FEMA Information and Flood Insurance 

To determine if you are in a flood zone:

• Look up the address online using the FEMA Flood Map Service Center tool for existing maps (2012 or earlier)
• Contact the General Services Department by email or by calling 916-727-4770. Please be ready with the property address and your contact information.
• County Parcel Viewer - Look up by address and turn on "FEMA DFIRM Floodplains" Layer listed under "FLOOD HAZARDS"

Flood zones beginning with the letters 'A' or 'V' are in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Non-SFHAs are moderate-to-low risk areas, labeled as Zone ‘X’. The risk of flooding is reduced but not completely removed.  

If you believe you have been inaccurately included in the floodplain or have performed modifications to your building to remove it from the floodplain, you may file a formal request to FEMA to change this designation on your structure. YOU WILL NEED AN ELEVATION CERTIFICATE AND ADDITIONAL MAPS, PLEASE CONTACT CITRUS HEIGHTS GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT at 916-727-4770 or email to see if this information is available for your property.

LOMA –Letter of Map Amendment is an official amendment, by letter, to an effective NFIP map. A LOMA establishes a property’s location in relation to the SFHA.

LOMR –Letter of Map Revision is an official revision, by letter, to an effective NFIP map. A LOMR may change flood insurance risk zones, floodplain and/or floodway boundary delineations, planimetric features, and/or BFE.

LOMR-F –Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill is an official revision, by letter, to an effective NFIP map. A LOMR-F provides FEMA’s determination concerning whether a structure or parcel has been elevated on fill above the BFE and excluded from the SFHA.

If your structure is inside of a Flood Zone, you can protect your property by:

• Elevate damage-prone components, such as the furnace or aid conditioning unit
• Install Engineered Flood Vents to allow water to easily leave the building after a flood event.
• Dry floodproof the building so water cannot get into it. 
• Wet floodproof portions of the building sot water won’t cause damage.
• Elevate the building above the flood level.
• Relocate or Demolish the building.
• Maintain nearby streams, ditches and storm drains so debris does not obstruct them. 
• Flood zones beginning with the letters 'A' or 'V' are in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Non-SFHAs are moderate-to-low risk areas, labeled as Zone ‘X’. The risk of flooding is reduced but not completely removed.  

Citrus Heights has taken a more stringent approach to protecting the flood hazard area. In most circumstances, staff shall not permit new structures, garages, parking lots, swimming pools, road, driveways, re-construction of existing structures, placement of fill, or solid & chain-link fencing in the 100-year floodplain (based on current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)).

For specific requirements and drainage design standards see our STORMWATER ENGINEERING RESOURCES & REFERENCES

Do I need an Elevation Certificate?

If you are planning additions or new structures on your property within 50-feet of a floodplain, the City will require an Elevation Certificate to ensure the new structure (or addition) was built a minimum two-feet above the floodplain, as the Municipal Code requires. You may need to hire a Licensed Land Surveyor, Professional Engineer or Certified Architect who is authorized by law to certify elevation information. 

All finished construction Elevation Certificates shall be submitted to the General Services Department for tracking and initial review. The General Services Department will log the Elevation Certificate into our tracking system, then it is forwarded to the City Drainage Engineer and Floodplain Manager (City Engineer), who review the document and all supporting documentation for compliance with applicable building and development policies, ordinances and standards are met. Upon approval, the City Engineer and/or City Drainage Engineer forward the certificate and any additional documentation to the City Chief Building Official for final approval for all parts of the building permit. The certificate of occupancy will not be issued until all problems/comments with an Elevation Certificate and supporting documentation are resolved. 

When a member of the public requests a copy of an Elevation Certificate, the request shall be initiated with the General Services Department 916-727-4770 or stormwater@citrusheights.net. Please be prepared to provide your name, title, address and relationship to the parcel in-question. There is no financial charge for this service.

On February 22, 2024, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has adopted new Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) to better reflect the flood hazards. The City is not involved in these map revisions, which occur every 10-years (on average). The City is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP Community 060765). Adoption/Acceptance of these maps are a minimum requirement for our participation; which allows our residents to acquire flood insurance through the NFIP and allows our City to receive flood disaster assistance (if necessary). 

Modifications to the FIRMs area associated with precipitation models (100-year flood is equivalent to a 1% chance storm), topography, creek/channel obstructions and land development across the country. The mortgage and insurance industries rely on these FIRMS to determine the need for a property owner to purchase flood insurance. 

Flooding is not covered by standard property insurance. Note: It may take more than 30-days for a policy to become effective. If your property is located within a flood hazard area, we encourage you to buy flood insurance to protect yourself from losses due to flooding (see link below to find out if your home is in the flood hazard area). 

If your structure is located within a flood hazard area, flood insurance protection is required by your mortgage company. Contact your insurance agent for information or review the list of FEMA approved Flood Insurance Providers for California or call 1-800-638-6620. Property owners can insure buildings and contents, and renters can insure their possessions. Remember, you do not have to live in a floodplain to qualify for flood insurance. According to FEMA, 40 percent of flood claims are outside of a FEMA flood hazard area.

Even if you have not experienced flooding in the past, you may want to keep flood-fighting materials on hand, such as sandbags and plastic sheeting to protect your property and belongings. There are proactive steps taken before a flood that can help protect your property including knowing how to divert floodwater around your structures. Measures to protect a property from flood damage also include retrofitting, grading a yard and correcting local drainage problems. For more information about preparing for an upcoming storm visit the BE STORM READY - RESIDENTIAL.

Flooding is not covered by standard property insurance. If your property is located within a flood hazard area, we encourage you to buy flood insurance to protect yourself from flood losses. Property owners can insure buildings and contents, and renters can insure their possessions. Remember, you do not have to live in a floodplain to qualify for flood insurance. According to FEMA, 30 percent of flood claims are outside of a FEMA-mapped 100-year flood zone (special flood hazard area).

To protect your property from flood damage, you can:

• Demolish the building or relocated it out of harm's way.
• Elevate the building above the flood level.
• Elevate damage-prone components, such as the furnace or air conditioning unit.
• Dry flood-proof the building so water cannot get into it.
• Wet flood-proof portions of the building so water won't cause damage.
• Construct a berm or redirect drainage away from the building.
• Maintain nearby streams, ditches, and storm drains so debris does not obstruct them.
• Correct sewer backup problems.

For additional resources and FEMA technical guidance visit our Flood Information Online Library