WARSAW — On Aug. 25, Kosciusko County Commissioners adopted the revised flood insurance rate maps, flood insurance study and flood control ordinance, all of which became effective Sept. 30.

The prior flood insurance rate maps dated back to 1987. Through the map modernization process, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has updated the maps in an effort to better reflect true hazards. The FIS and FIRMs provide base flood information, delineate areas subject to significant flood hazards within the county and offer information public officials may use when permitting development in the floodplain.

These maps are also used by lending institutes to determine when, by federal regulation, flood insurance is required and to provide homeowners a guide as to what risk they may be at in regards to flooding when looking at insuring or purchasing properties. Whereas flooding may occur anywhere, the maps help to identify areas at potentially higher risks.

The revised maps can be viewed in the Area Planning Commission office at the county courthouse in Warsaw, online at the Kosciusko County Beacon GIS mapping site (accessed through kcgov.com), on the Indiana Department of Natural Resources flood plain information portal or on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center web page.

For more information on the revised FIRMs or other flood plain questions contact the Area Planning Commission at (574) 372-2304.