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Wauwatosa, WI Environmental Rules: Flood Zones (2026)

Heavy Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

FEMA flood zone rules in Wauwatosa, WI, also called floodplain regulations or special flood hazard area (SFHA) rules, determine flood insurance requirements and elevation standards for new construction.

Key Facts

Wis. Stat.: Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 mandates local floodplain zoning
Wis. Admin.: Wis. Admin. Code Chapter NR 116 sets minimum floodplain standards
Milwaukee County: Milwaukee County FEMA FIRM effective date: September 26, 2008
Primary Flood: Primary flood sources: Menomonee River and Honey Creek
Honey Creek: Honey Creek is an 8.7-mile tributary of the Menomonee River
Fema Clomr: FEMA CLOMR issued April 2022 for Menomonee River corridor
Permit Required: Floodplain Development Permit required before any building permit
Insurance: City participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

FEMA Flood Zone Lookup

FEMA assigns every parcel in the U.S. a flood-hazard designation on its Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs). Zones starting with A or V are high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas where federally backed mortgages require NFIP flood insurance. Zone X indicates moderate-to-minimal risk, where insurance is optional but often recommended. Your specific zone determines insurance cost, build elevation, and permit requirements in Wauwatosa, WI.

Zone	What it means	NFIP required?
A	High-risk flood area; 1% annual chance flood, no detailed analysis.	Yes
AE	High-risk; same as A but with established Base Flood Elevations.	Yes
AH	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft), usually ponding.	Yes
AO	High-risk shallow flooding (1-3 ft) with sheet flow on sloping terrain.	Yes
V	High-risk coastal zone subject to wave action (no BFE).	Yes
VE	High-risk coastal zone with wave action and established BFEs.	Yes
X (shaded)	Moderate risk; between the 1% and 0.2% annual chance flood.	Recommended
X	Minimal risk; outside the 0.2% annual chance floodplain.	No

Look up Wauwatosa, WI on the FEMA flood map

FEMA maps update periodically; verify zone before buying flood insurance or building.

Summary

Wauwatosa participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and enforces a Floodplain Ordinance that meets FEMA and Wisconsin DNR minimum standards under Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wis. Admin. Code Chapter NR 116. The principal regulated waterways are the Menomonee River and Honey Creek, an 8.7-mile tributary that flows through Greenfield, Milwaukee, West Allis, and Wauwatosa. The currently effective Milwaukee County FEMA Flood Insurance Study and FIRM panels became effective September 26, 2008. FEMA issued a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) in April 2022 reflecting MMSD's County Grounds detention basins, the Hart Park floodwall, and other improvements. Any development inside the mapped 1% annual chance (100-year) floodplain requires a Floodplain Development Permit before construction.

87.30 87.30 Floodplain zoning. 87.30(1) (1) State powers. 87.30(1)(a) (a) If any county, city or village does not adopt a reasonable and effective floodplain zoning ordinance within one year after hydraulic and engineering data adequate to formulate the ordinance becomes available, the department shall, upon petition of an interested state agency or a municipality or upon its own motion as soon as practicable and after public hearing, determine and fix by order the limits of any or all floodplains within a county, city or village within which serious damage may occur.

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Full Breakdown

Wisconsin requires every NFIP community to adopt and enforce a floodplain zoning ordinance meeting Wis. Stat. Sec. 30 and Wis. Admin. Code Chapter NR 116, which incorporates 44 CFR Parts 59-72. Wauwatosa's ordinance is administered through Title 24 of the Municipal Code; the regulated areas track FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Milwaukee County, with an effective date of September 26, 2008. The city's principal flood sources are the Menomonee River and Honey Creek. The 100-year floodplain is divided into the floodway (the channel and adjoining areas required to convey the regional flood) and the flood fringe.

13 as the regional flood elevation plus a freeboard (typically 2 feet). ) requires a Floodplain Development Permit issued by the city before any building permit is granted. Wauwatosa has worked with the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) and the City of Milwaukee on a Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) issued by FEMA in April 2022 covering the Menomonee River from North Avenue to its mouth, reflecting the County Grounds Flood Management Basins, Hart Park floodwall, and the North 70th Street bridge replacement. The 2008 FIRMs remain in force until FEMA issues a Letter of Map Revision (LOMR). net or (414) 479-3444. gov) and the Wisconsin DNR Floodplain Mapping Program.

Violations & Fines

Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30(2) and NR 116.21 require enforcement of local floodplain zoning. Violations - including unpermitted fill or structural development in the floodway, building habitable space below the flood protection elevation in the flood fringe, or developing without a Floodplain Development Permit - can result in citations, daily forfeitures, removal/restoration orders, denial or revocation of building permits, and loss of NFIP eligibility for the property. Misrepresenting elevation data on a permit application is independently actionable. A community's failure to enforce can lead to NFIP suspension under 44 CFR Part 59.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who regulates floodplain development in Wauwatosa?

The City of Wauwatosa enforces its Floodplain Ordinance under Title 24, in conformance with Wis. Stat. Sec. 87.30 and Wis. Admin. Code Chapter NR 116. The Wisconsin DNR provides oversight, and FEMA maintains the Flood Insurance Rate Maps used to delineate Special Flood Hazard Areas. Permit questions go to the Senior Civil Engineer at (414) 479-3444.

When did the current FEMA flood maps for Wauwatosa take effect?

The Milwaukee County Flood Insurance Study and FIRM panels covering Wauwatosa became effective September 26, 2008. FEMA issued a Conditional Letter of Map Revision in April 2022 along the Menomonee River, but the 2008 maps remain in force until a final LOMR is issued.

Do I need a permit to build a fence or add fill in the Menomonee River floodplain?

Yes. Any development in the mapped 100-year floodplain - including buildings, additions, remodeling, fill, excavation, and fences - requires a Floodplain Development Permit from the City of Wauwatosa before any building permit can issue, under NR 116 and Title 24.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Wauwatosa

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All Wauwatosa rules

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Flood Zones in Nearby Cities

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