FEMA flood zone rules in Benton County, WA — also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules — determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Benton County enforces floodplain rules along the Columbia and Yakima rivers. In FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, new homes must be elevated above base flood elevation, and building in the floodway is barred.
Benton County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and enforces floodplain management standards. Properties in FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas along the Columbia and Yakima river floodplains must meet minimum construction standards: new and substantially improved structures must have their lowest floor elevated above base flood elevation, and a floodplain development permit is required for building, fill, or grading. Washington's Flood Control Zone Act, RCW 86.16, directs the Department of Ecology to review local floodplain ordinances. Residential construction in the designated floodway is prohibited, and flood insurance is required for federally backed mortgages in these zones.
Building below base flood elevation or placing fill or structures in the floodway without a floodplain development permit violates county rules and NFIP standards, forcing corrective elevation, removal, and loss of insurance eligibility.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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Benton County, WA
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See how Benton County's flood zones rules stack up against other locations.
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