Officials urge residents to get flood insurance

May 03--With the rainy season on its way, flooding is imminent, and for those living within a floodplain and without insurance, it could cost quite a bit of money if a home is damaged.

The Cherokee County Floodplain Board recently released an announcement informing homeowners about the importance of flood insurance, stating that flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the nation.

The board reported that damage from just one inch of water can cost more than $20,000.

Most standard homeowner policies do not cover flooding if caused by extreme weather conditions that originate outside the home. According to the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, there is a 25 percent chance that a home will be flooded during a 30-year mortgage, including homes not in a floodplain.

The Oklahoma Floodplain Management Act, passed in 1980, authorizes cities to develop floodplain regulations, designate flood hazard areas and establish boards.

Before building or undergoing new construction on a floodplain or floodway, the city requires the builder to obtain a permit.

An example of a floodway is along the Town Branch. A floodway can be hazardous due to the velocity of floodwaters which carry debris and projectiles and cause erosion. Just outside the floodway is the floodplain.

Parts of Water Street are within a flood plain because of the adjacent bluff, which prevents water from rising and leveling during a flood.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, any project in a floodway must be reviewed to determine if the project will increase flood heights. An engineering analysis must be conducted before a permit can be issued.

The city's permit file must have a record of the results of this analysis, which can be in the form of a No-rise Certification.

The certification must be supported by technical data and signed by a registered professional engineer.

According to Tahlequah and national ordinances, the finished floor of a residential or nonresidential structure must be one foot above the base flood elevation. The BFE is a computed elevation to which floodwater is anticipated to rise during the base flood.

It is a regulatory requirement for the elevation or flood-proofing of structures.

City Planning and Development Director Clinton Johnson said the city is attempting to purchase buildings in floodways throughout Tahlequah to keep the base flood elevation low.

"The more structures that are removed and improvements made to the channel, it could lower the base flood elevation," Johnson said. "We've made enough improvements that we're confident the base flood elevation will change."

A drainage study was performed in 1978 by FEMA to determine the boundaries of flood plains and floodways within the county. In 1989, the Hulbert area was added to the study.

"We have a lot of creeks and streams in the heart of our community," Johnson said.

He added that his department is budgeting for a new drainage study so information can be updated. The city is also attempting to receive grants.

As of Sept. 2017, the city has collected data from property owners that there are 45 polices with flood insurance where the structure is within flood plains and floodways. There are approximately 115 structures in those areas.

According to reports, there have been 15 flood insurance policy claims since 1978 in Cherokee County.

Johnson said while only 15 claims are good, a community with more claims would get awarded more resources for hazard mitigation, which is a competitive grant process.

FEMA's Community Rating System recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum National Flood Insurance Program standards. Depending upon the level of participation, flood insurance premiums for policy holders can be reduced up to 45 percent.

To receive the reduced rates, a community must meet several requirements within a point system.

The more points met, the higher the discount rate for policy holders.

Implementing some CRS activities can help projects qualify for other federal assistance programs.

Johnson said he believes a lot of people don't have flood insurance because of the expense.

The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 authorized and funded the national mapping program and certain rate increases to ensure the fiscal soundness of the program by transitioning from subsidized rates, or artificially low rates, to offer full actuarial rates reflective of risk.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 prohibited the implementation of certain sections of the Biggert-Waters Act, effectively stopping certain rate increases while new law was being developed to address concerns about the raise in rates.

The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 repealed certain parts of the Biggert-Waters Act, restoring grandfathering, putting limits on certain rate increases and updating the approach to ensuring the fiscal soundness of the fund by applying an annual surcharge to all policy holders.

Some home lenders require flood insurance on at-risk properties, but Tahlequah does not. The city does encourage purchase of flood insurance policies.

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