Welcome to Skagit County

July 6th, 2010

Skagit County receives Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency maps and report

SKAGIT COUNTY The Department of Homeland Securitys Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) produced the revised Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map (DFIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for Skagit County on Thursday, July 1. FEMA originally released the maps and report on December 15, 2009, but revised them due to errors found in the original products. FEMA produced the DFIRM and FIS report in countywide format, presenting flood hazard information for the entire geographic area of the county, including both incorporated and unincorporated areas.

The flood hazard information presented on the DFIRM includes Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs), areas subject to inundation by the possible 100-year flood, Base Flood Elevations (BFEs), and, if developed, regulatory floodways (areas that must be kept free of encroachment to allow a 100-year flood to be carried without significant increases in flood levels).

FEMA produced the new map panels in the DFIRM standard panel layout based on the United States Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute quadrangle map grid. The grid is subdivided for the production of large-scale maps, which results in an increased number of map panels for individual communities.

Skagit County, in coordination with FEMA, will hold a flood study review meeting to present the results of the study, discuss the information presented on the DFIRM and FIS report, and discuss the impact of the studies on Skagit Countys participation in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The meeting will also provide an opportunity for comments and questions regarding the maps and report. Skagit County will work with FEMA to discuss public outreach regarding the revised maps and what role the community would like FEMA to play in this effort.

The community will have 90 days to review the DFIRM and FIS report. The review period will allow community members to identify changes or corrections to non-technical information. FEMA will then review all comments and changes received during this period and will incorporate them, as appropriate, before the DFIRM and FIS report become effective.

"Your community's comments on the revised preliminary DFIRM panels and FIS report are an important part of our review process, and we will consider them carefully before we publish the DFIRM and FIS report in their final form," stated Mark Carey, Director of the Mitigation Division.

The FEMA maps will be available to the public on Tuesday, July 6, via the County website.

For more information, contact Tim DeVries at 360-336-9410 ext. 3489