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Sumner County staff presents updated floodplain mapping, seeks targeted Army Corps studies for Liberty Creek basin
Summary
Planning staff described limits of FEMA Zone A mapping, results from a recent Liberty Creek flood study and options to fund more precise basin-level analyses, including a $100,000 county allocation and Corps of Engineers 50/50 cost-share program.
Sumner County planning staff detailed the county's approach to floodplain mapping and urged targeted basin-level studies, saying existing FEMA maps are limited for local planning and mitigation.
Planning staff framed the issue as one of risk mitigation rather than prediction, saying, “FEMA will tell you, we don't predict flooding. All we do is mitigate risk in these flood zones.” The presentation explained that FEMA's Zone A designations and county floodplain rules are designed to allow residents to obtain flood insurance while guiding development away from high-risk areas.
County staff described how the county establishes an effective floodway in Zone A: surveyors identify the stream's top-of-bank and measure twice the width of the stream from that point to set an effective flow length. Staff also said the county uses a 60-foot stormwater buffer from top-of-bank in some regulated drainages and typically requires…
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