Flood Hazard Information

The Kootenai County Community Development Department is dedicated to providing the community with all of the tools and resources necessary to protect against flood damage. If you own property in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), or are considering developing within the SFHA, please navigate the links below for more information on the dangers associated with flood water inundation as well as what you can do to prevent flood damage.

Federal Emergency Management Agency

www.fema.gov

FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain and improve our capabilities to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

National Flood Insurance Program

www.floodsmart.gov

The National Flood Insurance Program's (NFIP's) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes communities for implementing floodplain management practices that exceed the Federal minimum requirements of the NFIP to provide protection from flooding. Kootenai County currently enjoys a Class 7 rating in the CRS program.

In exchange for a community's proactive efforts to reduce flood risk, policy holders can receive reduced flood insurance premiums for buildings in the community. Within the unincorporated County, policyholders are eligible for a savings of up to 15%. These reduced premiums reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from community efforts toward achieving the three CRS goals: