Managing Floodplains in Fishers
Every body of water, such as a creek, pond, river, or lake, has a floodplain. This is the area adjacent to a body of water impacted by a 100-year flood: a significant flood that has a 1% chance of happening in any given year.
Fishers Floodplain Ordinance, along with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ (IDNR’s) and Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) floodplain standards, protect the floodplain and prevent physical harm and property loss that can occur from development in those areas.
If you want to learn more about floodplain management in general and see why this program is so important in terms of protecting your home from flooding, please review this excellent DNR resource called Indiana Floodplain Mapping for a comprehensive walkthrough floodplain management.
Your Property & Floodplains
If you live on or near a creek, White River, or Geist Reservoir you might be in a floodplain. Find out by visiting the Flood Zone Map. You may obtain the official floodplain elevation of your lot by completing the IDNR’s Floodplain Analysis and Regulatory Assessment request directly from the IDNR Indiana Floodplain Information Portal (INFIP). See instructions.
If you believe there has been an error in your property’s classification, you may contact FEMA to request an official change to the floodplain designation for your lot. Once your completed Letter of Map Change (LOMC) application has been signed by the local floodplain administrator, it can be mailed to FEMA for an official determination. If you have successfully documented that you are out of the floodplain, FEMA will issue a LOMC.
Sometimes this process can be accomplished by a process called Out As Shown where existing available data supports the removal of your home or lot from the floodplain, but other times an official survey of your home or lot to compare it to existing ground elevations may be needed. In cases such as these, you will need to hire a professional land surveyor to provide that data. In any case, it is recommended that you hire a professional land surveyor or engineer to help you complete the LOMC request forms before sending them to FEMA.
To see if your site already has an existing LOMC please visit the FEMA website to do a LOMC search. This search will also show you the floodplain map of your site and any other floodplain-associated determinations or documents that are associated with or are near your site.
Flood Insurance
Any building located in a designated floodplain that is secured by a federally-backed mortgage must carry flood insurance. Once a mortgage is paid, the owner has a choice to continue flood insurance coverage or to opt out.
Fishers participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), to make flood insurance available for all residents of Fishers.
Anyone who owns property in Fishers may purchase flood insurance, whether they live in a floodplain or not. If your structure is located outside of a FEMA-designated floodplain your flood insurance premiums should be less than someone located within a floodplain. FEMA has recently transitioned to a new method for determining flood insurance risk and premium rates called Risk Rating 2.0: Equity in Action.
Resources:
For specific questions regarding flood insurance, please contact an insurance agent. The City strongly recommends that you carry flood insurance if you live near a body of water. Even if you don’t live near water, localized flooding could damage your home so it is still a good idea to carry flood insurance for peace of mind.
Stormwater & Floodplain Grant
The City offers a matching grant called the Stormwater Grant to help property owners solve private property drainage and flooding solutions. If your property or home is within a floodplain, please contact us today to learn how the grant can help you avoid a potential disaster associated with your home. This grant can help with elevating your home, installing flood vents, elevating utilities, or relocating your home out of the floodplain in some cases. Apply for the Stormwater Grant.
Construction in the Floodplain
If you want to build a home or perform grading or any other type of construction or improvement within a floodplain per the Floodplain Map you must obtain a Floodplain Permit from the City and possibly the State of Indiana through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). If your building site is located within the cross-hatched area, then you need a DNR Construction in a Floodway Permit and a City of Fishers Floodplain Permit. Please click here to apply for a DNR Construction in a Floodway Permit and contact the City at stormwater@fishers.in.us to inquire about the City permit. If your site is only within the blue-shaded area outside of any cross-hatched area, please contact the City at stormwater@fishers.in.us about a City Floodplain Permit.
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