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Missoula officials review FEMA preliminary floodplain maps as Tower Street area reclassified
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Summary
Missoula County staff briefed the LEPC on FEMA preliminary floodplain maps for the Clark Fork, Bitterroot and Rock Creek, noting use of LIDAR-based data, an upcoming 90-day comment/appeal window (start date TBD) and neighborhood reclassifications that may affect insurance and mitigation eligibility.
Missoula County floodplain planner Matt told the Local Emergency Planning Committee that FEMA has published preliminary floodplain maps for the Clark Fork River, Bitterroot River and Rock Creek and that the county is awaiting the agency’s start of the 90-day comment and appeal period.
The maps use updated hydrology and LIDAR topography, Matt said, and in some neighborhoods (including the Tower Street/Pearl Drive corridor) the preliminary products reclassify parcels into zone AE — the 1% annual-chance floodplain — and remove accreditation for a nearby levee, creating higher measured flood risk for many properties. Matt said the updated data give the county “a more accurate picture of current flood risk” and will inform mitigation priorities.
Why it matters: a change to zone AE can affect residents’ flood-insurance requirements and eligibility for mitigation funding. Matt advised that specific mitigation projects must be identified to be competitive for hazard-mitigation grants such as HMGP; updated maps help the county target repetitive-loss properties and retrofit opportunities.
County staff described public outreach that has already occurred (open houses in affected communities) and demonstrated the county Property Information System to show how many addresses are now inside delineated flood areas. Matt said FEMA’s preliminary maps were dated 08/28/2025 and that the effective date remains TBD pending FEMA’s formal comment/appeal process.
The committee discussed funding eligibility and project scoping: Matt noted that many mitigation grants require a defined project and that the post-disaster Hazard Mitigation Grant Program typically provides 75% federal cost share with a 25% local match, though exact program rules vary by grant and event.
Next steps: staff will notify property owners when FEMA opens the comment and appeal period, continue outreach, and work to identify mitigation projects eligible for available grant programs. The LEPC did not take formal board action during the presentation.
