Midland County, TX Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Midland County's Flood Damage Prevention Regulations were originally adopted in 1992, and the County adopted the Monahans and South Draw Interim Flood Planning Framework on December 13, 2021 to coordinate regional drainage planning. Administration falls to Midland County Public Works at the Midland County Courthouse, 500 N Loraine Street, Midland, TX 79701, telephone 432-742-7777. Any development — new construction, substantial improvement (improvement equal to or exceeding 50 percent of pre-improvement market value), fill, or grading — within a FEMA-designated SFHA shown on the effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) requires a Floodplain Permit issued before work begins. Lowest-floor elevation must equal or exceed the Base Flood Elevation. Development within a regulatory floodway is prohibited unless a Texas-licensed professional engineer certifies that the proposed work will cause no increase in BFE (44 CFR §60.3(d)(3)). All structures in the SFHA must be anchored, use flood-resistant materials below the BFE, and have utilities elevated. Manufactured homes have additional anchoring rules. Midland County drains primarily into Monahans Draw and South Draw — playa-and-arroyo systems characteristic of the semi-arid Permian Basin — which can produce sudden runoff during intense storms. NFIP flood insurance is required for federally-backed mortgages on SFHA properties under 42 U.S.C. §4012a.