#Fema flood zone ah code

Used to determine extent of coastal storm surge Flood zones and evacuation zones have different purposes and measure different conditions that may not occur at the same time. A home may be located in a non-evacuation zone, yet still be located in a high-risk flood zone because of a nearby stream or pond. Remember!Įveryone lives in a flood zone - it's just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high-risk area.įlood zones are NOT the same as evacuation zones, though they are often mistaken for each other. It’s important to know that just because an area is designated as X zone does not mean that the area will never flood. The X zone (also known as “low–risk flood zone”) is an area outside of the Special Flood Hazard Area. The phrase “1 percent annual chance flood” is more accurate. It has nothing to do with calendar years. That means a flood could happen this year and again the next year. The Special Flood Hazard Area is an area that has a 1 percent chance, or a 1 in 100 chance, of a flood happening in any given year.

People sometimes hear the phrase “100-year” flood and think a flood happens only once in one hundred years. Zones A, AE, AH, AO, and VE are all considered to be Special Flood Hazard Areas.

#Fema flood zone ah code

These zones are depicted on a community's Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM), and reflect the severity or type of flooding in the area. Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), are used to determine flood insurance premium rates and some building code requirements. Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) are defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1-percent chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.įlood hazard areas identified on the Flood Insurance Rate Map are identified as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). The most common flood zones in Martin County are: A, AE, AH, AO, VE, X and X (shaded). Every structure is in a flood zone, but not all flood zones are Special Flood Hazard Areas. Other Government & Constitutional Officesįlood zones are geographic areas that FEMA has defined according to varying levels of flood risk.