Oak Creek Floodplain Remapping Project - Fact Sheet

Oak Creek Flood Study Reaches Final Milestone

The final milestone in its multi-year study and remapping of the different flood hazard areas along Oak Creek and its tributaries has been reached. Updated flood maps for the Yavapai County portions of Oak Creek became effective February 8, 2024. The Yavapai County Flood Control District (YCFCD), led this project in conjunction with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Coconino County Flood Control District, and the City of Sedona. The area studied included Sterling Canyon in Coconino County, through the City of Sedona, past Cornville, and down to where Oak Creek empties into the Verde River. These updated flood maps (known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps or FIRMs) help the County better understand the current flood risk along Oak Creek and actions to take to reduce that risk. Likewise, residents and business owners can make more informed decisions on insuring and protecting their homes or businesses against future floods.

Current Oak Creek flood maps were outdated. These new flood maps provide a better understanding of today’s flood risk and help guide creating a safer, more resilient place to live and work.

Why Oak Creek Flood Maps Needed Updating

The previous flood maps for Oak Creek and adjacent streams were based on studies and technology more than 30 years old. Consequently, they no longer accurately represented the area’s flood risk. The region saw significant growth since the early 1980s and experienced large rainfall events, including two substantial floods and Sedona’s flood of record. As a result, drainage patterns have changed. Also, technology used to estimate flood risks has dramatically improved. State-of-the-art aerial mapping and risk modeling techniques along with 30-plus additional years of rainfall information were used. As a result, these new flood maps show – on a property-by-property basis – the most current level of flood risk along Oak Creek.

Updated Flood Maps Mean a Safer Community

The updated maps show the extent to which areas along Oak Creek and individual properties are at risk for flooding. They help guide financial protection, planning, investment, building, development, and renovation decisions.

• Residents and business owners will understand their current flood risk and make better decisions about insuring and protecting their property against floods.
• Community planners, local officials, builders and developers will have more updated information to guide building and remodeling decisions, resulting in a more resilient community.
• Lending and realty professionals will be better able to inform clients of the risk factors that may affect the property they are buying or selling and any flood insurance requirements.
• Insurance professionals will better understand their clients’ flood risk and offer the best insurance options.

Changing Flood Risks Mean Changing Building and Flood Insurance Requirements

Now that the new flood maps became effective on February 8, 2024, building, remodeling, and home purchase decisions are affected. So are flood insurance requirements and costs. For example, all new construction and remodeling since February 8, 2024 must be done per the new flood zones and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) shown on the new map. In addition, most homes and businesses with a mortgage that are newly identified to be at high risk (now shown as Zone A or AE) will be required to carry flood insurance. Note that the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) provides a one-time policy discount for buildings newly identified to be in a high-risk area; however, a policy must be in place before February 8, 2025 to get the discount. Lender requirements for buildings which are no longer at high risk, but instead be at a moderate-low flood risk (e.g., Zone X), also changed. Flood insurance stopped being federally required on those properties (though the lender can still require it). However, flood insurance is strongly recommended as the risk has been only reduced, not removed. Talk to your insurance agent for more details and the right coverage for you.

Stay Informed 

Property owners and renters along Oak Creek in Yavapai County and Sedona (in Yavapai County) are encouraged to look up their property to see how their flood risk has changed. Some properties may show a higher or lower flood risk, while others will show no change. More information about the mapping project and a link to the Oak Creek Map Changes Viewer can be found at https://tinyurl.com/Oak-Creek-Mapping-Project.

For questions about flood insurance, talk to your insurance agent or visit www.FloodSmart.gov.   

The flood maps for the portion of Oak Creek that is in Coconino County went effective March 21, 2023.