Resources and information about flood maps for Hillsborough County
Significant rainfall events or tropical storm surge can result in flooding within areas of the county. Flood maps are a useful tool for assessing a property's flood risk and are a factor in flood insurance and building requirements. As new data and technology become available, maps are updated to show areas where the risk of flooding has changed.
FEMA flood zone maps, known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), show areas of high and moderate to low flood risk. High-risk areas have a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. FIRMs are used to determine building and flood insurance requirements. FEMA effective flood zones may be accessed on the Find My Flood Zone webpage.
County floodplain maps, developed from detailed watershed studies, also show areas that have a 1% or greater chance of flooding in any given year. As with the high-risk flood zones on FEMA FIRM maps, these floodplain areas are also considered high-risk areas and are subject to specific development regulations. County floodplains may be viewed on the Hillsborough County Floodplain Viewer.
NOTE: Federal requirements for flood insurance are only based on the FEMA FIRM, not the Hillsborough County floodplains. Additionally, the watershed models used to develop the County floodplains do not consider coastal storm surge as a model input. As a result, coastal storm surge flood risk is not reflected in the County floodplains.
For advice on ways to protect your property from flooding, contact Public Works' Floodplain Administration at (813) 635-5400 or email floodplainadmin@hcfl.gov. You also may request a staff member visit your property for further information on retrofitting, remodeling, and other topics.