Flood Protection Information


The City of Miami provides several services to help residents and business owners with information about flood hazards.

The National Weather Service, along with the City of Miami Fire Department, Emergency Management Section, provides
flood warning information to city residents. The following local radio and television stations will provide
information as part of the Emergency Broadcasting System:

AM RADIO TELEVISION

WIOD -610 WFOR - Ch 4
 WQBA-1140 WTVJ - Ch 6
WINZ- 940 WSVN - Ch 7
WAQI-710 WLTV - Ch 23
WSRF-1580 WLTV - Ch 23

Police Department...(305)579-6111
Fire Department...(305)416-1600
Building Department...(305) 416-1100
DERM (Dept. Of Env. Resource Management)...(305)372-6789
So. Florida Water Management...(305) 377-7274
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency...(800) 621-3362

FLOOD HAZARD

The coastal areas, the Miami River, and the many canals in the City of Miami make properties located near these areas prone to flooding.
The Building Department, at 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue (416-1111), can assist you concerning information about Special Flood hazard areas.

FLOOD INFORMATION

The Building Department can inform you if your property is in a floodplain area. The department maintains elevation certificates for properties
that have been substantially improved or constructed in the City of Miami since December 1992. We are also available to perform site visits
to inform you if you are in a flood zone area, and provide information. The Plumbing Plans Examiner has the information available
at 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 4th Floor, telephone number (305) 416-1111. For a twenty-five dollar ($25.00) fee, the City can provide you with
the following information, in writing: 

1.  Community Number.
2.  Panel Number and Suffix.
3.  Date of the FIRM's index.
4.  FIRM zone.
5. Base flood elevation.
6. Elevation data used on the FIRM.

FLOOD SAFETY

It takes only six (6) inches of moving water to knock a person down causing injury and possibly death. In order to protect your property
and human lives, the following steps should be taken:
1. Have an evacuation plan. Have two weeks worth of medication, food and water.
2. The elderly, disabled or persons with special needs should register with Miami-Dade County's Division of Emergency Management.
3. Trees should be trimmed regularly, prior to a hurricane in preparation for possible flooding.
4. Doors, windows or any building openings should be secured.
5. Driving through flooded areas should be avoided; power lines may be down.
6. Be alert to gas leaks. Candles and any other type of open flames should be carefully monitored.

FLOOD INSURANCE

 Homeowner insurance does not cover flood damage; a flood insurance policy is required. The following steps should be taken in regards
to flood insurance: 
1. Check your policy to make sure that your property and personal possessions are covered under the policy.
2. Photograph and list your possessions for claim purposes; store the information with your policy in a safe place.

FORMS


DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE 

Canals and channels in our community provide an invaluable drainage feature to help carry potential floodwaters away. Grass clippings
and branches can accumulate and plug channels. A plugged channel contributes to flooding in surrounding areas. Do not dump or
throw anything into the bay, rivers, canals or any other body of water that helps our drainage system. Dumping is a violation of City
and County Codes, punishable by fines of up to $500 per day. Illegal dumping can be reported to the City of Miami Public Works
Department, responsible for the maintenance of our waterways, or to any City NET Offices.

PERMIT REQUIREMENTS/ PROTECTION MEASURES

Before you build, alter, re-grade or put fill on your property, you need to check with the Building Department. Permits are required to ensure
that all of the work is properly done and to avoid further problems. Failure to obtain permits can result in an unsafe building, a fine and possible
court action.
While recent improvements in construction practices and regulations have made new homes less prone to flood damage, there are
a significant number of existing homes that are susceptible to flood losses. These losses can be minimized through some of the temporary
and permanent retrofitting techniques: 1) Construction of small flood walls, 2) Water proofing of your walls and water tightening closures of
doorways, 3) Raising your property above the flood level. Information on these techniques can be obtained from the Building Department.

ELEVATION CERTIFICATES

If you have determined that your house lies in a Flood Zone, a Flood Elevation Certificate can then tell you how high your house was built
in relation to that flood zone.
These certificates are required for all new construction and substantial improvements to a structure. An Elevation Certificate is an important
document that every homeowner should have, and in case of a disaster, would demonstrate to City authorities that
your house is at or above the required elevation.
If the certificate shows that your house is lower, then the so-called "50% rule" would apply to your house. This rule means that if your house
is in a flood zone and is damaged and/or improved to an amount greater than 50% of its market value, it will have to be raised to meet
the current elevation requirement.
City of Miami has been collecting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Elevation Certificate from home builders/developers
since 1995 as a requirement of their building permit. Elevation certificates are also required for substantially damaged structures.

For more information, call 305-416-1279 during office hours.

To obtain your Elevation Certificate

If the home was built before 1995 and you have never substantially improved or experienced substantial damage to the structure,
you may need to hire a surveyor or you can ask the prior owner for the Flood Elevation Certificate. If the home was built after 1995,
you may be able to find your elevation certificate by using our MIcrofilm & Records Section.

Microfilm & Records Section

City of Miami Building Department
444 Southwest 2nd Avenue, 4th Floor
Miami, Florida 33130
Phone: (305) 416-1140   Fax:(305) 416-2196

Public Research and Requests: 8:00 am - 12:30 pm and 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Scheduled Appointments: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Pickup Completed Requests: 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
DFagan@miamigov.com

FEMA 

Click here to go to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)


BLDG/REV/9/03