This means permits may be required not only for buildings but also structures like fences, sign posts, and trails. Any activity that will disturb land in a FEMA mapped floodplain requires a floodplain development permit. In Durham, floodplain development is regulated through the Floodplain and Flood Damage Protection Standards in the Unified Development Ordinance (UDO). Along with other measures, these rules are also required to make federally subsidized flood insurance available to Durham residents. It also helps protect the quality of the water that we drink and conserves plant and wildlife habitat. This prevents expensive damage to buildings and roads. Preserving natural floodplains reduces flooding in developed areas. The main purpose of floodplain rules is to provide a safe place for rising flood waters. The City of Durham currently has an 8 rating in FEMA’s Community Rating System, saving property owners with buildings in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas 15 percent on flood insurance rates. These include adopting and enforcing floodplain development rules and requiring permits for any activity that disturbs land in a FEMA mapped floodplain. In return, Durham has to take steps to reduce local flooding risks. Federally subsidized flood insurance costs about half as much as non-subsidized flood insurance. Durham residents can also purchase federally subsidized flood insurance (whether or not their property is in a FEMA mapped floodplain).

Nearly every flood prone area in North Carolina, including Durham, is part of this program.īecause it is a part of the NFIP, Durham can receive federal aid after the president declares a disaster. Such risks include those to lives, property, or the financial stability of a community. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was created by Congress in 1968 to reduce the risks associated with flooding. Homes in these areas have a 26% chance of such a flood occurring during a 30 year mortgage period. These floods can occur far more often than once every hundred years. Myth: The “100 Year Flood” should only happen once every 100 years.įact: The “100 Year Flood” actually has a 1% chance of happening in any given year.

These maps are called Flood Insurance Rate Maps or FIRMs. In many locations, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has mapped flood prone areas and estimated how likely they are to flood. The United States Geological Survey monitors water levels and has an alert system in place. Several measures are in place to help protect residents from flooding. Flooding can vary with each storm based on the amount of rain, how hard it is raining, and how long it rains. Your property can be damaged by flooding even if you don’t live next to a stream or lake! These types of flooding can be hard to predict.įlooding of land near waterways (such as streams, rivers, and lakes) during storms can occur because of rising water levels. However, it can also happen because of dam failures, melting snow and ice, seeping groundwater, and damaged water or sewer pipes. Flooding occurs when a normally dry area becomes covered in water or some other liquid.

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