Yesterday, the Harris County Flood Control District provided an update to the Harris County Commissioners Court on newly released Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) draft floodplain maps. This morning, the conversation continued on local television.

On February 13, 2026, Emily Woodell, Chief External Affairs Officer for the Flood Control District, joined FOX 26 Houston to explain what the draft maps mean for residents and how the community can get involved. Watch the full interview.

Together, the two conversations reinforce a consistent message: the maps are draft, and community input matters.

Draft Maps. No Immediate Changes.

The draft floodplain maps were released by FEMA and are now available for public review. This is the first major floodplain update in Harris County in nearly two decades.

Woodell emphasized that residents should not expect immediate impacts.

“These maps are draft,” she said. “FEMA has put them out for the floodplain administrators and for the community to be able to provide input. So we’ve got a long way to go before anything changes. So everything is status quo as of today.”

The review, feedback, and revision process could take two to three years before any updated maps are finalized or adopted.

There is also no immediate impact to insurance requirements.

“There is absolutely no impact to insurance right now,” Woodell explained. “These maps do not impact rates. They just impact whether or not you are required to carry insurance on a federally backed mortgage.”

Woodell noted that while some properties may now appear inside a mapped floodplain because of higher rainfall rates, others are being mapped out because of improvements made across the county.

“We have seen a lot of properties go into the floodplain as a result of increasing rainfall rates,” she said. “But we are really excited that we have also seen a lot of people come out of the floodplain because of the work that has been done to reduce flood risk in Harris County.”

That progress reflects years of investment and ongoing work by the Flood Control District and its partners.

Transparency and Community Input

At Commissioners Court yesterday and again during the FOX 26 interview this morning, the emphasis was on transparency and public engagement.

“We want to make sure that these maps reflect people’s lived experience,” Woodell said. “Flooding is incredibly personal. Everyone in Harris County has been impacted by it.”

To support that effort, the Flood Control District has launched a public facing flood map dashboard at hcfcd.org. The tool allows residents to:

• Enter their address
• View proposed floodplain boundaries
• Compare old and new floodplains
• Submit comments directly

The agency is also planning regular educational webinars to walk residents through the dashboard and explain what the maps mean.

“I think an informed public is critical to the success of this initiative,” Woodell added. “We at the Flood Control District are really taking that upon ourselves as the local partner in this effort.”

Residents are encouraged to visit hcfcd.org to search their address, review the draft floodplain boundaries and submit feedback. The Flood Control District can answer questions about the maps and flood risk, while insurance specific questions should be directed to providers. 

By reviewing the draft maps and sharing feedback, residents help ensure the final product reflects both sound science and real world experience across Harris County.