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Monroe County, PA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Heavy Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified July 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Monroe County, PA, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

1955 Flood: ~100 deaths, Brodhead Creek
Statute: Act 166 plus the NFIP
Elevation: Above base flood plus freeboard
Insurance: Required in SFHA zones

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Monroe County, PA.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Monroe County, PA on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Monroe County's flood history is brutal: Hurricane Diane's August 1955 Brodhead Creek flood killed about 100 people around Stroudsburg. Today FEMA-mapped townships enforce floodplain construction standards under Act 166 and the NFIP.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Monroe County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

Each municipality which has been identified by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as having an area or areas subject to flooding, shall adopt such flood plain management regulations, and amendments thereto, as are necessary to comply with the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program within six months after a flood plain map is approved or promulgated for the municipality by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Source: Pennsylvania StatutesView official code

Full Breakdown

In August 1955, back-to-back hurricanes sent Brodhead Creek over its banks, and the flood killed roughly 100 people near Stroudsburg and Analomink, one of Pennsylvania's deadliest. Monroe County municipalities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program and, under the Flood Plain Management Act (Act 166), enforce floodplain ordinances tied to FEMA maps. New buildings in a Special Flood Hazard Area must have their lowest floor elevated above the base flood elevation, and most townships add freeboard, commonly a foot to a foot and a half. Substantial improvements to existing structures trigger the same elevation rules. Federally backed mortgages in the floodplain require flood insurance.

Violations & Fines

Building below the required flood elevation or placing fill in the floodway without approval violates the municipal floodplain ordinance, forcing costly retrofits, penalties, and lender force-placed flood insurance at higher premiums.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my property in a Monroe County flood zone?

Check the FEMA Flood Map Service Center or your township's floodplain administrator. Much of the Brodhead, McMichael, and Pocono Creek corridors sits in the mapped floodplain.

How high must a new home be built?

The lowest floor must sit above the base flood elevation, plus any township freeboard, commonly a foot to a foot and a half of added height.

Sources & Official References

[1]Pennsylvania Statutes

Other rules in Monroe County

Noise Ordinances: Quiet HoursSome Restrictions Stormwater ManagementSome Restrictions Coastal DevelopmentSome Restrictions Erosion ControlSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Amplified Music & Outdoor SoundSome Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions Fire Regulations: Outdoor BurningSome Restrictions Fire Regulations: FireworksSome Restrictions Sign Regulations: Garage Sale SignsSome Restrictions

All Monroe County rules

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