Floodplain Map Updates

Homeowners, renters and business owners in the City of Cleburne are encouraged to look over newly released preliminary flood map in order to determine their flood risks and make informed decisions. The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the process of releasing new floodplain maps for a portion of the City of Cleburne.  

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are presenting the preliminary maps to communities in order to help leaders and residents identify known flood risks and use that information to make decisions about buying flood insurance and any future development.

The new map is the result of a multi-year study of the Upper Brushy Creek watershed prepared by the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) and the Upper Brushy Creek Water Control and Improvement District (UBCWCID).  The City of Cleburne was an active member of the Technical Advisory Committee for the UBCWCID watershed study.  

FEMA identifies floodplains in order to calculate flood risks for insurance purposes, particularly within Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA). SFHAs are defined as the area that will be inundated by the flood event having a one percent (1%) chance of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The one percent (1%) annual chance flood is also referred to as the base flood or 100-year flood.

Floods occur naturally and can happen almost anywhere. They may not even be near a body of water, although river and coastal flooding are two of the most common types. Heavy rains, poor drainage, and even nearby construction projects can put you at risk for flood damage.

Flood maps are one tool that communities use to know which areas have the highest risk of flooding. FEMA maintains and updates data through flood maps and risk assessments