— Mid County residents may want to check out the recently released preliminary Federal Emergency Management Agency flood maps to see if their homes are at an increased risk of flooding.

The maps are still in the preliminary stages and may undergo changes in the future, but residents have the opportunity to view the maps at their local city halls and leave comments, concerns or considerations for FEMA to review. The Port Arthur Public Library has a copy of the maps on display, and the maps can also be accessed online at http://maps.riskmap6.com/TX/Jefferson/.

These maps determine flood hazard areas, which directly affect flood insurance rates. But the flood maps for Jefferson County have not been revised since 1984. An area of that has changed significantly since the previous version of the flood maps were released is between 10th Avenue and Rio Grande Avenue in Port Arthur, which is now a part of the flood hazard area.

“Not a week goes by that we do not have phone calls from people wanting to know why their flood premiums have skyrocketed,” said Paul Brown, senior planner for the City of Port Arthur.

To be a part of the flood hazard area, FEMA says there is a 1 percent chance of a significant flooding event for every rain event that occurs. These are called “100-year events,” and they reside in the A zones, whose property owners are required to purchase flood insurance.

Areas that have been selected as B zones are shielded by a flood protection device, like a levee, or are outside the 100-year flood plains, according to the FEMA flood map guide.

Most of Port Arthur resides in a B zone, said Stuart Salter, owner of the Julian Salter Company, because much of the area is protected by the levee system. He said Bridge City and Sabine Pass would be the areas that would see flood insurance rate increases should the new maps be adopted as they are.





In Nederland, the Lakes of Nederland subdivision is now in the flood hazard zone, according to the preliminary maps. It was not in the hazard zone in the previous plans, said George Wheeler, building official and flood plains administrator for the City of Nederland.

The City of Groves would only see minor changes to its area as a result of the new preliminary flood maps, said Steve Sanborn, Groves building official. He said the Allison Meadows subdivision would be included in the A zone under the preliminary maps. Previously, about five lots in the subdivision were in zone A. But, Sanborn said, “nothing is cast in stone at this point.”

Taylor Shelton, Port Neches director of public works, said the city would not see any significant changes under the new preliminary flood maps because the city is well-elevated.

Because the flood insurance program is administered by the federal government, communities must follow FEMA guidelines exactly or even more strictly so they do not lose their abilities to purchase flood insurance, said Ron Burton, director of planning in Port Arthur. Now, the City of Port Arthur closely monitors all new construction because of the experiences it had with the recent hurricanes decimating structures in the city.

While FEMA requires structures to be built above the base flood elevation, or sea level in this low-lying land, the city requires the bottom floor of the structure to sit an additional foot above that, Brown said. Base flood elevation is based on the standard elevation of the nearest water source that carries water further downhill.

But property owners who currently possess flood insurance and whose flood zones change to higher risk areas would be allowed to keep the same rates in all likelihood, Salter said in an email. Although nothing is final yet, he said these property owners should only experience an increase in costs if there is an across-the-board rate increase. New construction and uninsured properties would see the most significant changes.

“This is another good reason for property owners to purchase coverage now before any higher zone classifications can be approved,” Salter said in an email.

Currently, a standard home in Port Arthur that is protected by the levee system would have a flood insurance rate as low as $282 a year, providing $100,000 in building coverage and $40,000 in contents, Salter said. The same home outside of the protection of the levee would cost $1,023 annually.

“We can expect significant rate increases over time as our government attempts to reduce the flood insurance program’s annual operating losses,” Salter said.

To develop these flood maps, FEMA performs engineering analyses to determine rainfall runoff and water surface levels, said Earl Armstrong in an email, public information officer for FEMA Region 6.

Mapping is performed primarily by air, but in areas where waterways and other land forms cannot be seen from the air, people survey the land the old-fashioned way — on the soles of their feet. Rainfall and flooding history is also examined alongside development in lowland areas, Armstrong said. All of that information is taken into consideration when the federal agency creates flood maps.

FEMA plans to hold a community meeting after the period for public comment closes to discuss the flood hazard information and answer any questions or concerns that might arise, according to a letter FEMA sent to the City of Port Arthur. The period for public comment in Port Arthur closes Oct. 9.

bcrum@panews.com