Rawhide Wash Flood Hazard Mitigation Project and Your Flood Insurance Policy

As the project gets underway, many of you probably are wondering when you’ll be able to cancel your home’s flood insurance policy. Some 850 buildings in the project area would be removed from floodplain by the time the work is complete. But please understand that this is a rather lengthy process. Essentially all properties on either side of the floodwall system between Pinnacle Peak Road and the north end of the project (on the north side of Happy Valley Road) will be removed from the Special Flood Hazard Area (flood zone). The flood zone change and reclassification will remove the requirement for flood insurance for properties with mortgages. However, the final map redelineation and official change will not happen for two to three years as the project must be fully constructed, including Phase 1, Phase 2 and the Miller Road Bridge, and then resubmitted to the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to receive a final approval. If FEMA approves everything the agency would then issue what is called a Letter of Map Revision which would eliminate the requirement for flood insurance. We are just about to begin Phase 1, so it will be a while before any flood insurance changes would be possible.