Sultan flood zones could change

Published 10:55 pm Monday, November 17, 2008

SULTAN — Emergency planners are scheduled to talk to city officials tonight about redrawing the flood zones in Sultan.

While city officials aren’t sure about all the implications, the changes could raise insurance rates for dozens of area households.

People living in Sultan could find their homes included in areas now newly designated as flood plain. Those already living in flood plains could also be affected, because the new flood models forecast higher water coming into their homes and that would mean higher insurance rates, said Deborah Knight, city administrator.

Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency plan to present an overview of a study that examined the flood zone around the Sultan and Skykomish rivers at a joint meeting of the City Council and the planning board at 6 tonight, City Hall, 319 Main St.

The study is part of an initiative by FEMA to redraw flood plains nationwide, said Mark Carey, a regional director for FEMA.

The agency is working with Snohomish County to come up with new floodwater models, and by next year the agency expects to have a more accurate map of flood zones in the area. The electronic maps will be easier for city officials and citizens to access and read, he said.

The city doesn’t plan to take any action at the meeting, but it’s clear the information will have serious implications for many residents, Knight said.

“This is information for the council and for the community so we can understand it, although there’s probably nothing we can do,” she said. “The jurisdictions in charge are much larger than the city of Sultan.”

Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com.