Checking the map
Open the federal map
Go to the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and type in the street address.
Read the panel
The map shows whether the lot, or part of it, lies inside a mapped flood hazard area, and gives the zone label. Save or print the result.
Ask the local office if it is unclear
The Montgomery County flood information page says the Flood Insurance Rate Maps can also be viewed at the Building and Codes office by appointment. The office is at 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 309, and the telephone number is 931-648-5718.
What the county requires in a floodplain
According to the county's flood information page:
- A permit is required before building, grading or placing fill in a floodplain.
- The crawl space or basement floor of an occupied structure in a floodplain must be one foot above the 100-year flood elevation.
- All mechanical and electrical equipment must be above that elevation as well.
The county's stormwater program covers land outside the Clarksville city limits. For an address inside the city, ask City Building and Codes at (931) 645-7426 which rules apply.
What that means for work under the house
A dehumidifier, a sump pump and the outlet they plug into are all electrical equipment. In a floodplain, where they sit and how high matters. Trenching and regrading are the kind of work that needs a permit there. And openings in foundation walls may be part of how the house is meant to cope with a flood, so they should not be closed without asking first.
None of this rules out drying a crawl space. It means the conversation with Building and Codes comes before the contract, and the company you hire should be comfortable with that.
Two things about flood insurance
The county's page makes two points worth repeating. Homeowner's policies do not normally cover flood damage. And flood policies usually have a 30-day waiting period before they take effect, so one cannot be bought when a storm is already forecast. A property outside the mapped area can still be insured.
If you think the map is wrong
The county notes that an owner who believes the flood zone designation is incorrect can ask FEMA for a map amendment, and it links the forms from the same page.