeing heavy advertising for what I assume is the same thing in El Campo.

I'm all for property owners rights, but the state needs to keep some of this land intact somehow. The fragmentation of property is out of control.

[donpablo]

Spoke with a friend who's local and apparently the neighborhood is not one he would recommend regardless of flood plain. Too bad.

[Russ81]

Spoke with a friend who's local and apparently the neighborhood is not one he would recommend regardless of flood plain. Too bad.

Holiday Lakes???


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[bossbowman]

Not sure why you would want to risk it but I know 2 in our county that have built in FEMA floodplane in the last couple years, probably will see more of this as land prices continue to skyrocket. Knew of a place in Sisterdale they had flood restoration twice until the big flood in 2015 took the whole house.

[donpablo]

Holiday Lakes???


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No sir. San Angelo area.

[chaseh]

No sir. San Angelo area.

If the town of San Angelo ever catches a major rain event, they will be in a world of hurt. The whole northern half of the town is in a flood plain. The neighborhood across from the soccer fields by the dam have several piezometers in their backyards, where there is not to be any structures....

The overflow for the dam, aka uncontrolled spillway, will flood directly into the adjacent neighborhoods and the business area near Home Depot and Olive Garden.


Now, OC fisher has never been at or even close to full capacity, but if it ever happens, I expect to read about lots of damage.

[jdg13]

If you build on a property that is in a floodplain (Zone AE 100yr) you will have to elevate the structure a set amount above the 100-year base flood elevation then from an insurance standpoint you are ok, albeit paying a ton.

There are a couple of major issues with FEMAs maps to consider:

1. The 100-year shown on the FEMA maps, especially in rural areas are often outdated and in some cases flat out inaccurate. Back when some of these streams were last studied they were using 10ft interval contours and very little survey. Now they have much more detail on the topo to see where the flooding actually occurs. The older the map, the less accurate the info.

2. Back in 2019 or so what we call Atlas 14 rainfall came out. In many areas the new total amount of rainfall is higher than what is was before. Whenever the hydraulic models eventually get updated, the floodplain is likely to get wider and deeper, with a larger area mapped inside the floodplain. Harris County Flood Control uses the current 500-year (Shaded Zone X) as the future Atlas 14 100 year until they can get new models done. if you're close to it, you may be out of the floodplain today but in a few years you're in it. If the house is built right at the necessary elevation above the current 100yr, it may not be anymore. If you do flood and the house is damaged enough, you have to bring the whole structure up into compliance.

3. Here's the big one. FEMA maps only show very specific types of flooding. Riverine flooding on major streams is the main one. They DO NOT got into detail about local flooding issues IE undersized culverts that back up, some little creek that isn't mapped, etc. The maps are an insurance tool, period. You can still have flooding even if you're not "in the floodplain." Get as much info as possible on the specific lot whether it's in a mapped floodplain or not.

Your best bet is always to stay as far away from and as high above the floodplain as you can no matter where you are if you don't want to pay flood insurance and want to minimize your risk of the house flooding.

[bboswell]

No way is it worth the eventual hassle, especially since it seems we have a 100 year flood every 3-5 years now.