FAQs • Harford County, MD • CivicEngage

What is a floodplain? How does the floodplain affect my property?: The regulatory 100-year floodplain is an area mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency based upon the probability of that area flooding from stormwater on the order of once every 100 years. The Department of Planning and Zoning is a repository for FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and offers assistance in making floodplain determinations and understanding flood insurance requirements. Land located within the 100 year floodplain has a 1% chance of being flooded in any given year, or 26% chance during the life of a mortgage, is subject to restrictive building regulations.

County regulations prohibit most development in floodplains for several reasons. Structures built in floodplains are likely to be damaged or destroyed during a flood. These structures may collect debris carried by the flood and cause further damage to the area. In addition, development in a floodplain may cause floodwaters to be displaced to areas which were not formerly prone to floods thus causing damage upstream or downstream from the development site. Flood insurance is required for properties in the Special Flood Hazard Areas.

For more information about flooding, mapping, and actions that you can take in preparation or after a flood in Harford county, please download the Guide to Flood Hazards (PDF).

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Floodplain Management Program

1. What is a floodplain? How does the floodplain affect my property?: The regulatory 100-year floodplain is an area mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency based upon the probability of that area flooding from stormwater on the order of once every 100 years. The Department of Planning and Zoning is a repository for FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and offers assistance in making floodplain determinations and understanding flood insurance requirements. Land located within the 100 year floodplain has a 1% chance of being flooded in any given year, or 26% chance during the life of a mortgage, is subject to restrictive building regulations.

County regulations prohibit most development in floodplains for several reasons. Structures built in floodplains are likely to be damaged or destroyed during a flood. These structures may collect debris carried by the flood and cause further damage to the area. In addition, development in a floodplain may cause floodwaters to be displaced to areas which were not formerly prone to floods thus causing damage upstream or downstream from the development site. Flood insurance is required for properties in the Special Flood Hazard Areas.

For more information about flooding, mapping, and actions that you can take in preparation or after a flood in Harford county, please download the Guide to Flood Hazards (PDF).

2. My home is located in a floodplain area. What are Harford County’s regulations regarding development or redevelopment in the floodplain?: Floodplain regulations vary depending on several factors including when your house was built and what flood zone you are located in. You may get more details by calling the Department of Planning and Zoning 410-638-310, or downloading the county’s Floodplain Management Program (PDF).

3. I was told that I need an elevation certificate. What is that form and who is qualified to complete the elevation certificate?: An elevation certificate is an official form supplied by FEMA to certify as-built elevations above mean sea level established by the National Geodetic Survey. These certificates are needed to ensure that buildings and other construction activities are sufficiently elevated. Any surveyor or engineer licensed in the State of Maryland is qualified to complete this form. You may view and download an updated elevation certificate on the FEMA website.

4. I have lived here forever and have never been flooded. Why do I need flood insurance?: The flood hazards shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) are based on the best available information at the time the maps were prepared. In many areas, hydraulic and hydrologic studies were conducted to reflect the long-term projection of flood risk. The fact that a flood hasn’t occurred within memory does not mean one won’t happen soon.

The 100-year flood is a relatively rare event (1% chance in any given year), but structures located in the floodplain have a significant chance (26%) of suffering flood damage during the term of a 30-year mortgage. For these reasons, flood insurance is required as a condition of receiving federal or federally-backed financing. Please call 410-638-3103 for more information.

5. How can I see Harford County’s flood maps and find out more information?: The Harford County Department of Planning and Zoning is the repository of all Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMS) for Harford County. The municipalities (Aberdeen, Bel Air, Havre de Grace) also have the FIRMs for their localities, along with updated flood studies and Letters of Map Amendments (LOMA). You can speak to Harford County’s floodplain manager at 410-638-3103.

Additionally, FEMA and its Map Service Center (MSC) have several features to allow the viewing and purchasing of FEMA flood maps on the internet. One feature is the MSC Product Map Search which allows the user to simply type in the property address to view the FIRM. Call MSC customer service for assistance with free downloads and documents at 800-358-9616, or download documents from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer Map

6. Why did my bank tell me that flood insurance is mandatory?: The Flood Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 mandate the purchase of flood insurance as a condition of federal or federally regulated financing for acquisition and/or construction of buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) of any participating community.

These acts prohibit federal agency lenders from making, guaranteeing, or purchasing a loan secured by real estate or mobile home(s) in SFHA, unless flood insurance has been purchased and is maintained during the term of the loan. In addition, even if the community is not participating in the NFIP, a lender may require the borrower to obtain flood insurance in the absence of a federally mandatory requirement. Please call 410-638-3103 for more information.

7. How are rates determined for a flood insurance policy?: Factors considered in determining the premium for flood insurance include:
-Age of the structure
-Amount of coverage purchased
-Building design
-Building occupancy
-Location

For those structures located within the Special Flood Hazard Area, the elevation of the structure in relation to the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is a factor in the premium for flood insurance. Please call 410-638-3103 for more information.

8. Where can I find out more about purchasing flood insurance?: After a community joins the National Flood Insurance Program, a policy may be purchased from any licensed property insurance agent or broker who is in good standing in the state in which the agent is licensed. Please call 410-638-3103 for more information.