Hamilton County, IN Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)
FEMA flood zone rules in Hamilton County, IN, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.
Key Facts
- Governing map
- FEMA FIRM for Hamilton County dated 11/19/2014
- Fill in floodplain
- Prohibited except narrow ag/park/road uses
- Floodway rise limit
- 0.15 feet maximum increase
- State permit needed first
- DNR floodway permit under IC 14-28-1
- Governing body
- Hamilton County Plan Commission / Drainage Board
Summary
Hamilton County's floodplain ordinance covers every special flood hazard area shown on the county's November 19, 2014 FEMA flood insurance rate map and bans filling floodplain land outright, with only narrow exceptions for farming, parks, and public roads approved by the Drainage Board.
Lands to which this chapter applies. This chapter shall apply to all SFHAs and known flood-prone areas within the jurisdiction of the Hamilton County Plan Commission... Floodplain management. The intent of floodplain management is to protect against loss of property, protect human life, and maintain natural areas that help mitigate flooding. Therefore, filling of land in the floodplain of any unincorporated part of Hamilton County and the drainage shed of any regulated drains is prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22 | Unified Development Ordinance: Republication).
Full Breakdown
The floodplain management chapter applies to all special flood hazard areas (SFHAs) and known flood-prone areas within the jurisdiction of the Hamilton County Plan Commission, using the one-percent annual chance flood profiles and flood insurance rate map for Hamilton County dated November 19, 2014, updated by any later FEMA revision. Where FEMA hasn't mapped a watercourse, or the upstream drainage area exceeds a square mile, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' best available data governs instead. The code treats protecting people and property as the point of the whole scheme: filling land in the floodplain of any unincorporated part of the county, or in the drainage shed of any regulated drain, is prohibited.
The Hamilton County Drainage Board can permit a defined amount of fill only for agricultural uses, forestry and wildlife preserves, county/city/township parks, public streets and bridges, and Surveyor-approved regional detention basins, and only after finding the fill won't meaningfully reduce the floodplain's storage capacity. 15 feet or more, and a state DNR floodway construction permit under IC 14-28-1 must issue before the county's own floodplain development permit can be granted.
Violations & Fines
Building, filling, or altering land in the SFHA without meeting these requirements is punishable by a fine of not less than $10.00 and not more than $2,500.00 per day of violation, treated as a common nuisance under the zoning code. Development that increases the regulatory flood elevation in an identified floodway by 0.15 feet or more is barred outright regardless of permit status, and the state can require the county to submit revised flood data to FEMA under 44 CFR § 65.12 for any channel modification or fill project.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my lot is in a flood zone?
Can I fill in a low, wet part of my property?
What's the difference between a floodway and a fringe?
Do I need a state permit before the county will issue mine?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hamilton County
Compare Hamilton County to another location·View the Indiana environmental rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.