Peoria, IL Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Peoria sits along the Illinois River and experiences periodic riverine flooding, most notably during the 2013 record flood that crested at 29.35 feet at the Peoria gauge. Federal flood-insurance and floodplain-management requirements run through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by FEMA, with current Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) viewable at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at https://msc.fema.gov/portal/home. Peoria's NFIP participation is implemented locally through Chapter 28 (Stormwater Management) of the Code of Ordinances at https://library.municode.com/il/peoria. Key local requirements: (1) any construction, substantial improvement, or substantial damage repair within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA — Zones A, AE) requires a Floodplain Development Permit through Public Works; (2) the lowest floor (including basements) of new residential construction must be elevated to or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) plus 1 foot of freeboard, consistent with Illinois Department of Natural Resources Office of Water Resources rules (17 IL Adm. Code 3700/3702) at https://www.ilga.gov/commission/jcar/admincode/017/01700003700A00R.html; (3) elevation certificates from a licensed surveyor are required at completion; (4) substantial-improvement and substantial-damage thresholds (50% of pre-improvement market value) trigger full floodplain-compliance retrofit. The Illinois Rivers, Lakes, and Streams Act (615 ILCS 5/) at https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1741 provides state-level permitting authority for construction within the floodway. Buyers should check FEMA's flood map for any property near the river before closing.