FLASH FLOOD RISK
Did you know that in certain flooding conditions, a vehicle can be washed away in less than 12 inches of fast-moving floodwater? Conditions that cause floods include heavy rain that saturates the ground that can last for several hours or days.

In Texas, flash flooding is dangerous because it occurs suddenly due to rapidly rising water along a stream or low-lying area, leaving little time for affected residents to evacuate their home or business, or their car, if attempting to drive across a flooded roadway.

Because flash floods can be sudden, roadways can be covered in swiftly moving floodwater, making them unsafe and impassable. Most flood-related deaths are due to motorists attempting to cross a flooded low-water crossing or road. Know your flood risk, and “Turn Around, Don’t Drown®”!

BUILD RESPONSIBLY

All development in the City of Copperas Cove’s floodplain requires a floodplain development permit. The City’s ordinances and building codes guide and regulate construction in floodplains. Without these provisions, flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) would not be available. Any development in the floodplain without a permit is illegal and should be reported to the Planning Department.

If you are doing any type of construction activity in the City’s Floodplain, you may need a floodplain development permit. Call (254) 547‐4221 for additional information.  You can also contact the Planning Department to learn more about floodplain permitting requirements.

The City of Copperas Cove participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). As a participating community, the City has adopted floodplain management practices through the City’s Floodplain Ordinance that limits the development allowed in the 1% annual chance floodplain (the area inundated by a storm that has a 1% chance of occurring in any year, also known as the 100 year floodplain.

Flood provisions found in the current Drainage Master Plan both help to protect new structures and improvements from flood damage and to protect the community from negative flooding impacts from new development.  These provisions include:

• Elevation – minimum standards for the height of finished floors and lowest horizontal members of new structures and improvements
• Flood protection – performance standards for structures and utilities serving buildings to reduce the risk and severity of flood damage
• Mitigation ‐remove or “cut” at least as much material from the floodplain as they add or “fill”.   Materials include any type of solid building material including but not limited to soil, concrete, gravel, wood and bricks.
• Conveyance Analysis and No Impact Certification – documents provided by an engineer based on an engineering study to the City showing that the development will not impact the flow of flood waters or increase the base flood elevation.

The City’s Planning Department is available to make site visits to review on‐site drainage and flooding issues and provide information to property owners pertaining to development, renovation, and flood protection measures for their structure. To schedule a site visit, please contact the Planning Department at (254) 547‐4221 or email.

COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM (CRS)

The City of Copperas Cove participates in the Community Rating System (CRS). The CRS is a subset of the NFIP. It is a voluntary incentive program, which recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities which exceed the minimum NFIP requirements.

As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community’s actions meeting the three goals of the CRS:

1) Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property
2) Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program
3) Foster comprehensive floodplain management

Community participation in the CRS is in addition to participation in the NFIP. Participation in the NFIP does not automatically include participation in the CRS.

As of April 2023, The City of Copperas Cove has a CRS ranking of 8, which qualifies residents for up to a 10% discount on flood insurance premiums for properties in the SFHA.

FLOOD INSURANCE RATE MAPS (FIRM)

The City also provides a map information service enabling all residents to determine the flood zone of a specific property. Paper copies are available for viewing at the City’ Planning Department.

Electronic maps may be viewed and printed online for free at the FEMA Flood Map Service Center at https://msc.fema.gov/portal.

FLOOD SAFETY TIPS

Before the Flood:

1. Check with the City’s Planning Department on the extent of past flooding in your area. Department staff can tell you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate flood protection level. They can also 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 flooding occurs.
   • Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go.
   • Make a household inventory.
   • Put insurance policies, valuable papers, medicine, etc., in a safe place.
   • Develop a disaster response plan (See the Red Cross Web site: www.redcross.org/services/disaster/ for a copy of the brochure “Your Family Disaster Plan”).
   • Get a copy of ‘Repairing Your Flooded Home,’ which can be found on the Red Cross Website, too.
3. Consider some permanent flood protection measures.
   • Mark your fuse box to show the circuits to the floodable areas. Turning off the power to these floodable areas can reduce property damage (fires) and save lives.
   • Consider flood protection alternatives such as flood walls or berms.
   • Note that some flood protection measures may require permits. Please check with the City Planning Department and/or the Building Department for more information.
   • A copy of ‘Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House from Flooding’ are available at no charge to download from https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/FEMA_P-312.pdf.
4. Talk to the Floodplain management staff for information on financial assistance.
   • If you are interested in elevating your building above the flood level, or if you are interested in selling your house to the City, the City may be able to apply for federal grants to cover a portion of the cost.
   • Get a flood insurance policy – it will help pay for repairs after a flood and, in some cases, it will help pay the costs of elevating a substantially damaged building.
5. Get a flood insurance policy.
   • Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However, some owners have purchased flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they received a mortgage or home improvement loan.
   • Don’t wait until the next flood to buy flood insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30‐day waiting period before the National Flood Insurance Program coverage takes effect.
   • Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.

During/After the flood:

• Ask for a licensed electrician, plumber, etc., to check or turn on your power, water, and/or gas.
• Do not wade through flood waters due to the danger of pollutants, debris (nails, glass, etc.), and animals (snakes, ants, etc.).
• Flood waters are often murky and depth is hard to determine. Do not drive through flood waters! Turn around, don’t drown!
• If emergency evacuation is needed, please visit the City’s Emergency response staff in the City Fire Department for shelter locations at www.copperascovetx.gov and follow the instructions to evacuate ‐it saves lives of those around you and possibly of the emergency workers responding.

POST‐FLOOD INFORMATION FOR HOMEOWNERS

If your home has suffered flood damage, a Floodplain Development Permit may be required, depending on your location and flood hazard zone. Contact the City’s Planning Department via phone at (254) 547‐4221 or via email to get the facts before you rebuild.

• If you suspect that a building has become structurally unsafe, do not enter until it has been cleared by a City Building Official.
• If your structure does need repairing, City staff can advise you on ways to reduce flood risk while repairing your structure.
• Flood mitigation grant opportunities may be available for projects to reduce flood risk to your structure. There is no flood mitigation assistance funding currently available.
• If you have flood insurance, and the City determines your structure is substantially damaged, you may be eligible for ‘Increased Cost of Coverage’ (ICC), which provides funding up to $30,000 to elevate, demolish, or relocate your structure.
• If your neighborhood has flooded, do not drive through floodwaters. Floodwaters are often murky and depth is hard to determine. “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”
• Keep away from standing floodwaters which may be contaminated and contain pollutants, debris, and animals such as snakes and ants.

FLOOD WARNINGS AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS  

The ability to safely evacuate residents during a disaster depends on strong disaster preparedness planning and requires the cooperation of all affected citizens. Evacuations require the establishment of emergency shelters during disasters for evacuees, and, significant coordination among City departments during disasters is critical in order to maintain essential City services.

The City of Copperas Cove utilizes CodeRED Community Notification for emergency notifications. CodeRED works with most landline telephones automatically. Citizens with cellular phones, Voice over IP phones such as Verison, AT&T, and T-Mobile and the like may register to receive telephone calls, text messages and emails from the CodeRED system.

Citizens may register for the CodeRED Community Notification network at  www.copperascovetx.gov/codered. There is no cost for enrolling into this service and this is not a telemarketing service.

Important warning information may be obtained directly by calling the City’s Fire Department at (254) 547‐2514 or visiting www.copperascovetx.gov. NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts current local weather information, watches, warnings, and forecasts 24 hours a day, and can be monitored on 162.400 mhz.

During periods of heavy rainfall, the City of Copperas Cove’s street drainage crew is on 24‐hour call and inspects roadways to monitor flooding. City crews use barricades to close roads that are inundated with water and to discourage traffic from driving through these areas.  The City also uses real‐time rain and stream gauge monitoring systems to assist in determining road closures.

If flooding is imminent and evacuation of the City is advised, the City of Copperas Cove will notify you through local media outlets.

The City receives information from NOAA Weather Station Radio broadcasts weather information 24 hours a day, and from the National Weather Service offices in Texas. The City’s Fire Department manages local Emergency Management, evacuation notices, procedures and shelters and can be reached by calling (254) 547‐2514.

INSURE YOUR PROPERTY FOR FLOOD

The City of Copperas Cove participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Insurance rates are based on the flood zone of your property and the risk of being flooded. Purchasing federal flood insurance through the NFIP is one of the best ways to protect your home and belongings. Standard homeowner policies do not cover damage from floods.

• There is normally a 30‐day waiting period when purchasing a new policy. Flood insurance is sold through private insurance companies and agents and is backed by the federal government.
• Homeowners in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), or high‐risk area, must buy flood insurance if they have a mortgage from a federally regulated lender
• Homes located outside the high‐risk flood zone areas need flood insurance too. Nationally, over 25% of structures that flood each year belong to policyholders whose properties are not in a high-risk flood zone.
• Flood insurance is available for all properties located in the City of Copperas Cove.
• If you’re renting a home or apartment, contents coverage is available from the NFIP to protect your valuables and belongings. For more information about obtaining flood insurance for both your structure and contents, contact your insurance agent or visit: www.fema.gov/nfip orwww.floodsmart.gov.

KNOW YOUR FLOOD HAZARD

Floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. Flood hazard is not just related to flash flooding. Flood hazard refers to risk associated with mapped flood‐prone areas of your community, and areas of poor drainage, localized street flooding, and other related flood risk areas.

Copperas Cove climate is humid subtropical with hot summers, cool winters, and rainy springs. Flooding does occur but is generally limited to localized flooding due to the City’s development restrictions.

Most areas that are subject to flooding from streams or creeks overflowing their banks have been mapped by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). However, not all flood‐prone areas, areas with poor drainage, or localized street flooding have been mapped. Your property may be at risk for flooding even though it has never flooded before and is located outside of a FEMA mapped floodplain.

Most areas of the City have yet to see the record 100‐year flood event, which has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. There is no guarantee your property will never flood. Statistics show that the 1% annual chance flood has approximately a 26% chance of occurring over a 30‐year mortgage period.

For those living outside the 1% annual chance floodplain, also referred to as a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on the FEMA flood maps, flooding is still possible. Approximately 25% of all flood claims occur outside the SFHA in areas considered to have a minimal to moderate risk of flooding. What does that mean for City of Copperas Cove residents? It means that everyone can, and should, have flood insurance, which is not covered under a standard homeowner policy. You can determine your property’s flood zone at http://msc.fema.gov/portal and get information on flood insurance at www.floodsmart.gov.

PROPERTY PROTECTION  

The City’s Floodplain Information page will give you some idea of what you can do to protect your property.

The City of Copperas Cove has initiated numerous property protection measures to reduce flood risk in the community. The City has addressed property protection by requiring new construction in the high-risk flood areas be constructed 2.0 feet above the 1% annual chance floodplain, or Base Flood Elevation (BFE). All new and substantially improved residential structures shall have the duct work and exposed plumbing and electrical components elevated to at least 1.0 foot above the BFE.  If the first floor level of your structure is lower than the BFE on the FEMA flood map, consider ways to reduce the risk of flooding such as retrofitting or renovating to protect your structure.

The City’s Planning Department can tell you about the causes of flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate flood protection level for your structure.  Call (254) 547‐4221 to request assistance from a City staff member who can visit you on‐site, provide additional guidance on solving your flooding problems, and funding options for mitigating flood risk to your property.

Retrofitting measures may include:

• Elevating the building so that flood waters do not enter or reach the lowest floor above flood level,
• Constructing barriers out of compacted soil or concrete between the building and flood waters,
• Dry floodproofing” to make the building walls and floor watertight,
• “Wet floodproofing” to protect a building by allowing floodwaters to enter uninhabited areas of the property such as parking and storage areas,
• Preventing basement flooding from sewer backup or sump pump failure. Retrofitting information can be found in the Copperas Cove public library or online at: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-08/FEMA_P-312.pdf.

PROTECT NATURAL FLOODPLAIN AREAS  

The City of Copperas Cove has many beautiful floodplain areas. The undisturbed river bottoms and creeks provide a wide range of benefits to the people and natural systems.

These areas also provide breeding and feeding grounds for fish and wildlife, create and enhance waterfowl habitat, and protect habitats for rare and endangered species. The floodplains are an important asset. They provide open space, aesthetic pleasure and areas for active and passive uses. They also provide flood storage and conveyance, reduce flood velocities, and flood peaks.

Although the City has a storm sewer and drainage maintenance program, it is impossible to keep all drainage systems clear at all times. As a citizen, you can assist by keeping the banks of ditches, streams, and bayous clear of brush and debris, and not allowing grass clippings, oil, or other contaminants in storm sewer inlets. Dumping of debris into ditches, streams, or bayous is a major cause of local drainage problems, and is a violation of Copperas Cove regulations.

To report a violation or a maintenance problem, please call the City’s Code Compliance Department at (254) 542‐8966.

PUBLIC INFORMATION AND FLOOD INFORMATION ASSISTANCE  

The City’s Planning Department provides floodplain information to residents and is located at 914 S. Main St. Suite G, Copperas Cove, TX 76522. The department provides comprehensive flood information to the public by calling (254) 547‐4221 or visiting in person.

The Planning Department provides flood information, including flood insurance rate map information for specific addresses, floodplain permits for proposed or existing structures, data on historical flooding in the City, and copies of as‐built Elevation Certificates, upon request.

The City also assists residents with guidance on flood proofing, and other mitigation techniques, to reduce flood damage, along with funding options for mitigating flood risk to your property.