Streams, Rivers & Lakes

The River Center works to protect and restore the rivers of the Kenai Peninsula, its watersheds, and its fish and wildlife resources.

Kenai River Flood Map Update

Project Background

Since 2011, the Kenai Peninsula Borough has been working to update the regulatory floodplain maps for the Kenai River. This has involved the cooperation of numerous Federal, State, and Local stakeholders. On January 31, 2023, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided the Kenai Peninsula Borough with Preliminary copies of the revised Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) and Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report for the Kenai River below Skilak Lake. These proposed map changes, if finalized, will become the new regulatory maps that the Borough will regulate to.

KPB Assembly adopted Ordinance 2024-35 at their February 4, 2025 meeting. The final maps and study are effective as of February 28, 2025.

 

Are The Maps Wrong? Request To Remove Your Property From The Floodplain

Because the regulatory floodplain maps are a snapshot in time, they are static and aren't able to reflect elevation changes that occur throughout the years. This includes things such as river migration or adding fill that "raises" a structure out of the floodplain. 

Recognizing that these situations do happen, FEMA established procedures to change the floodplain designation for these properties. These processes are referred to as a Letter of Map Change (LOMC), and can be done via a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or a Letter of Map Revision-Based on Fill (LOMR-F). Here is a link to the LOMC tutorial.

By going through a LOMC process, an individual who owns, rents or leases property may submit certain mapping and survey information to FEMA and request that FEMA officially removes a property and/or structure from the regulatory floodplain. In most cases, the applicant will need to hire a Licensed Land Surveyor or Registered Professional Engineer to prepare an Elevation Certificate for the property.

It is recommended that applicants submit their LOMA application directly to FEMA through their online portal. Upon receiving a complete application, FEMA will normally complete its review and issue its decision in 60 days.

 

Look At Your Property