Some Wichita neighborhoods may be at risk for flooding.
A new Federal Emergency Management Agency floodplain map was presented before the City Council workshop Tuesday morning. The map is routinely updated and these findings are preliminary.
“I would encourage people at this point not to panic,” said council member Janet Miller. “There’s more information to be gained.”
Miller is the council person for District 6, which is where the city saw the most change — about a 128 percent increase. These properties are located in northwest Wichita. The city of Wichita saw a 25 percent increase in properties on current map compared to this preliminary map. Districts 2 and 3 saw a decrease.
Public Works director Alan King said several factors could change what properties are on the floodplain.
“A property can be affected if you live next to a pond or if you live on a street that floods in heavy rains,” King said. “But, your structure is still well away from where the flooding is.”
Overall, the city is expected to have 4,350 properties added to the map; 2,524 removed from the map; and 4,851 will remain on the map. In total, 9,201 properties are expected to be on this new FEMA map.
However, Miller said just because a property is listed on the map does not mean that a home is at risk. In upcoming months, homes and land will be evaluated to determine if they are at susceptible to flooding. In some cases, a home may be elevated, which would reduce a chance of flooding, Miller said.
Residents will be notified if they’re added or have a change of status in the next couple of months.
“It’s not necessarily good information or bad information,” she said. “It’s information that helps you as a property owner make an informed decision about whether or not to purchase flood insurance.”
If a homeowner has property listed on the floodmap, they are not forced to get flood insurance, said council member Jeff Longwell.
Experts at the presentation said homeowners can get a deal if their property is listed. For example, some people will be able to get insurance at a rate before the maps were drawn. They can be grandfathered into these rates, said Ally Bishop, a regional manager for the National Flood Insurance Program.
Bishop also said people can appeal to be excluded from the floodplain map, but she encourages people to wait. FEMA maps are still being evaluated and are expected to be complete by June 2016.
The city will have its first public meeting about the FEMA floodplain maps at 6 p.m. on March 18 at the Evergreen Recreational Center at 2700 N. Woodland.