Flood Maps & Zones

• You can find out your flood risk using the County’s interactive maps:
  • Flood Zone
  • Evacuation Zone
  • Storm Surge Protector Application
• Current Water Levels - access water quality, hydrology, rainfall and weather data.

Flood zones, evacuation zones and storm surge protector are different. They measure different conditions that may not occur at the same time, are determined by different methods and have different purposes. A home may be located in a non-evacuation zone, yet still be located in a flood zone because of a nearby stream or pond. Residents are advised to check all of them to learn what your flood risk is.

Flood Zone	Evacuation Zone	Storm Surge Protector	Current Water Levels

• Low-lying areas in Pinellas County are subject to flooding. Tropical storms and other threatening weather may also present flood hazards to residents due to heavy rainfall, high tides, or storm surges caused by winds.
• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has designated low-lying areas as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA), which are defined as having a 1% chance of being flooded in any given year. The Special Flood Hazard Areas are depicted as A or V zones on a Flood Insurance Rate Map.

Definitions:

• What’s my flood risk? Everyone is at risk for flooding. You may be in a flood zone, a storm surge area, or an evacuation zone. Use our interactive maps to see the difference.

  Flood zones are areas mapped by FEMA for use in the National Flood Insurance Program. Each flood zone designation, represented by a letter or letters, tells homeowners what the risk is for flooding at their property over a period of years, regardless of the cause. High risk areas, referred to as Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) are shown on the map as zones labeled with the letters A or V. By law, all homes in high-risk zones carrying a mortgage must be covered by flood insurance . Moderate to low risk areas are labeled with the letters B, C, or X. Areas labeled with the letter D are undetermined risk areas.
  
  Visit the Pinellas County Flood Map Service Center to find out what your risk is.
  
  It should be noted that the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) on the maps is only accurate to plus or minus a half foot. For an accurate BFE, refer to the Flood Profiles or Flood Elevation Tables in the Flood Insurance Study .

• Evacuation zones are based on hurricane storm surge zones determined by the National Hurricane Center using ground elevation and the area’s vulnerability to storm surge from a hurricane. The evacuation zones are marked from A through E, plus non-evacuation zones. Visit the Know your Zone Evacuation Level Lookup to find out what zone you are in.

• Storm Surge flooding occurs when an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm is pushed toward the shore by strong winds. If you are susceptible to storm surge, flood insurance is recommended, even if you are not located in a FEMA flood zone. Visit the Storm Surge Protector Application to find out what your risk is, also shows wetlands from the National Wetlands Inventory, so that you can see if your property is near a natural floodplain.

• Current Water Levels in a nearby waterbody can help you predict when flooding might occur during a rain or tropical event.
  • Riverine Data
  • Coastal Data

Cost of Flooding Tool: (Please note, this uses flash which cannot be seen on apple computers
or on some PC's using certain browsers.)

Most homeowners and renters insurance does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance, however, is available in the form of a separate policy both from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and from a few private insurers. Rates are calculated based on a variety of factors, including elevation and building construction. Policies can be purchased for contents only, building only, or both contents and building coverage. Talk to a licensed insurance agent to determine the premium for your specific property.

• To find agents serving your area visit www.FloodSmart.gov or call
  (888) 379-9531.

• Pinellas County will provide you with information about your flood hazard, flood-prone areas and other areas that need special protection because of their natural functions. Contact our Flood Information Services hotline at (727) 464-7700.