The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released the final version of Collier County’s flood zone map and many homeowners are now shopping for flood insurance.
Many residences that had never appeared in an area designated as a special flood hazard may now be located in one of the color zones that identify areas at risk of flooding. Anyone living in a high risk zone with a federally insured mortgage will be be required to purchase flood insurance.
The maps colors have the following designations:
Red — The area could be affected by the 1 percent annual chance of flooding with additional hazards due to storm-induced velocity wave action.
Blue — The area could be affected by the 1 percent annual chance of flooding.
Orange — The area could be affected by a 1 percent annual chance shallow flooding.
Pink/purple — A moderate flood hazard area.
Yellow — A moderate flood hazard area.
Gray — An area subject to inundation by the 1 percent annual flood event. The red, blue, orange and gray zones are in the special flood-hazard area. The pink/purple and yellow zones are outside of the special flood hazard area and do not require mandatory flood insurance .
Links to both Collier and Lee County flood zone maps have been posted to the right of this story in the Recommended Links section.