Flood Surveys - Elevation Certificate

Flood  maps are distributed by The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  as an outcome of a general study of a large area. This study does not  evaluate individual properties and is very broad in nature. These areas  are then determined to be Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA). A SFHA is  an area that has been determined to have a 1% annual chance of flooding  in 100 years and FEMA requires mandatory flood insurance on property  located in a SFHA.

If your home or business is in a high-risk  zone, your insurance agent will probably require an Elevation  Certificate (EC) to determine your flood insurance premium. Flooding  means rising water. Knowing your structure’s elevation compared to the  elevation floodwaters will reach in a major flood helps determine your  flood risk and the cost of your flood insurance. An EC documents the  elevation of your building for the floodplain managers enforcing local  building ordinance, and for insurance rating purposes. It is recommended  that if you live in an area prone to flooding (i.e. streams/rivers,  lakes, etc.) a homeowner should carry some form of flood insurance.

Land  Surveyors in Ohio do not define whether a property falls within this  zone but are the only party able to properly collect the data needed to  determine this designation.