Flood Risk Reduction through Floodplain Zoning

Abstract

This study examines floodplain ordinances in floodprone municipalities through qualitative content analysis to address three questions: How do communities designate their floodplain districts? What are the current floodplain zoning measures? What are the standards of these measures? Most municipalities adopt 1% floodplains, with a few also including 0.02% and community-defined floodplains. Floodplain zoning focuses primarily on reducing development vulnerability and reducing flood hazards, with limited emphasis on preventive land use measures that limit future flood exposure. The frequently used higher standard measure is the elevation requirements. Development restrictions for limiting hazard exposure are only adopted in a few municipalities.