Flooding & Flood Risks

When levee designations change

Levees reduce the risk of flooding, but they don’t eliminate it. With more serious floods, they can be overtopped or even fail. For this reason flood insurance is recommended for any property located near a levee.

Over time, the level of protection a levee provides can change. Hundreds of levees across the country no longer meet federal standards for protection against major floods. When new flood maps are issued, areas near these de-accredited levees will be shown as high-risk flood zones, and homeowners will be required by most lenders to have flood insurance.

When levees have been constructed or improved to meet federal standards, flood maps show these as accredited levees. Flood insurance isn’t required unless other risk factors are present, but it is strongly recommended. Still other levees are under review, and are shown as Provisionally Accredited Levees while further documentation takes place. Flood insurance is strongly recommended for all areas near levees, as flood damage can be catastrophic.

Understand different Flood Risk Scenarios >>

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