Are you in a flood zone?

[CajunMama]

brunota...i'm by a coulee (which is what we call creeks down here). I thought i was safe too until Jan. 20, 1993. I ended up with 6" of water in my new home. I was told by everyone i didn't need flood insurance...wish i hadn't listened to them.

Would that be Coulee Meine, between Bendel Gardens and I forgot what area on the other side? I used to fish for alligator gar there when I was a kid.

I got "Risk Level: Unavailable for southwest Houston.

No, it's the Isaac Verot Coulee...it runs 17 miles before it hits the Vermilion River. You know we had alot of rain if it started flowing north and flooded us. It also started flowing north after Rita...we didn't hesitate to leave. I'm by Comeaux High School.

[southerngale]

I guess Texas isn't available.

[johnq1954]

I read recently that the Feds are redrawing the flood zones as a result of Katrina's flooding those areas that were previously considered 'low risk'. What was 'low risk' may soon be 'high risk', and your flood insurance premiums will rise accordingly.

[Dionne]

Out of 3 properties here in southern Mississippi.....I got back 2 "unavailable" and 1 at "High risk".

[WhirlWind]

High risk here, but that comes as no surprise as I am 2 blocks from the beach...
WhirlWind

[dizzyfish]

This is weird.
We came in at a high risk but we are on a hill 22+ feet above sea level and are NOT on the hurricane evacuation map for our county (even the highest level). Of course, on the other side of the hill they are in evac. level E. Glad I live on this side!

Wish I could figure out a way to tell how far we are from the coast.
Anyone know how?

Dotty

[Audrey2Katrina]

That makes me feel soo much better. Thanks CajunMama! Made my day

Same here! But I expected as much living along the Southshore of Lake Pontchartrain--even though we experienced no flooding at all ... pre-Katrina.... definitely a wakeup call.

A2K

[Stratusxpeye]

Moderate to Low risk here. Even though im well inland and surrounding in some of floridas only hills. Hmmm? Don't think my house could ever be flooded. I live on a hill my street goes downhill and im near the top.

[White Cap]

It says I am in a HIGH risk area. Our insurance agent said we are Zone X - Low Risk. I am confused. Did we sink more overnight? Time to put my floaties on!

[TSmith274]

Moderate-Low for me... westbank of New Orleans. Algiers has never flooded, so I guess that makes sense.

[SeaBrz_FL]

My point being this. Just because you may not be in a flood zone does not mean you won't flood. If I had it to do all over again (and of course, knowing what I know now), I would recommend anyone who is below 30 feet to get the insurance. It is REALLY cheap - especially in comparison to the damages you have to pay for yourself. If you're in a surge-prone area, I would seriously consider flood insurance - even if you're NOT in a FEMA flood zone.

Very good point, Ixo, and CajunMama had a similar story.

I was amazed when I bought my barrier-island home, 700 yards from the shoreline, that I was also rated in the X-Zone (low risk). I had lived all my life on the next barrier island west (further from the ocean) and had always been high-risk (A). Still not sure how they've decided this, but there is no way I'm going without that insurance so am paying top dollar for the X level premium.

FYI maybe for some of you -- ALL U.S. Flood Insurance is underwritten by the Federal Government and premiums are greater subsidized for greater risks. I know, total reverse of our capitalist logic.

[SeaBrz_FL]

2 meter below sealevel here. I guess that means I'm in a flood zone...

No, Yarrah, you will never be in a flood zone because you all build and maintain exquisite dykes and polders! I stayed in Utrecht for three weeks in 2001. In fact, I was there on the infamous Sept 11 and will never forget the kindness of the Utrecht people.

Cheers, SB

[Tstormwatcher]

Low to moderate here but I believe that I am in a very low to no risk. We had a seven inch downpour last year in about 4 hours. Water only got to the top of my ditch and was mostly gone within 30 minutes of the rain letting up. I am 30 plus feet above the river a 1/4 mile from it, and about 20 miles inland from the coast. We have excellent drainage in my area.

[Audrey2Katrina]

This was probably already posted before; but I'm relatively new here so excuse it if it's a deja-vu.

Anyway, the below link takes you to a map of the Greater N.O. area and all you have to do is click on any place on the map and it will show you an estimate of just how deep the flood waters were in that area.

http://mapper.cctechnol.com/floodmap.php

My area shows 2.9 feet... it was more like 3.5 but close enough.

A2K

[Audrey2Katrina]

Not to be too parochial, but for those in the GNO metro area, this is a FEMA flood zone map... it shows my area as 5-6 feet below sea level...

Only consolation I can take in that is that I can climb on top of something!

http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/tfg/Items%20of%20Special%20Interest/Flood%20Zone%20Map.pdf

A2K

[conestogo_flood]

Yup. This area has levees, flood ways and a dam.

Also included are outdoor flood sirens and a telephone flood warning service.

Whenever a flood warning is issued the sirens sound every hour for a few minutes.

We've had flood warnings only a few times since I moved here, maybe 3 times. Nothing big, but one time there was 3 feet of water sitting in some areas flooding basements.

[gatorcane]

I'm 8ft above sea level....about 1/2 mile from the Atlantic intercoastal water way in Boca Raton.

[hicksta]

i donthave to look at that. if i can see the bay from myback yard. i tihnk im in a highrisk lol

[gatorcane]

i donthave to look at that. if i can see the bay from myback yard. i tihnk im in a highrisk lol

true. lol.

[Frank P]

I just had my property surveyed... I live on Hwy 90 on the beach in Biloxi... the sidewalk in the front of my property near the hwy is 15.5 feet above sealevel.. this is a zone B flood area... my yard is slightly elevated as you go towards where my house used to be.. the lowest point is 17.3 feet, this is a zone C flood area (house was 18.5 feet).... neither B or C require flood insurance... big mistake... Katrina put at least 24-26 feet of storm surge in my yard....

our city council is requiring home owners to build up 4 feet above the baseline flood level... so all I have to do is build up to 16 feet... which means I don't really have to do anything.... which makes absolutely NO sense to me... I am rebuilding up to 28 feet above sea level... as Ixolib stated, anyone below 30 feet should get flood insurance.. it will only cost you about 317 bucks for about 350K coverage if you are in a B or C zone...