Oakland County, MI Hurricane Preparedness: Flood Elevation (2026)

Oakland County's flood hazard is primarily inland (riverine and lake-margin), not hurricane-driven. FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Oakland County depict SFHAs (Zone A and AE) along the Huron, Clinton, and Rouge river systems and around inland lakes such as Cass Lake, Orchard Lake, Lake Oakland, Pontiac Lake, and Union Lake. Under FEMA NFIP minimum standards (44 CFR 60.3) and Michigan's Floodplain Regulatory Authority (MCL 324.3101 et seq., administered by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy — EGLE), new residential construction in a Zone AE must have the lowest floor (including basement) elevated to at least the Base Flood Elevation; non-residential structures may be dry- or wet-floodproofed instead. Each Oakland County city and township enforces these standards through local floodplain ordinances and building permits, often adopting freeboard requirements of one foot above BFE. The Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner oversees drainage, stormwater, and certain floodplain matters at the county scale, though zoning and permitting reside with the municipalities. Owners building in a SFHA must obtain (1) an EGLE floodplain permit under MCL 324.3104, and (2) a local building permit with a FEMA Elevation Certificate.