About Special Flood-Hazard Areas
Overview
Flooding is the most common natural disaster in the United States. You are receiving this information because you live in, or near, a Special Flood-Hazard Area (SFHA). A special flood-hazard area is an area where floodwater equaling a 100-year flood can occur. A 100-year flood event has a 26% chance of occurring during a 30-year period, the length of many mortgages. Therefore, whether you live in a SFHA zone or not, knowledge and preparation for flooding are important. This document reviews flood safety, property protection measures, flood insurance, floodplain development requirements, and other important flood-related issues.
In 1968, Congress passed the National Flood Insurance Act, which created the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Congress created the NFIP in response to the rising cost of taxpayer- funded disaster relief for flood victims and the increasing amount of damage caused by floods. The NFIP makes federally backed flood insurance available in communities that agree to adopt and to enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce further flood damage.
In 1990, the Federal Insurance Administration (FIA) implemented the Community Rating System (CRS), which provides incentives for communities to go beyond the minimum floodplain management requirements and to develop extra measures to provide protection from flooding. The Town of Davie has participated in this program since 1992. Through the annual accreditation process, the Town’s CRS rating is 7, which gives Davie residents living in a SFHA a 15% discount on their flood insurance. For example, a flood insurance policy premium that costs $420 is reduced to $357 with the discount. Residents living in a non-SFHA zone receive a 5% discount on their flood insurance. These discounts are already factored into the premium mailed to your home. Because of these discounts, Davie homeowners, who together hold over 19,400 flood policies, save an annual cumulative amount of $1 million, or $55 per policy, in flood insurance policy premiums.
Natural & Beneficial Functions
State regulations protect those natural areas that help to reduce the risks associated with flooding. When portions of floodplains are preserved in (or restored to) their natural state, they provide many benefits to both human and natural systems. In particular, the Everglades Aquifer, which provides drinking water to the South Florida area, benefits from the preservation of natural areas.
These benefits range from providing aesthetic pleasure to reducing the number and the severity of floods, to helping handle stormwater runoff and minimizing nonpoint water pollution. Nonpoint is the opposite of a direct pipe or point pollution discharge. For example, by allowing floodwater to slow down, sediments settle out, thus maintaining water quality. The natural vegetation filters out impurities and uses excess nutrients.
The Town of Davie has over 40 parks and open sites with a cumulative 1,690 acres located within its boundaries. These sites include areas within the floodplain that are maintained in their natural state.
Flood Zone Determinations & Elevation Certificates
The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) division provides Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) determinations to residents inquiring whether their structure is located in a SFHA zone. Please call 954-797-1041 for your determination. To view an interactive FIRM map, check out our "Map Us" Tool.
Elevation certificates are required as part of the permitting process for all newly constructed or substantially improved buildings in Davie. The certificate documents the base flood elevation of buildings and is available to any inquirers in order to facilitate accurate insurance ratings. To find out if an elevation certificate has been completed for your property, call the Building Department at 954-797-1111.
Flood Warning System
The Broward County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in coordination with the National Weather Service, relays updates of threatening weather to government and media outlets. Flood warnings or watch advisories are issued through local radio and TV stations. These advisories are broadcast on:
| TV | AM RADIO | FM RADIO | WEBSITE |
|---|---|---|---|
| WFOR Channel 4 | WIOD 610 | WKIS 99.9 | Channnel 4 |
| WTVJ Channel 6 | WINZ 940 | WBGG 105.9 | Channel 6 |
| WSVN Channel 7 | WFTL 1400 | WCQM 92 (S) | Channel 7 |
| WPLG Channel 10 | WRBD 1470 | Channnel 10 | |
| WSCV Channel 51 (S) | WSRF 1580 | (S) | Channel 51 |
| WLTV Channel 23 (S) | WCQM 1210 (S) | (S) | Channel 23 |
| * (S) = Spanish |
Further hurricane information is available through the Broward County Emergency Management Division, 954-831-3900, or the Broward County Hurricane Hotline at 954-831-4000 or 3-1-1.
The Town also has an information hotline that provides details on advisories relating to emergencies, including hurricanes. This hotline is updated as necessary and can be reached at 954-797-1122.
Evacuation Information
All mobile home residents must evacuate in the case of a flood emergency. To contact the American Red Cross shelters, please call 954-797-3800, or visit the American Red Cross Shelters Website.
Updated April 20, 2022