Valley communities brace for prime flooding season

By Kristen russo

krusso@vindy.com

Youngstown

April showers can bring May flowers — and a lot of flooding headaches.

The rainy season is particularly dicey for owners of homes built in or near special flood-hazard areas.

Special flood-hazard areas are designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as areas with a 1-percent probability of having water over the surface of the land.

Christopher Thoms, state coordinator for the National Flood Insurance Program, said these areas are often near lakes, rivers or streams, but they don’t necessarily have to be. Areas with poor drainage can also be considered a flood hazard.

“Add enough water, and virtually any area can be a flood plain,” Thoms said.

Ohio Department of Natural Resources is the state liaison for the National Flood Insurance Program, which is administered by FEMA.

Thoms said if a home is built in a flood-hazard area, it runs a 26 percent to 28 percent chance of flooding during the life of a 30-year mortgage.

He also said one out of four flood-insurance claims comes from people living in areas that are not designated flood plains.

“To put it in perspective, most houses run a nine-percent risk of a fire,” Thoms said.

Homeowners, renters and business owners can find the flood-risk profile for their specific property on the NFIP’s website, FloodSmart.gov.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.