FEMA flood zone rules in Fargo, ND — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Fargo enforces strict floodplain controls along the Red River following the historic 2009 crest of 40.84 ft. Lowest opening of any structure in the regulatory floodplain must be set to either 2.0 ft above the FEMA 100-year BFE or 1.2 ft above the Fargo 41-ft inundation level — whichever is higher.
Effective FEMA FIRM dated Jan. 16, 2015 governs Special Flood Hazard Area designations (only FEMA may add or remove a property from the SFHA). The City of Fargo Engineering Department issues Floodplain Development Permits and administers floodplain rules adopted under NDCC §61-16.1. The Metro Flood Diversion Authority project (Fargo–Moorhead) is under construction to provide regional flood protection for the Red River basin. Fargo participates in the NFIP; mandatory flood insurance applies to federally-backed mortgages in the SFHA.
Building or filling in the regulatory floodplain without a Floodplain Development Permit can void flood insurance, trigger stop-work orders, and require removal of non-compliant improvements.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Cass County.
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