Elko County, NV Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)

Section 4-13-5-1(C) of the Elko County Code directs the department of community development to obtain, review and reasonably use any base flood elevation (BFE) and floodway data from a federal, state or other source. Under item 1, any new structure or substantial improvement needs its lowest floor, including basement, elevated to one foot (1') above the base flood elevation, together with attendant utility and sanitary facilities. A licensed professional registered engineer or surveyor establishes the BFE for construction within a special floodplain at the instance of the developer.

After construction, an elevation certificate prepared by that engineer or surveyor, verified by the local building inspector or floodplain administrator, is filed with the department. Section 4-13-2 defines BFE as the height of the base flood in relation to mean sea level, the national geodetic vertical datum of 1929, the North American vertical datum of 1988 or another datum named in the flood insurance study. Nonresidential structures can instead be floodproofed so the structure is watertight below the base flood level, with structural components that resist hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads and buoyancy, certified by a registered professional engineer or architect.

Furnaces, hot water heaters and air conditioners must be elevated to or above the BFE under § 4-13-5-1(B)3. Fully enclosed areas below the lowest floor need a minimum of two (2) openings with a total net area of not less than one square inch for every square foot of enclosed area, and the bottom of every opening no higher than one foot (1') above grade. Subdivision plats must show base flood elevations under § 4-13-5-4, and a filled pad needs a certified final elevation.