Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps Appeal/Protest Period to begin
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently issued the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for the El Paso community designating the proposed areas located within a flood zone. The revisions come as part of FEMA’s effort to modernize existing maps at a national level.
As part of the formal adoption process, the public is advised that FEMA will institute a 90-day appeal and protest period for residents and property owners who would like to provide scientific or technical information refuting the revisions to the draft FIRMs.
All appeal/ protest information must be submitted to Floodplain Administration for the City not FEMA
Individuals who reside outside city limits must contact their respective Floodplain Administrator (El Paso County, 546-2015)
Appeals and Protests
Supporting Data and Documentation Any individual property owner can appeal proposed base flood elevations (BFEs) or protest other information included on the preliminary digital flood maps, also known as the Digital
Flood Insurance Rate Maps or DFIRMs. Both the appeal and protest must be supported by technical or scientific data and submitted to the appropriate community official within the designated “90-day appeal period” (See “Appeals and Protests: Information for Community Officials” for more details on the process.)
The City of El Paso Floodplain Administration Division provides assistance and guidance to the community with regard to properties that are in or near a Special Flood Zone Hazard Area (SFHA) commonly referred to as a “flood zone”.
The Division can help you identify the correct flood zone designation, base flood elevation and floor depth for your property and provide copies of elevation certificates that are available.
Information or documents available include:
Elevation Certificates
Letters of Map Amendments
Conditional Letters of Map Revisions
Letters of Map Revision
Flood Insurance Studies
Pre and Post FIRM construction
Grandfathering rules
Flood maps and flood protection references are also available by visiting the fifth floor of City Hall or the Main El Paso Public Library. You can also call visit the fifth floor of City Hall to see if you are in a mapped floodplain. The purpose of this website is to provide some important information and resources that are available for flood protection.
To find out if your property is in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, for related information from a Flood Insurance Rate Map, or for advice and assistance from flood and drainage problems please contact:
The City of El Paso forms a horseshoe shape around the south end of the Franklin Mountains and is bordered on its southern side by the Rio Grande. The Franklin Mountains rise to elevations upwards of 7,000 feet. While most of the city’s developed areas are below 4,500 feet elevation in the alluvial plains, the more gently sloped areas are formed by deposition of the mountain desert soil. The steep grades of the Franklin Mountains increase the erosive power of rainfall runoff that flows down the mountain slopes, causing the formation of natural channels or arroyos that convey water down the mountains and onto the alluvial plains. The channelization of rainfall runoff intensifies the magnitude of flow by concentrating precipitation that falls over a large area into a single location, which, if uncontrolled, can cause significant damage to any developed areas downstream.
In late July and early August 2006, the El Paso region experienced severe rainstorms. Over a period of three days, some areas received cumulative rainfall in excess of 7 inches. The resulting storm runoff was of a volume and intensity that exceeded the capacity of several segments of the city's drainage systems. The storms also triggered significant outflow from the principal outlets of several flood control dams located in the city.
Your property may have not flooded recently. However, if your property is located in a floodplain, there is a possibility that it may be flooded in the future.
Floodplains have many natural and beneficial functions. In our community the floodplains provide habitat for local wildlife and are critical in recharging our aquifers. It is important to protect the floodplains in order to protect our water supply as well as the local wildlife environment. The City of El Paso has an ordinance that regulates disturbance and development within the floodplain. For more information please contact the City’s floodplain office.
If you don’t have flood insurance currently, the best source of information is an insurance agent. It is important to note that homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However, because the City of El Paso participates in the National Flood Insurance (NFI) Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. This insurance is provided by the Federal government and is available to anyone, even properties that have been flooded or are not in the floodplain.
If you currently have insurance coverage, double-check that the building coverage is adequate and make sure you have contents coverage. During most floods, there is usually more damage to the furniture and contents than there is to the structure.
Key Reminders:
Even if the last flood did not impact your property and some flood-proofing has been completed, the next flood could be worse
Flood insurance covers all surface floods. Don’t wait for the next flood to buy insuranceprotection
There is a 30-day waiting period before the National Flood Insurance program policy takes effect
Please contact your insurance agent for more information
Several of the City’s efforts depend on your continued cooperation and assistance. Here’s how you can help:
Properly dispose of trash and debris. It is illegal to throw anything into the ditches or streams and is a violation of El Paso City Ordinance 9.04.340. Even grass clippings and branches can accumulate and plug the stormwater management system. Remember: A plugged channel cannot carry water and when it rains the water has to go somewhere, which can be your home.
If you see illegal dumping at any stormwater management sites, please contact the El Paso Water Utilities (Stormwater Department) at 1-877-ID-FLOWS (1-877-433-5697).
Always check with the City if a permit is required before you build on, alter, regrade, or fill on your property. Additionally, if you see building or filling on a property without a City permit sign posted, please call 541-4558
Please note, if you are in the floodplain and the cost of remodeling, reconstruction, or rehabilitation is equal or exceeds 50% of the building’s market value the building must meet the construction requirements as a new building.
When looking to hire a contractor, the community is encouraged to first call 541-4558 to see if a contractor is registered with the City.
The following are a few preventive safety measures to consider:
Currents can be deceptive; six inches of moving water can be sufficient for someone to lose control of their balance
Do not drive through a flooded area
Don’t drive around road barriers; the road or bridge may be washed out
Stay away from power lines and electrical wires
Electrical current can travel through water. Report power outages and emergencies related to electric services to the El Paso Electric Company at 877-3400
Have your electricity turned off by the El Paso Electric Company. Some appliances, such as television sets, keep electrical charges even after they have been unplugged
Turn off your gas
Look out for animals. Small animals that have been flooded out of their homes may seek shelter in yours
Look before you step. After a flood, the ground and floors are often covered with debris
Exercise caution when walking, floors and stairs that have been covered with mud can be very slippery
There are also several different ways to protect a property and/or building from flood damage. These measures are often called flood proofing or retrofitting. Here are a few examples:
Regrading your lot or building a small floodwall or earthen berm
Making your walls waterproof and placing watertight closures over doorways
A plug or standpipe may help alleviate water less than two feet in depth in houses that have basements
The National Weather Service provides advance flood warnings. Please tune into your local TV and radio stations. The Office of Emergency Management is also actively working to implement a Reverse Notification System to notify the “Masses” of possible flood events as well as an early warning system.
Remember: If you know a flood is coming, you should shut off the gas and electricity and move valuable contents upstairs. It is unlikely that you will get much advance warning, so a detailed checklist prepared in advance would help ensure that you don’t forget anything.
A copy of the FIRM and Flood Boundary and Floodway Map and an explanation of their use are available at the Main library and 5th floor of City Hall (Floodplain Administration Division). Additional copies can be ordered by calling 1-800-358-9616 or faxing a request to 1-800-358-9620. The toll-free map distribution center is staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EST, Monday through Friday.
“Test the Water” FEMA’s FloodSmart Program has an interactive site called “Test the Water” that invites users to see what kind of flood damage they are exposed to
There are several brochures that explain the Community Rating System. Bulk supplies are available by calling (317) 848-2898 or emailing nfipcrs@iso.com.
There are three video tapes in FEMA’s “Best Build” series:
- Best Build: Constructing a Sound Coastal Home
- Best Build 2: Construction in a Riverine Floodplain
- Best Build 3: Protecting a Flood-prone Home
These Corps floodproofing publications can be found on the following website
Hard copies can be ordered from:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, CECW-PD
National Nonstructural/Flood Proofing Committee
Attn: Joe Remondini
1645 South 101st East Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74128
(918) 669-7197
Flood Proofing Systems & Techniques, December 1984 (Out of print and available only via the website.)
Flood-Proofing Regulations, EP 1165 3 314, 1992
Flood Proofing Performance—Successes & Failures, 1998
Flood Proofing Techniques, Programs and References, January 1996
Raising and Moving The Slab-On-Grade House, 1990
A Flood Proofing Success Story, September 1993
Flood Proofing: How to Evaluate Your Options, July 1993
Flood Proofing Technology in the Tug Fork Valley, April 1994
Local Flood Proofing Programs, June 1994
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