There is no wash on my property, why am I still in the Floodplain?

It is common in Cochise County for portions of washes to be dry for long periods and to have no distinct banks. These same "dry" washes can carry significant flows at high velocities. Visible signs of a watercourse on property could be a vegetation line near the watercourse when a defined flow path is not visible.

Watercourse means any lake, river, creek, stream, wash, arroyo, improved or unimproved channel, or other body of water through which waters flow at least periodically where the peak flow is fifty cubic feet per second (50 cfs) or greater during the base flood discharge.

Additionally, some properties are subject to complete flooding, or sheet flow, which may have been determined to constitute a Floodplain although there is no designated or visible signs of a watercourse.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has done studies to determine the areas of potential flooding problems. They are the final authority on where the Floodplain boundaries are.

Show All Answers

1. Where is the Floodplain on my property? There is no wash!
2. There is no wash on my property, why am I still in the Floodplain?
3. Why am I in a floodplain and my neighbor is not?
4. Who put my property in the floodplain? How do I get it taken it out?
5. What are the residential structure elevation requirements?
6. What are the minimum erosion or building setback requirements?
7. What is a primary bank?
8. What will happen if I choose to not build in compliance?
9. Can you sell or mail a copy of the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) to me?
10. If I give you my Tax Parcel Code number over the phone, or come in, can you give me the information right away?
11. Can I have a copy of the Floodplain Regulations?
12. What is an Elevation Certificate, and where do I get one?
13. How do I get a copy of an Elevation Certificate that has already been submitted to the County?
14. I think somebody has done something upstream of my property to cause additional flooding on my property. Can the County figure out why?
15. Why is there so much water on my property? It seems to be increasing. What is happening?
16. I wasn't in Floodzone A when I built my house but I am refinancing and my lending institution says I am now. What happened?
17. I don't want to be in the floodplain and have to pay flood insurance. What can I do?