INDIANAPOLIS -- Do new high-water boundaries put your house at risk for flooding?
The Indianapolis City-County Council has approved brand new flood maps for the county's rivers and streams.
The new maps are 10 years in the making, and will mean major changes for 3,000 property owners in Marion County.
FEMA and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources reviewed more than 180 miles of waterways to identify the greatest risk, and who's impacted.
For the 3,000 property owners who will now find themselves in a flood plain, the new maps mean they'll be required to buy flood insurance if they have a federally-back mortgage.
Four thousand other property owners have been removed from the designation.
The maps give local government the tools to prevent new construction along floodways.
Regular updating is a requirement for Marion County to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Director of Code Enforcement Jim Larrison says it's all in an effort to reduce the risk and mitigate the impact of a potential natural disaster.
"If we hadn't adopted these maps, those that were paying the insurance could possibly lose their mortgages," Larrison said. "On top of that, the city and county would potentially lose federal funding if there was a natural disaster."
FEMA notified the affected property owners in 2014. They had the opportunity to appeal as part of the process.
Find more information online through FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
-----
Sign up to have the latest news headlines delivered straight to your email inbox
