Special Flood Hazard Area (FEMA FIRMs)

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Flooding street The land area covered by the floodwaters of the base flood is the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) on National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maps. The SFHAs are defined as areas that will be inundated by the flood event having a 1% chance of being equal or exceeded in any given year. The 1% annual-chance of flooding is also referred to as the (100 year or base) flood. SFHA is the area where the NFIP's floodplain management regulations must be enforced and the area where the mandatory purchase of flood insurance applies. The SFHA is shown on NFIP, Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs).

Flooded street The SFHA includes many Zones but only A, AH, AO, AE, A99, VE, and V apply to the City of Oceanside.

For more information please check FEMA website.

Additional information concerning specific flood zone requirements can be found in the NFIP Regulations.

Zone A: Areas of special flood hazard subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event where no detailed hydraulic analyses were performed, and no Base Flood Elevation (BFE) water surface elevation determined. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Zone AE: Areas subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event determined by detailed methods and Base Flood Elevations (BFEs) are shown. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Zone AH: Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually areas of ponding) where average depths are between 1 and 3 feet. Average flood depths derived from detailed hydraulic analyses and BFEs are shown in this zone. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Zone AO: Areas subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance shallow flooding (usually sheet flow on sloping terrain) where average depths are between 1 and 3 feet, derived from detailed hydraulic analyses are shown in this zone. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Zone A99: Areas with in (SFHA) that are subject to inundation by 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event, but which will be ultimately protected upon completion of an under-construction Federal flood protection system, such as dams, levees, dikes. These are SFHAs where enough progress has been made on the construction of the protection system to consider it complete for insurance rating purposes. San Luis Rey River Levee is such a project. No BFE or depth are shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply. This area is subject to preferred risk flood insurance rates.
Note: The City of Oceanside regulates Zone A99 similarly to Zone AE since the Levee has not yet been accepted by the City and flood risk still exists. The previously established BFEs from the 1997 FIRMs are to be used for development purposes in this special flood hazard area. The Floodplain development regulations outlined in the City's Floodplain Management Ordinance still apply to Zone A99.
Zone V: Areas along the coast subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event with additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves, where no detailed hydraulic analyses were performed, and no BFE or flood depth determined. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Zone VE: Areas along the coast subject to inundation by the 1-percent-annual-chance (100-year) flood event with additional hazards associated with storm-induced waves, where BFE was determined and shown on FIRM based on detailed hydraulic analyses. Mandatory flood insurance requirement and floodplain management standard and regulations apply.
Moderate and Minimum Risk Areas: The areas of moderate or minimal hazard are studied based upon the principal source of flood in the area. However, buildings in these zones could be flooded by severe, concentrated rainfall coupled with inadequate local drainage systems. Local storm drain systems are not normally considered in a community's flood study. Nearly 25% of insurance flood claims are for structures within these areas. Flood insurance is available in participating communities.
Zone X-Shaded:
- Areas with 0.2% annual chance of flood, also known as (500 year flood)
- Areas of 1% annual chance of flooding where average depths are under 1 foot
- Areas of 1% annual chance of flooding & where the contributing drainage area is under 1 square mile
- Areas of 1% chance of flooding that are protected by levees from the 100 year flood.
- X-Shaded is also known as X-500.
Zone X: Areas with minimum flood hazard, which are areas outside of SFHA and higher than the elevation of 500 year flood.
Zone D: Areas that were not studied and the flood hazards are undetermined, but flooding is possible. Mandatory flood insurance requirement does not apply but lenders may require flood insurance. Floodplain management standard and regulations apply.