Flood Plain – National Flood Insurance Program

A significant portion of Delaware City is located within the FEMA – designated 100-year flood plain. This means that there is a 1% chance each year that a flood will occur in the mapped area. The Base Flood Elevation (BFE) for Delaware City varies. You can find your BFE on the FEMA Flood Plain Maps (FIRM). The flood maps are available at Town Hall for public review, along with many helpful brochures and technical bulletins relating to floodplain development, flood preparedness, and flood insurance.

Delaware City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Properties in the 100-year flood plain are subject to regulation under the Delaware City FloodPlain Ordinance, which meets FEMA requirements for the NFIP. These regulations are designed to save lives and reduce property losses when flooding occurs. Without access to the NFIP, property owners would find flood insurance to be prohibitively expensive, if available at all.

Special rules apply for development in the flood plain, including minimum floor elevation and hydrostatic venting of foundations. A FEMA elevation certificate is required for all new construction and “significant improvements” in the flood zone. You will also need to complete a Floodplain Permit Application to build in the floodplain accompanied by a Foundation As-Built Certification. In addition, no filling or grading may take place within the flood plain without a permit from the City. More Floodplain information.