Texarkana, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Elevation Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential lowest floor
- At or above base flood elevation
- Nonresidential lowest floor
- One foot above base flood elevation
- Certification required
- By registered engineer, architect, or surveyor
- Maximum fine
- $2,000 per violation, per day
- Enforced by
- Floodplain administrator, Chapter 110
Summary
Texarkana requires new construction and substantial improvements of residential structures to raise the lowest floor to or above the base flood elevation, with nonresidential buildings elevated or floodproofed a foot higher.
New construction and substantial improvement of any residential structure shall have the lowest floor (including basement), elevated to or above the base flood elevation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 27).
Full Breakdown
Texarkana's floodplain ordinance sets the elevation standard for construction in special flood hazard areas. New or substantially improved residential structures must have the lowest floor, including any basement, elevated to or above the base flood elevation (BFE), certified by a registered engineer, architect, or land surveyor. Nonresidential buildings get an alternative: elevate the lowest floor one foot above BFE, or floodproof the structure below that level with watertight, impermeable walls capable of resisting hydrostatic and hydrodynamic loads, certified by a licensed engineer or architect. The floodplain administrator reviews and approves every development permit under Chapter 110 before construction begins in a mapped flood hazard zone.
Violations & Fines
Building without a floodplain development permit or below required elevation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $2,000 per violation; each day of noncompliance counts as a separate offense (Sec. 110-96).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texarkana require freeboard above the base flood elevation?
Who certifies compliance with Texarkana's flood elevation rules?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Texarkana
Texas rules heatmap·Compare Texarkana to another location·View the Texas environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.