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

Taylor County is enrolled in the FEMA National Flood Insurance Program and adopted a floodplain order to meet the federal minimum standards in 44 CFR §60.3. The Environmental Department serves as the Floodplain Administrator for all unincorporated land. A floodplain development permit is required before any house, mobile home, building, or 'other structure' is placed in a mapped Special Flood Hazard Area (Zone A, AE, or AO on the FIRMs). Permits typically require an elevation certificate showing the lowest floor at or above the Base Flood Elevation. The county lies in the Upper Brazos drainage; major waterways include Elm Creek, Jim Ned Creek, Lytle Creek, and the impoundments at Lake Kirby, Lake Abilene, and Lake Fort Phantom Hill (a USACE/Abilene reservoir). Cities within Taylor County (Abilene, Tuscola, Buffalo Gap, Merkel, Tye, Lawn) administer their own floodplain ordinances inside their corporate limits. Mortgage lenders require federal flood insurance for properties in SFHAs with federally backed loans under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973. Current FIRM panels are available at FEMA's Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov).