Oklahoma Floodplain Management Act Sets Statewide Standards

Codified at 82 O.S. Section 1601 et seq., the Floodplain Management Act requires Oklahoma communities with FEMA-mapped Special Flood Hazard Areas to enact and enforce floodplain ordinances meeting or exceeding NFIP minimums. Each community must designate a certified floodplain administrator, regulate construction in the regulatory floodway, require base flood elevation plus freeboard for new structures, and issue floodplain development permits before construction. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board oversees compliance and certifies administrators. Communities that fail to enforce minimum standards risk NFIP suspension, eliminating federal flood insurance availability for all property owners.

Building in a regulatory floodway without a permit, or below base flood elevation, can trigger stop-work orders, fines, mandatory removal or elevation of structures, and loss of flood insurance coverage.