FEMA flood zone rules in Davidson County, TN — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Davidson County has extensive FEMA Zone AE flood hazard areas along the Cumberland River and its tributaries. Floodplain development requires Metro Water Services permits. Updated FIRM maps from February 2022 added 1,000+ properties to flood zones.
Davidson County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and has significant areas mapped as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA/Zone AE) — the 1% annual chance (100-year) floodplain. Major flood hazard areas include the Cumberland River corridor, Mill Creek, Sevenmile Creek, and their tributaries. In February 2022, 61 updated FEMA FIRM panels took effect, adding over 1,000 properties to Davidson County flood zones. Floodplain development permits are required from Metro Water Services Stormwater Division for all construction in regulated floodplains. Fences in floodways are prohibited without prior Metro Water approval. Properties outside SFHA boundaries are still not guaranteed flood-free. Metro Water Services provides the online FIRST (Flood Information Risk and Storm) tool for parcel-level flood risk data.
Development without floodplain permit: enforcement by Metro Water; structures may require removal.
Davidson County, TN
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Davidson County, TN
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See how Davidson County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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