New Flood-Plain Map Being Created For Rhea County

  • Thursday, April 27, 2006
  • Jim Ashley, Rhea County Herald-News

Representatives of FEMA and the State of Tennessee Economic and Community Development were in Dayton to discuss with local government leaders a new flood-plain map that is being created for Rhea County.

The Flood Insurance Study Roadmap will be an updated version of the current map, which was issued in the late 1980s, and will have considerably more detail.

The mapping project is part of FEMA’s effort to update maps of counties nationwide and coincides with Tennessee’s effort this year to “digitize” all base maps.

Tim Roach, ECD regional director for the Local Planning Assistance Office of the Southeast, Tenn., region, led the discussion prior to the beginning of the weekly county finance committee meeting.

Accompanying him and also speaking were FEMA representative J.P. Maier of Atlanta; Dan Hawk, ECD director, Local Planning Assistance Office, Southeast, Tenn.; and Daryle Fontenot and Josh Bell of Watershed Concepts, which is the contractor producing the actual updated map.

Roach explained that the group was in Dayton so that government and community leaders could look over a proof of the new map and “point out any problems with road names or areas that really need restudy.”

The ECD, he noted, is a “facilitator” for the FEMA-funded project.

There may be some areas that are having flood problems and other areas that are likely to experience flooding issues in the future that are not listed on the old map or the proof map, he said.

Areas of particular interest, he noted, are Graysville and Spring City, where the old map does not include the widening of Highway 27.

Another proof map will be sent to the county commission later this year for reinspection, Roach said, adding that the commission could either approve, protest or appeal it.

An appeal would actually stop the process of publishing the map, while a protest would simply note incorrect road names, change of corporate limits, etc., he said.

The time the group spent with local leaders on Wednesday was very beneficial and is helping to move the process along, Roach said.

During the meeting, Roach pointed out that having the map “digitized” will allow users to view the flood plain of a particular area such as Spring City without having to view all surrounding counties.

The printed copies, he said, will be in “several sheets,” and the map will eventually be available in digital form on the Internet.

Concerning costs, Roach said the new map is being funded by FEMA via Homeland Security dollars, with the State of Tennessee making a contribution through its current effort to update its base maps.

There will be no cost to Rhea County, he stressed.

By the end of the year, he noted, 59 counties will have updated Flood Insurance Study Roadmaps, and eventually all 95 counties will have them.

When Rhea County’s updated map is ready for distribution, a notice will be place in The Herald-News, he said.

Jim Ashley can be reached at jimashley@xtn.net.

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