You could see big savings on your flood insurance thanks to exceptional flood mitigation work by the city of Colorado Springs. FEMA just awarded the Springs a Class 5 rating for several stormwater projects, but there’s still some steps you should take to protect you and your family.
"The first thing you want to do is research. You want to figure out are you in a flood zone?" said Stormwater Enterprise Manager for Colorado Springs Richard Mulledy. "Look at the maps, figure it out."
"The next thing you want to do is look at your property and look at your structures," Mulledy continued. "Are they in the low lying parts of your lots? How close are they to any streams?"
Those flood maps are available on FEMA’s website. Click here to check to see if your home is in a high risk area.
You should also consider if your property is near a burn scar. Be sure to clear any debris from streams or creeks on your property – that includes any leaves or brush. Finally consider the history – ask your neighbors if there’s been flooding in the past.
The good news is in the case of a flood the city is ready. They’ve invested in stormwater projects that reduce flooding. They’ve also been working on flood plain mapping and hazard mapping. All of these contributed to our higher rating.
Thanks to our new ranking the 4,000 people in Colorado Springs with flood insurance policies will see savings. The city estimates this will cut costs by about $260,000.
