Hillsborough County is part of a multi-year process led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to update coastal flood maps. The coastal flood risks shown on today's flood maps are based on obsolete data and technology more than 30 years old. The 2007 countywide flood map update did not include an updated analysis of the coastal flood risk and does not reflect new development or changes in shoreline.
Revised Maps Better Reflect Risks
This map revision more accurately reflects today's flood risks, which will:
- Provide property owners along the coast of Hillsborough County with up-to-date, reliable, Internet-accessible information about their risk of storm surge-driven coastal flooding
- Help residents and business owners make more informed decisions about protecting their property and financial stability
- Allow community planners, local officials, engineers, builders, and others to make important determinations about where and how new structures and developments should be built
Preliminary Map Revisions for Coastal Areas
What to Expect
- Expect changes to loan requirements and flood insurance costs in areas where updates occur. Some residents and business owners will find that their flood risk has increased, while others it may actually have been reduced. The NFIP has insurance cost-saving rating options to help reduce financial impacts.
- Revised flood maps will guide Hillsborough County's planning decisions and development requirements resulting in a more resilient county.
- New FIRMs become effective in 2020, though the County will keep the public and stakeholders informed throughout process.
Additional Resources
- New Flood Maps for Hillsborough County's Coastal Areas - Fact Sheet | Hoja informativa - Español
- Hillsborough County to Receive New Coastal Flood Maps - FAQs | Preguntas frecuentes - Español
- Flood Map and Insurance Changes for Coastal Areas - Fact Sheet for Insurance Professionals | Hoja de datos para profesionales de seguros - Español
- Flood Maps for Coastal Areas - Fact Sheet for Realty and Lending Professionals | Mapas de inundaciones para áreas costeras - Hoja de datos para profesionales de bienes raíces y préstamos - Español
- Insurance Options for Buildings Newly Mapped into High-Risk Areas (FEMA)
- Map Changes and Flood Insurance (FEMA)
- Preliminary Summary of Map Actions on Previously Issued Letter of Map Change Actions (LOMR, LOMR-F, and LOMA)
- Understanding FEMA Summary of Map Actions and Revalidation Letter (FEMA)
Contacts
- Unincorporated Hillsborough County property owners: call (813) 635-5400
- City of Tampa property owners: call Construction Services at (813) 274-3104, between 8 AM to 4:30 PM, or visit the City's information page
- Insurance impacts: contact your insurance agent or visit www.FloodSmart.gov
Update Timeline
All coastal counties in the Tampa Bay Area are undergoing coastal flood risk map updates. The timeline for Hillsborough County's update process is outlined below. Dates are subject to change.
- Discovery, Data Collection, and Stakeholder Coordination - 2013
- Modeling - 2013 to 2017
- Work Map Production - 2018
- Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Studies (FIS) Report - 2018
- Appeal and Compliance Period - mid/late 2019 (expected)
- FEMA officially notices and begins the formal 90-day appeal and public comment period
- Scientific and/or technical appeals may be submitted to FEMA by anyone regarding flood zones, floodways, and base flood elevations
- FEMA issues Letter of Final Determination (LFD). Maps become effective six months from LFD date
- Hillsborough County will conduct outreach to property owners who may benefit from time-sensitive National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) flood insurance rating options
- Official adoption of required code changes by Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners
- Effective FIRM and FIS Report - late 2019/early 2020 (expected)
- Changes in flood insurance requirements due to flood zone and/or Base Flood Elevation changes become effective
- Public outreach and stakeholder engagement continues to inform citizens about the changes and insurance rating options available
More about FIRMs
A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is an official map on which the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) identifies areas of high, moderate and low flood risk. Since the late 2000s, FEMA has been updating Flood Insurance Studies and Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the entire populated coastline of the country to provide improved flood risk information to coastal communities along the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes.
Important Note: Flooding occurs not only in high-risk areas, known as Special Flood Hazard Areas, but also in areas with a low to moderate risk on a FIRM. Anyone can be financially vulnerable to floods. People outside of high-risk areas file over 20 percent of National Flood Insurance Program claims and receive one third of FEMA's disaster assistance for flooding.