Carver County, MN Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

010 defines the Regulatory Flood Protection Elevation (RFPE) as an elevation not less than one foot above the elevation of the regional flood, plus any increase caused by floodway encroachments; the regional flood is defined as synonymous with the base flood used in the Flood Insurance Study. 148(B)(1): all structures, including accessory structures, must be elevated on fill so the lowest floor is at or above the RFPE, the finished fill elevation may be no lower than one foot below the RFPE, and the fill must extend at that elevation at least 15 feet beyond the outside limits of the structure.

Elevations must be certified by a registered professional engineer, land surveyor, or other qualified person designated by the county. 148(B)(2) allows accessory structures under 576 square feet used only for parking or storage to be designed to flood, with a minimum of two flood-vent openings on at least two sides, each opening no higher than one foot above grade and totaling at least one square inch of net opening area per square foot of enclosed area subject to flooding. 148(C)(1) bars residential basements below the RFPE outright and allows nonresidential basements below it only as a conditional use with dry floodproofing.

146(E) sets a higher standard for critical facilities anywhere in a floodplain district: their lowest floor must sit at least two feet above the regional flood elevation or the 500-year flood elevation, whichever is higher. 146(B).