CITY OF KENMORE 6700 NE 181st Street Kenmore, WA 82607 425-398-8900

A Flood Insurance Study revision has recently been completed in incorporated and unincorporated King County, WA.  This revision was done through a cooperating technical partnership between the Department of Ecology and FEMA.  It includes updated floodplain maps showing areas that would be inundated by the base (100-year) flood as well as the regulatory floodway.  These new geospatially referenced digital maps will be used by lending institutions and insurance agents in determining who must purchase flood insurance and the cost of the insurance should it be necessary.  In addition, the maps will be used by City and County Officials for floodplain management and permitting purposes.

The basic changes in this revision include new geo-spatial or “digital” compatibility for use with local geographical information systems, new floodplain boundary delineations, and a de-accreditation of the “North Creek” levee system.  Land located behind the de-accredited levees will become subject to local floodplain development standards and flood insurance purchase requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program.  The digital maps will also use a vertical datum projection based on NAVD 88 and follow a map panel layout based on the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 7.5 minute quadrangle map grid.

The people most directly affected by the issuance of this study are those owning property and/or living in the identified flood hazard or behind a de-accredited levee.  Interested persons are invited to attend a meeting at the Bothell Police Department Community Room on November 6, 2007 from 6:00-8:00 PM.  Representatives from Bothell, King County and FEMA will be on hand to discuss the study and its affects on flood insurance rates and building standards.