The City has participated in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for nearly 30 years. Any property owner (homeowner, business owner, and renter) in Des Plaines can purchase flood insurance from any licensed insurance agent, or directly through NFIP by calling 800-427-4661 or by visiting the NFIP Website. Eligibility is not determined by whether your structure is located in or out of an identified floodplain.

• Read Common Myths and Facts about Flood Insurance
• Mandatory Purchase Requirement

The City has a Hazard Mitigation Plan which fulfills the federal mitigation planning requirements, qualifies for Community Rating System credit, and provides the City with a blueprint for reducing the impacts of these natural hazards on people and property.

• CRS - 2014 Floodplain Management Plan Annual Report

A Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is a map created by the NFIP for floodplain management and insurance purposes. Digital versions of these maps are called DFIRMs.

A FIRM will generally show a community's base flood elevations, flood zones, and floodplain boundaries. As a property owner/renter, you can use this map to get a reliable indication of what flood zone you're in. However, maps are constantly being updated due to changes in geography, construction and mitigation activities, and meteorological events (Source: www.floodsmart.gov).

The City is required to adopt a Flood Insurance Rate Map by Federal Emergency Management Agency and Illinois Department of Natural Resources to remain eligible in National Flood Insurance Program (subsidized flood insurance). The map determines flood insurance rates; 100-year (1% probability flood) flood plain is the regulatory floodplain.

Therefore, for a truly accurate determination, the public can view the August 19, 2008 Flood Insurance Rate Map for the City of Des Plaines.

• Reflects improved topographic (ground) information from new technology – Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system and Global Positioning System equipment
• Vertical precision is 0.6’ (approximately 7.5")
• Hydrologic and Hydraulic (H&H) information unchanged along the Des Plaines River (100-year flood elevation remains the same)

Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)

• Corrects errors in the mapping
• Requires Elevation Certificate
• Lowest finished grade around structure must be higher than 100-year flood plain elevation
• Current List of Map Amendments

Letter of Map Revision (LOMR)

• Issued as a result of approved construction project
• Lowest finished floor (including basement) must be at least one foot above 100-year flood plain elevation
• Conditional Letter of Map Revision (CLOMR) must be issued prior to construction; once as-built information is verified a LOMR can be issue

Existing Structures:

• Vertical additions permitted as long as improvement does not exceed 50% of the existing building value at the time of permit.
• Horizontal additions are permitted as long as requirements for new construction are met

New Construction:

• Lowest floor (including basement) must be at least one foot higher than 100-year elevation
• 150% hydraulically equivalent compensatory storage required to compensate for lost flood storage
• Detached garages are permitted at-grade without compensatory storage as long as the foundation walls are extended one foot above the flood plain elevation
• Above-ground pools require compensatory storage

Des Plaines River, Phase I, Army Corps of Engineers

• Big Bend Lake Reservoir (under design)
• Buffalo Creek Reservoir (under preliminary design)
• North Fork Mill Creek Reservoir (planning stage)
• Van Patten Woods Lateral Storage (planning stage)

Des Plaines River, Phase II, Army Corps of Engineers

• Expands on Phase I flood damage reduction projects
• Includes environmental protection, restoration, water quality and recreation benefits
• 33 tributary creeks under study