Q:
Where can I find information and answers to general floodplain
questions on protecting my home from flooding?
A: For more information, please contact Mike Clark at
Saugatuck City Hall (268) 857-2603; Flood Information
on the web -- FEMA
or Saugatuck
Douglas Library. Saugatuck Floodplain Map 
or City of Saugatuck Flood Informational Flyer
Q:
What is a floodplain?
A: A floodplain is an area adjacent to a river, lake or
stream that will be inundated by water when a flood occurs.
Every river, lake or stream has a floodplain associated
with it.
Q:
What is the floodway?
A: It is the area of the floodplain that should be reserved
(kept free of obstructions) to allow floodwaters to move
downstream. Placing fill or buildings in a floodway may
block the flow of water and increase flood heights. Because
of this, your community will require that you submit engineering
analyses before it approves permits for development in
the floodway.
Q:
What is a 100-year flood?
A: The term "100-year flood" is often incorrectly
used and can be misleading. It does not mean that only
one flood of that size will occur every 100 years. The
term is a statement of probability that scientists and
engineers use to describe how one flood compares to others
that are likely to occur. Today, we use the phrase "1-percent
annual chance flood." What it means is that there
is a 1-percent chance of a flood of that size happening
in any year. Over a 100-year period, it has a 63.5-percent
chance of occurring. Even more surprising is that over
a 30-year period (typical mortgage period), the 1-percent
annual chance flood has a 26-percent chance of occurring.
This means a home in the mapped flood hazard area is five
times more likely to be damaged by flood than to have
a major fire.
Q:
What is a 100-year floodplain?
A: The area that will be inundated by the 100-year flood.
It is also the area that is referred to by FEMA as the
Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). It is the area of a
community where development must be regulated through
a local ordinance conforming to the National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP).
Q:
What is the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and
what is their purpose?
A: The U.S. Congress established the National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP) with the passage of the National Flood
Insurance Act of 1968. The NFIP is a Federal program enabling
property owners in participating communities to purchase
insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange
for State and community floodplain management regulations
that reduce future flood damages. Participation in the
NFIP is based on an agreement between communities and
the Federal Government. If a community adopts and enforces
a floodplain management ordinance to reduce future flood
risk to new construction in floodplains, the Federal Government
will make flood insurance available within the community
as a financial protection against flood losses. This insurance
is designed to provide an insurance alternative to disaster
assistance to reduce the escalating costs of repairing
damage to buildings and their contents caused by floods.
