
LOMA stands for a Letter of Map Amendment. One option some people look at is a LOMA. Most federally backed mortgages require flood insurance if a property is in a flood area. If I don’t want to buy flood insurance, can I be forced to purchase insurance?įlood insurance is a federally backed program. Many local agents can help you sign up for flood insurance.ħ. If I want flood insurance, how do I go about it?įlood insurance is available through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Flint Hills’ topography makes this an area where flash floods can also be a danger.Ħ. County zoning rules prohibit building downstream from a watershed dam. We have watershed dams in Lyon County that could breach. Lyon County is subject to riverine flooding with the Cottonwood, Neosho, and Marais Des Cygnes Rivers. What special flood hazards do we have here in Lyon County? By slowing down floodwaters, the floods will remain longer and can also cause a rise in floodwaters upstream.ĥ. Floodways usually have a greater volume of water moving at a greater velocity and carry more debris.Īnything that impedes water flow in a floodway can slow it down. What is the difference between a special flood hazard area and a floodway?Īreas closer to larger streams and rivers are classified as a floodway. You can view these maps on the Internet or at the county courthouse or the Emporia Public Library.Ĥ. These maps show all of the flood hazard areas and floodway areas in Lyon County. Building a house in a floodway area will require a permit from the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources and possibly the Corps of Engineers.įIRM is short for Flood Insurance Rate Map. A pole barn for agriculture in a flood area may only need a local permit. In many cases, state and federal permits are not required. Lyon County must verify that all proper state and federal permits are received before the county permit is issued. If you have a question, contact the Lyon County Floodplain Manager or the Kansas Department of Agriculture Division of Water Resources.įor many things, a local permit can be obtained from the Lyon County courthouse. The added-on room cannot only be flooded it can displace flood water that will have to go someplace else. A structure in a flood area will not need a permit to re-roof. A room addition for a house built in a flood area will require a permit.

A book by FEMA on this topic exempts some minor activities, such as putting in a post for your mailbox. Virtually any man-made change in a flood area requires a permit.
