Reedley, CA Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Reedley Municipal Code Title 12, Chapter 1 establishes comprehensive regulations for development in flood hazard areas, implementing the requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by FEMA. The city's participation in the NFIP allows property owners to purchase federal flood insurance, which is mandatory for structures with federally-backed mortgages located in Special Flood Hazard Areas. The Kings River flows along Reedley's western boundary and is the primary source of flood risk for the city. The river drains a large watershed from the Sierra Nevada mountains, and its flow is regulated upstream by Pine Flat Dam, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. While Pine Flat Dam provides significant flood protection, it does not eliminate all flood risk, particularly during extreme precipitation events, rapid snowmelt, or atmospheric river storms. Portions of the city along the Kings River corridor and in low-lying areas are mapped within FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas, primarily designated as Zone AE (areas with detailed base flood elevation data) and Zone A (areas without detailed BFE data). The 2024 Fresno County Hazard Mitigation Plan specifically identifies flooding as a primary natural hazard for Reedley and notes that growth areas to the north and east generally do not contain flood hazards, but areas near the Kings River remain at significant risk. The Reedley Mobile Home Park and other low-lying residential areas near the river are particularly flood-prone. New construction and substantial improvements within the Special Flood Hazard Area must be elevated so that the lowest floor, including basement, is at or above the base flood elevation. For structures in Zone A where no BFE has been determined, the city may require the applicant to determine the BFE using best available data. Residential structures must be elevated on fill, foundation walls, pilings, or other approved methods. Non-residential structures may alternatively be dry floodproofed to the BFE with watertight walls and structural components. Enclosures below the BFE, including crawl spaces and under-floor areas, must be designed with flood openings that allow the automatic entry and exit of floodwaters to equalize hydrostatic pressure. Fill material placed in the floodplain must not increase flood levels on adjacent properties or reduce the flood storage capacity of the floodplain. Floodplain development permits are required before any construction, grading, fill, or other development activity in mapped flood zones. Major flood events have historically impacted Reedley, with high-water events in 2017 and 2023 prompting mandatory and voluntary evacuations along the Kings River corridor from Pine Flat Dam through the Sanger area, Reedley, and southward to Tulare County. These events demonstrated the ongoing flood risk despite upstream dam regulation. Flood insurance through the NFIP is available to all property owners in Reedley, and is required for properties in the SFHA with federally-backed mortgages. Contact the Community Development Department at (559) 637-4200 for floodplain determinations and development permit requirements.