Last week, FEMA released draft floodplain mapping information to the 34 floodplain administrators in Harris County as part of the MAAPNext effort. MAAPNext is a FEMA-led initiative, supported by the Harris County Flood Control District to provide local expertise. These maps reflect changing conditions in Harris County, including a more than 30% increase in rainfall rates, updated topography and advanced modeling. 

These updates are important. After major storms between 2015 and 2017, including Hurricane Harvey, it became clear that existing floodplain maps were not fully reflecting flood risk. Thousands of families flooded outside of mapped high-risk areas and that lived experience is important. Updated maps help residents, businesses, emergency managers, and local governments better understand risk and make more informed decisions.  

It is important to emphasize that, at this stage, these are draft maps from FEMA intended for technical review by floodplain administrators. They are not final, not regulatory, and not part of FEMA’s formal public appeal and comment process. Nothing changes right now related to flood insurance requirements or development regulations. 

We recognize this process can be complex and difficult to navigate. To support transparency and make FEMA’s information more accessible, the Flood Control District will launch a public-friendly online map viewer next week that displays the same draft data in a clearer, easier-to-understand format. We will also host informational webinars and continue working closely with floodplain administrators, local partners, and community stakeholders to help residents understand what this means and what comes next.  

The draft FEMA maps also reflect real progress. They include flood mitigation projects completed or under construction through 2020, and early results show areas where flood risk has decreased because of those investments, including projects made possible through the 2018 Bond Program. That means in some neighborhoods, families who once faced repeated flooding are now seeing measurable reductions in risk. There is more work to do, but we know these projects are making a difference, and hundreds of millions of dollars in additional construction is set to begin this year. 

The Flood Control District is committed to being a trusted resource and a conduit for our community, ensuring residents have the opportunity to understand, respond to, and participate in this process. More information is available on our website, including frequently asked questions: www.hcfcd.org.