Check FEMA Flood Maps Before Buying Near the Brazos

A lake view or nearby creek does not show where the FEMA line crosses a house. Search the address and map panel in the Flood Map Service Center. A federal lender usually requires flood insurance for a secured building in a Special Flood Hazard Area. The building and loan matter, not only a shaded corner of the lot.

Hood County may also require a floodplain permit for building or digging in a mapped hazard area it oversees. Maps change, so use the current panel rather than the listing. For rural land, take the parcel and project to the county floodplain office before work starts.