New floodplain maps on view as comment period opens up
By Steve Herring
Published in News on December 2, 2014 1:46 PM
Wayne County residents on Wednesday will have an opportunity to review the latest flood hazard and flood risk data for the county.
New digital flood maps will be shown Wednesday from 5 until 7 p.m. in the large conference room at Goldsboro City Hall at 200 N. Center St.
The meeting will also open up a 90-day comment period for people to raise questions about the maps and/or to submit comments to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
After FEMA reviews any comments, the maps will be returned to Wayne County commissioners for approval.
Wayne County Planner Connie Price said he does not expect to see much change in the floodplain maps.
There could be come changes in areas around Goldsboro caused by development, he said.
For example, fields and trees that once held runoff back have been replaced by development that would increase runoff. Engineers need to know that information when designing bridges or drainage pipes, Price said.
The North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program was established in 2000 with a mandate to update flood hazard data for all 100 counties. Through a partnership with FEMA, the state was charged with creating and maintaining the Flood Insurance Study for all North Carolina communities.
Since 2003 the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program has analyzed, updated and digitized the flood hazard data for all 100 counties and associated communities in North Carolina.
This preliminary flood hazard data was developed based on local community requests for new flood hazard risk studies for the updated streams.
Only those portions of the revised streams have been updated. Therefore, some communities in the county will not have new flood hazard data, although adjacent counties may have some updates because of the seamless statewide format for the mapping program.
In the past, the county had to rely on large paper maps to show the floodplain. It was difficult to exactly pinpoint a building that way, Price said.
That information is now available digitally.
That means the preliminary flood hazard information can be layered on top of the county's parcel data so property owners can better determine potential risks to their land, he said.
The public meeting provides an opportunity for residents to see the results of the revised studies and new flood hazard areas.
County and city employees will be on hand to help residents locate particular properties from the flood hazard layer and determine their level of flood risk.
Also, representatives from the North Carolina Floodplain Mapping Program will also be available to answer questions about the flood hazard update process, flood insurance coverage and floodplain management.
People who attend may also see a demonstration of the North Carolina Flood Risk Information System.