FEMA flood zone rules in Dayton, OH — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Dayton sits at the confluence of four rivers and experienced the catastrophic 1913 Great Flood. The Miami Conservancy District dry dam system protects the city. Floodplain development is strictly regulated.
Dayton is located at the confluence of the Great Miami River, Stillwater River, Mad River, and Wolf Creek making it highly susceptible to flooding. The catastrophic Great Flood of March 1913 killed over 360 people and destroyed thousands of buildings. In response, the Miami Conservancy District constructed five dry retarding dams that remain one of the oldest engineered flood control systems in the nation. Dayton participates in the National Flood Insurance Program with FEMA flood maps designating special flood hazard areas along all four rivers. New construction in flood zones must be elevated above base flood elevation. The city maintains levees and floodwalls along river corridors. Development in the floodplain requires permits and must demonstrate no rise in base flood elevation.
Floodplain development violations carry fines and stop-work orders. Non-compliant structures may lose flood insurance eligibility. The city may require removal of unauthorized fill or construction.
Dayton, OH
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