Floodplain Management Program

Floodplain Management

The City of Valley Center contains certain areas that are located within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as determined by the United States Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has published maps showing the SFHA within and around the City of Valley Center. These maps can be accessed on the following website: http://msc.fema.gov/portal. Once on this webpage, please follow the directions on how to make and print out your own copy of a FIRMette, which is a full-scale section of a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) that you create yourself and shows the current SFHA boundaries in relation to any given property. 

Flood Insurance

The City of Valley Center has been a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) since 1977, which means that property owners within the City can buy flood insurance. The flood insurance is backed by FEMA. Most homeowner insurance policies do not cover flood-related losses.  
The City of Valley Center also participates in the Community Rating System (CRS), which is administered by the NFIP. The CRS is a voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions meeting the three goals of the CRS:
           1. Reduce flood damage to insurable property;
           2. Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP, and
           3. Encourage a comprehensive approach to floodplain management.  
Currently, the City of Valley Center has a CRS rating of 7, which means that flood insurance policyholders receive a 15% discount on their premiums. For further information regarding purchasing flood insurance, help in finding an agent, or reading other flood facts, please visit: www.floodsmart.gov. 
  

Flood Maps

The present floodplain maps for Valley Center were adopted on December 22, 2016. FEMA has recently finished updating the floodplain maps for Valley Center and all of Sedgwick County.  The City adopted the new floodplain maps which are accessible to the public via the Sedgwick County GIS Online Mapping website: https://gismaps.sedgwickcounty.org/portal. Once on the website, find the map layers toolbar and click on the "Land Features" and "Flood Plain" boxes.  For additional assistance with any questions regarding floodplains, please contact Community Development Director Ryan Shrack at (316) 755-7310.

Stream Gauge Data for Valley Center, KS 

Here is a link to the USGS Stream Gauge at the Little Arkansas River located on the Main Street bridge, west of downtown Valley Center. 

https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ks/nwis/uv?site_no=07144200

The stream gauge measures various aspects of the Little Arkansas River, including the depth of the river.  When the gauge height chart reads 11.34 feet, then the Main Street bridge over the Little Arkansas River is in danger of flooding. Homes near this area should take precautions and drivers should not attempt to drive on flooded roads.


Example of the Stream Gauge Chartstream gauge

**When the gauge height reaches 11.34 feet, the Main Street bridge west of downtown is in danger of flooding.

Build Responsibly

Per the City’s Floodplain Management Ordinance (Ord. 1383-22), the City of Valley Center does not allow new construction or significant improvements to existing structures located within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) without first obtaining a floodplain development permit. This permit can be downloaded from the City of Valley Center’s website or picked up from City Hall, 121 S. Meridian Ave., Valley Center, KS 67147. All floodplain development permits will be reviewed for approval by the Community Development Department and other City staff, including the City Engineer and Public Works Director. You can report illegal floodplain development by contacting the Community Development Department, either in person at City Hall or by calling (316) 755-7310.