New Sullivan flood maps online

Public meeting scheduled

By FRITZ MAYER

SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY — After the heavy flooding of the past five years, most people who live in the area know whether or not their home is located in a flood plain. But for residents of Sullivan County, if there is any question, they can now find out by looking at the new flood maps produced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The update is part of a national FEMA map modernization program to ensure that the maps are up to date. Sullivan County is in FEMA Region 2, while Wayne and Pike counties in Pennsylvania are in Region 3. Region 3 is not as far along in the updating process.

The Sullivan County maps give a detailed picture of areas likely to flood in the future. However, not every spot that flooded in the past is indicated as being part of the flood zone. For instance, the area surrounding the building that houses The River Reporter flooded in 2006, and the portion of Main Street that runs along Little Lake Erie was under water, but the area is not indicated as being part of the flood zone.

However, text on the map indicates that this is not extraordinary. It reads, “This does not necessarily identify all areas subject to flooding, particularly from local drainage sources of small size.”

Also, a couple of sections of the map are not yet available for viewing.

However, a quick survey shows that most of the recurring flooding hot spots are indicated on the maps’ panels. Additionally, according to comments from various officials at several town meetings over the past couple of weeks, almost all of the flooding zones are now larger than they were before the maps were updated.

That could have significant implications for property owners who now find their homes or buildings newly located in flood zones, because in order to qualify for most mortgages, those buildings will now have to be covered by flood insurance.

Insurance companies don’t sell flood insurance, which is, instead, issued through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), established in 1968 by Congress to provide a means for property owners to financially protect themselves.

The NFIP offers flood insurance to homeowners, renters, and business owners if their community participates in the NFIP. All towns and villages in Sullivan County participate.

According to information from NFIP, homes and buildings in high-risk flood areas with mortgages from federally regulated or federally insured lenders are required to have flood insurance. These areas have a one percent or greater chance of flooding in any given year.

Homes and businesses located in moderate-to-low-risk areas that have mortgages from federally regulated or insured lenders are typically not required to have flood insurance. However, flood insurance is recommended because 25 percent of all flood claims occur in moderate-to-low risk flood areas.

Residents can go to www.floodsmart.gov to find out the relative flooding risk of their properties, and the new flood maps can be accessed at rmc.mapmodteam.com/RMC2/Counties_Sullivan.htm , or residents can call 518/402-8151 for more information.

An informational meeting about the new maps will be held in the Sullivan County Legislative Hearing Room on July 8 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Property owners who believe their property was mistakenly listed as being in a flood zone have 90 days to appeal the designation after the public meeting.