Areas south of Yuba City might be rezoned into floodplain

Flooding is often the last thing on people's minds during a hot, dry Central Valley summer when the rivers turn lazy.

But that could change for some Sutter County residents when the dog days roll around.

Flood mapping efforts are on track to redraw south Sutter County into a special flood hazard insurance zone this summer. The release of redrawn maps, part of a process called a physical map revision, would start a countdown to mandatory flood insurance for some homeowners by late 2008 or early 2009.

"These are going forward and should be effective by the end of this year," said Dave Peterson, principal with Peterson, Brustad Inc., a Folsom-based engineering consulting firm.

Dave Peterson briefed the Sutter-Butte Flood Control Agency on Wednesday regarding floodplain mapping projects for the area that are being spearheaded by the state Department of Water Resources.

Yuba City probably won't get its first revised maps until 2010. Sections of Butte County subject to Feather River flooding will be somewhere in between, with maps being released next year.

So far, an extensive effort by the department to probe levees by taking samples from drilling is only confirming the likelihood that parts of Sutter County will be mapped into a special hazard flood insurance zone.

"The drilling by DWR is highlighting the work," said Peterson. "Work will have to be done."

If levees cannot be certified to federal standards, then the areas they protect are mapped into high-risk areas.

When the revised maps are released for south Sutter County in June or July, that would start a six-month countdown to the maps — and flood insurance requirements — becoming effective.

For some Sutter County areas south of Stewart Road, that means that flood insurance will be mandated by early 2009 for homeowners with federally-backed mortgages. Rates could jump to over $1,200 a year or more, depending on whether the home was built before or after 1988, when Sutter County received its first flood insurance rate maps, and whether the homeowner holds flood insurance before the new requirements.

"The map changes are definitely going to be affecting homeowners, particularly in their pocketbooks," said Dan Peterson, chief of water resources for Sutter County.

Some homeowners could reduce their flood insurance costs by buying flood insurance at least 30 days ahead of the date that new flood insurance rates become effective.

There was no discussion by the agency's directors on the floodplain mapping schedule after Wednesday's briefing.