Floodplain Management assists property owners in meeting the requirements of the Eau Claire Floodplain Ordinance and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) which is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). https://www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program

The Planning Department is the archive for all the flood information for the City, including Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), Elevation Certificates (ECs), Letters of Map Amendment (LOMAs), and Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs). 

Floodplain maps help property owners determine if their property is at risk for flooding and if the property is within a regulatory floodplain.  Regulatory floodplain maps (also known as effective floodplain maps) are used by lenders and the insurance industry to determine flood insurance requirements.  Eau Claire has been part of the NFIP since 1974, and the city actively participates in floodplain management.

The goals of the NFIP are to reduce flood hazards by:

• Regulating floodplain activities
• Adopting floodplain policies
• Mapping floodplains
• Educating the public about floods and floodplains

Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive-based program that recognizes and encourages community-based floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum standards of the NFIP.  In Eau Claire, it involves a series of activities that the City carries out each year, such as local hazard mitigation, strong floodplain management and public outreach activities, that not only exceed the minimum standards of the NFIP, but that also promote flood protection and involve preventative measures to avoid flooding and reduce the negative impacts of flooding in our community.  By taking all of these measures, citizens in Eau Claire who have Federally-backed flood insurance through the NFIP, receive a discount on their flood insurance policy premiums.  The City of Eau Claire is a Class 9 in the CRS program through FEMA.

If you have any questions, please contact the Planning Department at 715-839-4914 or email planning@eauclairewi.gov