New flood maps to impact Upstate property owners

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (Nickelle Smith, WSPA) – New floodplain maps could affect the wallets of Upstate property owners.

SC DNR’s Flood Mitigation Program created new flood insurance rate maps.

The maps show the extent to which areas are at risk for flooding.

They held a public meeting in Spartanburg County Wednesday for property owners in the Tyger Watershed.

That area spans portions of Greenville, Spartanburg, and Union counties.

Officials say people need to learn their true level of flood risk and if they’re mandated to pay flood insurance.

“Things have changed,” said SCDNR Flood Mitigation State Coordinator Maria Cox Lamm. “We’ve had quite a number of areas where it’s increased, some areas where it’s decreased. Special flood hazard areas have gotten larger in some areas, smaller in others. So it’s important to know what that means for you and your specific piece of property.”

This is all leading up to a public comment period for property owners before the maps are officially adopted.

The comment period will be published beforehand.

“We don’t just accept that ‘you don’t like it.’ You have to submit some documentation,” said Lamm. “You can submit survey information, an updated engineering analysis. There’s multiple things that can be submitted to. We take any and all better data than what we have and we’ll update the maps if it meets the requirements.”

Accodring to SCDNR, flood risks change over time because of construction and development, environmental changes, floodplain widening or shifting, and other factors.

Officials said that flood maps are updated periodically to reflect those kinds of changes.

If you were not able to attend Wednesday’s meeting, click here to contact your local floodplain manager.