Kenai Peninsula Borough
Floodplain Management
Flooding is a natural occurrence. Rivers, streams and lakes periodically overflow their banks and inundate adjacent land areas. These areas, known as floodplains, temporarily store this excess water.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough manages a Floodplain Ordinance that addresses proper development to reduce flood risks and lessen the economic losses caused by flood events. The ordinance provides building standards for construction projects within the floodplain to ensure the availability of flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. These building requirements also are intended to minimize or prevent damage when flood events occur. The ordinance requires floodplain development permits for all projects in floodplains.
The KPB Floodplain Administrator works with landowners and developers whose property is in a mapped floodplain or other flood prone area. The Floodplain Administrator can help make the determination as to where in the floodplain the property is located and what restrictions may apply to buildings and other developments on the property. The Floodplain Administrator is also able to provide information about proper building techniques to reduce flood damage.
Which Kenai Peninsula rivers have mapped floodplains?
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is an insurance program available through the federal government for people with property in floodplains and flood prone areas (homeowner’s insurance rarely covers flood damage). The Floodplain Administrator is able to provide information about this program. The Kenai Peninsula Borough also participates in the NFIP Community Rating System. This program provides recognition to, and premium reductions within, communities that exceed the minimum requirements of the NFIP. KPB is recognized with class 8 rating, and therefore flood insurance polices throughout the borough receive a 10% premium reduction.
View Photos of the 2002 Fall Floods
View photos of the 2007 Ice Jam Flood
Helpful Publications
You can download and print the following publications from this website:
*Flood Insurance Risk Zones Designations
*AK Dept. of Community and Economic Development's "A Quick Guide to Floodplain Management in Alaska" is a good reference for floodplain management and development issues.
*Are You Ready For A Flood?
*After a Flood - The First Steps
*Repairing Your Flooded Home
*Avoiding Flood Damage Checklist
*Floods and Flash Floods Fact Sheet
*Landslides and Mud Flows Fact Sheet
*FloodSafe
FEMA Floodplain Publications
*Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader
View the Kenai Peninsula Borough's Floodplain Ordinance