Flood Information

A Message From Our Building Official

Our community is concerned about repetitive flooding and has an active program to help you protect yourself and your property from future flooding, but here are some things you can do:

1. Check with the Building Department on the extent of past flooding in your area. 

The Building Official can tell you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the Town of Dewey Beach is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate flood protection level. The Building Official can visit your property to discuss flood protection alternatives.

2. Prepare for flooding by doing the following:

•   Know how to shut off the electricity and gas to your house when a flood comes.
•   Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go.
•   Make a household inventory, especially of basement contents.
•   Put insurance policies, valuable papers, medicine, etc., in a safe place.
•   Collect and put cleaning supplies, camera, waterproof boots, etc., in a handy place.
•   Develop a disaster response plan. See the Red Cross’s website at www.redcross.org for information about preparing your home and family for a disaster.
•   Get a copy of Repairing Your Flooded Home. We have copies at Town Hall, or it can be found on the Red Cross’ website, too.

3. Consider some permanent flood protection measures.

•   Mark your fuse or breaker box to show the circuits to the floodable areas. Turning off the power a basement before a flood can reduce property damage and save lives.
•   Consider elevating your house above flood levels.
•   Check your building for water entry points, such as basement windows, the basement stairwell, doors, and dryer vents. These can be protected with low walls or temporary shields.
•   Install a floor drain plug, standpipe, overhead sewer, or sewer backup valve to prevent sewer backup flooding.
•   More information can be found at FEMA’s website, www.ready.gov/floods.
•   Note that some flood protection measures may require a building permit and other measures may not be safe for your type of building, so talk to the Building Official before starting any project.

4. Call the Building Official for information on financial assistance.

5. Get a flood insurance policy.

• Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However, because our community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. This insurance is backed by the Federal government and is available to everyone, even properties that have been flooded. Because our community participates in the Community Rating System, you may receive a reduction in the insurance premium.
• If your area is not mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area, you may qualify for a lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy.
• Some people have purchased flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they got a mortgage or home improvement loan. Usually, these policies just cover the building’s structure and not the contents. Typically, there is usually more damage to furniture and contents than there is to the structure. So, consider having contents coverage.
• Do not wait for the next flood to buy insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30-day waiting period before National Flood Insurance Program coverage takes effect.
• Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.

Additional information:

The majority of the Town of Dewey Beach is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as designated on the current Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for the Town. SFHA designations are areas with a one-percent annual chance of flooding. All homeowners in these areas with federally regulated mortgages are required to buy flood insurance.

The Town of Dewey Beach Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) information is:

Community ID #: 100056

Map/panel #: 10005C0354 Suffix: K

FIRM Index date: 06/20/18

FIRM Panel: 03/16/15

Flood map information can be researched online through the:

State of Delaware (DNREC): https://floodplanning.dnrec.delaware.gov OR

through FEMA: https://hazards-fema.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8b0adb51996444d4879338b5529aa9cd

The Town of Dewey Beach participates in the National Flood Insurance program. Flood insurance from the NFIP is available for any property in the Town of Dewey Beach. This does not imply that your property will or will not be free from flooding or damage. A property not in a Special Flood Hazard Area may be damaged by a flood greater than that predicted on the FIRM or from a local drainage problem not shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) map.

If you should have additional questions, please contact the Building Official at 302-227-6363.

Best Regards,

Daune Hinks

Building Official

Helpful Links

Flood Hazard - Check Before You Buy

I-ADAPT Flood Planning Tool

Sussex County Hazard Mitigation Plan

State of Delaware Flood Planning Tool

NFIP/Community Rating System (CRS) Classification Notification

FEMA National Flood Insurance Program

FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer Viewer 

FEMA Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction

FEMA Protecting Building Utility Systems from Flood Damage

FEMA Users Guide to Technical Bulletins

FEMA Protect Your Home From Flooding

FEMA Flooding FAQ

FEMA How to Prepare for a Hurricane

Dewey Beach Flood Map.pdf 

Dewey Beach Flood Map 2

Be Prepared for a Flood

Lending Institutions, Real Estate & Insurance Agents Flood Information

FEMA Mitigation Ideas Handbook

Homeowner's Handbook for Natural Hazard Preparation