City of Scottsdale
News Release
July 13, 2018
Flood Insurance Rate Maps for a portion of Scottsdale have been revised, resulting in a reduction in flood insurance premiums for more than 100 property owners.
The changes come after an area along the Arizona Canal was restudied, from Chaparral Road north to Indian Bend Wash. The analysis took into account infrastructure improvements and improved flood modeling techniques.
Map of Revised Floodplain Area.
Based on those changes, 100-year floodplain zones became smaller, removing more than 100 property owners from their boundaries. Flood insurance is no longer mandatory for these property owners if they have a federally backed mortgage.
Individual property owners are expected to save hundreds of dollars per year on flood insurance as a result of the revised floodplain zones. Total savings could exceed $75,000, depending on the type of insurance carried by property owners.
Not all the changes are good news for property owners. A small section of the Arizona Canal floodplain was reclassified to reflect a higher risk of flooding.
Eleven property owners in that area, previously not subject to mandatory flood insurance, are now located in a 100-year floodplain. They are now required to carry flood insurance if they have a federally backed mortgage. Their flood insurance premiums are expected to be relatively low, however, based on the new flood zone designation.
Fifteen property owners will remain in the revised floodplain, but their flood insurance premiums are expected to be substantially reduced based on the new flood zone designation that reflects a lowered risk in that area.
Because severe weather and flooding can be unpredictable in the desert, Scottsdale urges all residents to consider carrying flood insurance.
Questions about these changes can be directed to the city’s floodplain administrator, Ashley Couch, at 480-312-4317 or acouch@scottsdaleaz.gov.
There are several resources available to learn more about Scottsdale’s stormwater program and federal flood insurance. They include:
Scottsdale Stormwater – ScottsdaleAZ.gov, search “stormwater.”
FEMA Flood Insurance Program — www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program
FloodSmart — https://floodsmart.gov
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Here is a map of the revised floodplain area:
Contact: Ashley Couch, floodplain administrator, 480-312-4317, acouch@scottsdaleaz.gov.
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