Floods can - and do - occur throughout Hillsborough County. Areas of high risk are called Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA's). They have at least a 1% chance of flooding in a given year. Other areas have low to moderate risk, meaning that the risk in these areas is reduced, but not removed. Flood risks vary from property to property, even in the same neighborhood. The County is now completing a major effort to develop reliable, digital flood hazard maps that will replace the outdated, paper maps. All residents can use the Proposed Flood Map Viewers to learn their risk, and decide the steps to take to protect against damage and loss.

Flood insurance is an important first step in protecting your financial investment. For homes in a high risk zone, there is a 26% chance of experiencing a flood during the life of a 30-year mortgage, compared to a 9% chance of fire. In accordance with the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, flood insurance is required for all structures located in a SFHA that carry a home mortgage loan backed by a federally-regulated lender or servicer. Remember, flood insurance is available for all properties, regardless of risk designation, and that homeowners insurance does not typically protect you from flood damage. More information is available on the Insurance Information page.

Floods are the most common natural disaster in Hillsborough County (and the United States for that matter). Being flood smart includes protecting your property before floods occur. Be sure that major appliances, electric switchboxes, outlets, and heating equipment are well above potential flood levels. Learn more by visiting the Are You Ready? website or reading our Flooding Fast Facts Information Sheet ( PDF, 150KB ) .

Though there is some similarity between the County's hurricane evacuation zone lettering and the flood map zone lettering (e.g. A, B, C), they are not the same as they are determined very differently and have different meaning. Flooding can occur all throughout the county because of low areas, bodies of water and the way water runs off land. But all of these areas might not be in a hurricane evacuation zone because of their distance from the coast and other factors. To view what evacuation zone you are in, visit the County's Hurricane Evauation Assessment Tool ( HEAT ) website.

View Frequently Asked Questions ( PDF, 209KB ) about the Hillsborough County's map modernization project.