DNREC to Revise Bundicks Branch Flood Risk Map in Sussex County

DNREC and FEMA are partnering to improve flood risk mapping of Bundicks Branch, west of Lewes in Sussex County

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control is conducting a floodplain mapping study for Bundicks Branch in Sussex County and encourages the public to learn more about the upcoming mapping changes at https://de.gov/bundicksbranch. Comments and questions about the Bundicks Branch mapping study can be submitted online, with more information about floodplain mapping and flood insurance also found there.

The Bundicks Branch study is an example of DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to improve the accuracy of flood risk maps statewide through a Cooperating Technical Partnership. Current flood risk maps for Delaware can be viewed at www.de.gov/floodplanning.

“DNREC and its consultant are performing updated watershed modelling to produce more detailed and accurate flood risk assessments and maps for the Bundicks Branch watershed,” said Michael Powell, DNREC Shoreline and Waterway Management section administrator. “This improved study and map will ultimately be adopted by FEMA to produce updated federal floodplain maps for this watershed.”

FEMA’s flood risk maps are used for flood insurance purposes and to enforce local floodplain codes. FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program makes flood insurance available to local property owners. Mortgage lenders require borrowers whose properties are in a designated special flood hazard area to purchase flood insurance as a condition of receiving a federally backed mortgage loan in accordance with the Federal Disaster Protection Act of 1973.

Standard homeowners insurance does not cover damage caused by flooding, but all property owners and renters can buy flood insurance. Homeowners interested in how the proposed changes could impact the cost of their flood insurance premium should contact their insurance agent.

More information about Delaware’s floodplain management program can be found on the DNREC website.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Watershed Stewardship develops and implements innovative watershed assessment, monitoring and implementation activities. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps appeal period runs to Sept. 1 for parts of Kent and Sussex County

DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Watershed Stewardship reminds residents of Kent and Sussex County that preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps for portions of the two counties released last year by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are currently in a 90-day regulatory appeal period that ends Sept. 1.

Anyone who believes that the preliminary maps (found online at www.de.gov/floodplanning) may contain errors can submit an appeal to their community floodplain administrator. The floodplain administrator will review and consolidate all appeals before forwarding them to FEMA. Once FEMA has reviewed appeals and made a determination on their validity, the agency will issue a Letter of Final Determination to the communities. The preliminary maps will become effective six months after the Letter of Final Determination, currently projected to be June 15, 2018.

FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program makes flood insurance available to local property owners. Mortgage lenders require borrowers whose properties are located in a designated special flood hazard area to purchase flood insurance as a condition of receiving a federally backed mortgage loan in accordance with the Federal Disaster Protection Act of 1973. FEMA’s flood risk maps are used by insurance companies to establish insurance rates and by local communities to enforce local floodplain codes.

“Hydrologic studies that determine water flows, base flood elevations and accurate floodplain boundaries were performed by DNREC on about 200 miles of waterways in western Sussex and southwestern Kent Counties,” said Michael Powell, DNREC flood program manager. “With these results, base flood elevations for many areas are now shown on FEMA’s maps for the first time, providing property owners with more detailed and accurate flood risk assessments.”

For more information on the flood risk maps, contact Greg Williams or Michael Powell, Division of Watershed Stewardship, at 302-739-9921. For information on DNREC’s flood mitigation program, please visit DNREC’s website at http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/swc/Drainage/Pages/Flooding.aspx.

Media contact: Michael Globetti, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902

Vol. 47, No. 151

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Would You Be Covered If Your Home Flooded?

Would You Be Covered If Your Home Flooded?

Commissioner Stewart Offers Tips on Flood Insurance

 

DOVER, DE – According to Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), more than 331 square miles, or 17 percent, of Delaware’s land mass is within a high risk flood zone, including more than 18,000 structures statewide. Insurance Commissioner Karen Weldin Stewart and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners offer the following information to help you get smart about your flood insurance options.

 

Many people don’t know that a standard homeowners or renters insurance policy almost never covers damage to your home or its contents due to flood waters. If your home were to flood tomorrow, would you be covered by your insurance? Do you even know your home’s risk potential for a flood? Before you can decide what sort of coverage you may need, you need to know your risk.

 

To learn about your home’s risk for flooding visit our Flood Insurance webpage, http://delawareinsurance.gov/departments/consumer/flood.shtml, which has links to county-specific flood maps from DNREC and links to additional maps from FEMA.

 

Just because you don’t live near a body of water doesn’t mean that you’re safe from flooding. According to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), floods are the number one natural disaster in the U.S., and consumers outside of high-risk flood areas may account for more than one in five flood insurance claims. The NFIP helps communities understand their risk by providing flood maps. Risk levels are divided into three categories:

 

  • High-risk areas have at least a 1 percent chance of flooding annually. All homeowners in these areas with mortgages from the federally regulated or insured lenders are required to buy flood insurance.
  • Moderate-to-low-risk areas have less chance of flooding annually, but the possibility is not completely removed. Flood insurance in these areas is not required, but it is recommended for all property owners and renters.
  • Undetermined-risk areas are where flood-hazard analysis has not been conducted, but a flood risk still exists.

So if you’re at risk, are you covered? Generally, homeowners insurance does not offer protection against flood losses. You should check your policy under “exclusions.” If coverage for flood damage exists, it will probably be listed under “water damage.” Contact your agent or insurer to find out more about what your current policy covers.

 

While some private companies offer flood insurance, most flood insurance in the U.S. is backed by the federal government under the NFIP. It may be purchased through licensed property and casualty insurance agents or through many private insurance companies. Typically, there’s a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before a policy goes into effect. There are also eligibility restrictions to qualify for National Flood Insurance. Please contact the NFIP with eligibility questions at (800) 427-4661 or visit the NFIP’s website, www.floodsmart.gov.

 

The standard flood insurance policy covers direct physical damage to your insured property up to the replacement cost or actual cash value of damages, or the policy limit of liability, whichever is less. It covers structural damage, including damage to the furnace, water heater, air conditioner, flooring and debris clean-up. Coverage for basements, crawlspaces and ground-level enclosures on elevated homes is limited, so talk to your agent about any restrictions in your policy. The contents of your home are not covered under a standard flood insurance policy.

 

Flood insurance generally covers damage caused by hurricanes, rivers, and tidal waters extending over at least two acres. Flood insurance covers overflow, inland or tidal waters, and unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters of any source. The flood must be a general and temporary condition. Flooding from wind-driven rain entering through a wind-damaged window or door, hole in a wall, or the roof is typically not covered by a flood policy, but is generally included in most homeowners policies.

 

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The Delaware Department of Insurance mission: Protecting Delawareans through regulation
and education while providing oversight of the insurance industry to best serve the public.

 

For Immediate Release

Media Inquiries? Contact:  Jerry Grant at (302) 674-7303