Vancouver, WA – Property owners in the Washougal River watershed have 90 days to submit information challenging proposed revisions to flood insurance rate maps.

Earlier this year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued preliminary maps showing revisions to the 100-year floodplain, which has a 1 percent chance of flooding in any year. These revisions reflect recent engineering studies and updated information.

The revised flood insurance rate maps cover land along the Washougal River and Little Washougal River and behind the Port of Camas-Washougal’s levee on the Columbia River.

The appeal period begins today and ends Tuesday, Dec. 6. Appeals should be filed with the local government that has jurisdiction, either the cities of Washougal or Camas for properties within their municipal boundaries or Clark County for unincorporated areas.

More detailed information on how to appeal can be found on FEMA’s website at www.floodmaps.fema.gov/fhm/BFE_Status/bfe_main.asp.

Once the flood insurance rate maps are final, they will help community officials and local residents identify flood risks and be used for flood insurance, land use and development decisions.

Clark County encourages property owners to examine the preliminary maps at www.clark.wa.gov/public-works/preliminary-washougal-flood-maps.

The revised maps cover only one portion of Clark County. Flood insurance maps for the rest of the county took effect in September 2012.

Flooding is the nation’s most common and expensive natural disaster. According to national statistics, homes inside high-risk flood areas have a 26 percent chance of being damaged by flooding over the life of a 30-year mortgage, compared with a 9 percent chance of sustaining fire damage.

More information on flood safety is available at www.clark.wa.gov/public-works/flood-safety. To learn about federal flood insurance, visit www.floodsmart.gov.

CONTACT
Tom Grange
Engineering and Construction Manager
Public Works
(360) 397-6118 ext. 4449
tom.grange@clark.wa.gov