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Pflugerville staff outlines floodplain rules, Atlas 14 adoption timeline and insurance benefits
Summary
City floodplain administrator Gordon Hawes explained FEMA terminology, local rules that prohibit new homes in the 100-year floodplain and the city's use of NOAA Atlas 14 rainfall data; he said a Wilbarger Creek flood study has been submitted to FEMA and maps are expected to be reissued in roughly a year and a half.
Gordon Hawes, Pflugerville City’s floodplain administrator and engineering manager, told the Planning & Zoning Commission that the city does not allow new homes or structures in the 100‑year floodplain and requires finished floors to be at least two feet above the 100‑year water‑surface elevation.
Hawes walked commissioners through FEMA terminology and mapping, saying the Special Flood Hazard Area—commonly referred to as the “100‑year floodplain”—represents a flood event with about a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. He noted that FEMA’s Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) use older rainfall data and that Pflugerville uses NOAA Atlas 14 rainfall values for local review of new developments.
On timelines, Hawes said the Texas Water Development Board completed an updated hydrology and hydraulic study for Wilbarger Creek using Atlas 14, the study has been reviewed by FEMA, and the new maps are with FEMA for adoption; he estimated approximately another year and a half before maps are reissued for that watershed. Meanwhile the city requires developers to use Atlas 14 when preparing local studies and to file revisions with FEMA as part of the map‑revision process.
Hawes also described the city’s participation in FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program and the Community Rating System (CRS). Pflugerville currently provides about a 15% discount on flood insurance through CRS, and Hawes said an in‑person FEMA audit may improve the city’s class and increase the discount (he said an increase to about 20% appears likely but is not yet official). He encouraged residents with questions to contact his office.
Why it matters: Adopting Atlas 14 values and updating FEMA maps affects which properties are shown as floodplain and can influence insurance rates and mitigation requirements. Commissioners asked practical questions about rebuilds and homeowner obligations; Hawes explained FEMA’s “50% rule” for repairs versus substantial improvements and how that triggers required elevation or other mitigations.
