Background and Purpose The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has identified Special Flood Hazard Areas within the boundaries of Calvert County. Special Flood Hazard Areas are subject to periodic inundation which may result in loss of life and property, health and safety hazards, disruption of commerce and governmental services, extraordinary public expenditures for flood protection and relief, and impairment of the tax base, which adversely affect the public health, safety, and general welfare.
Floodplains are defined by the Federal Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM). Where FIRM map boundaries and elevations disagree, elevations prevail. FIRM maps are available from the Department of Planning & Zoning.
Flooding
Report Flooding Go to MyCoast Maryland and download the app or report flooding! The next time a rainstorm causes flooding in your neck of the woods, submit a picture on the MyCoast Maryland app. Your reports will help us further develop our flood mitigation plan.
Nuisance Flooding Plan for Calvert County Pursuant to the Sea Level Rise Inundation and Coastal Flooding Act (Maryland House Bill 1427 (2019), §3-1018(b) and (c)), on or before October 1, 2020, a local jurisdiction that experiences nuisance flooding shall develop a plan to address nuisance flooding. In addition, a local jurisdiction shall update the plan every five years; publish the plan on the local jurisdiction’s website; and shall submit a copy of the plan to the Maryland Department of Planning. The definition of nuisance flooding in accordance with §3-1001 of the Natural Resource Article of the Maryland Annotated Code is "high tide flooding that causes a public inconvenience."
Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) face a risk of flooding from the 1% annual chance flood (a.k.a. “base flood”). The base flood is the flood which has a 1% chance each year of being equaled or exceeded.
SFHAs include Zones A, AE, AH, AO, AR, A99, V, and VE. Property within the SFHA must follow floodplain regulations to be eligible for NFIP benefits—permits are required for all development activity in the SFHA!
Development in the Floodplain If you are building a structure or adding onto an existing structure and are located in or near the FEMA Flood Hazard Area, you may be required to submit several documents with your permit application package. The following forms can be found on the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) website:
FEMA released the updated Elevation Certificate form on Friday, July 7, 2023. There is no grace period for the old form. Any form signed and dated as of July 7, 2023 must be on the latest FEMA EC Form. The following forms can be found on the FEMA website:
Participation in the FEMA Community Rating System (CRS) Program
Calvert County participates in FEMA’s Community Rating System (CRS) Program, which requires the County to engage in activities that protect the 100-year floodplain, provide the public with 100-year floodplain information and data resources, and conduct public outreach about floodplain hazards and the means to protect property against flood damage. Calvert County’s participation in the CRS Program allows county residents owning property with structures within the 100-year floodplain to receive a 10% discount on their flood insurance premiums when they initiate or renew their flood insurance policies (effective May 1, 2015).
Special Flood Hazard Areas