• Effective Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) floodplains are hazard zones identified and mapped by engineering studies, which have been reviewed and accepted by FEMA. Effective FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) can be downloaded from the FEMA website. The FIRM panels and floodplains can also be viewed via the FEMA Map Viewer Website as well as on the Mohave County Website.
• Common Regulatory Flood Zones in Bullhead City include Zone A: An area with an approximate delineation of a floodplain and Zones AE, AO, and AH: An area with a detailed delineation of a floodplain and in which flood elevations, depths, and/or velocities are determined.
• Further flood zone definitions can be found at FEMA’s Website and by clicking on the document below:

FEMA Floodplain Flooding Definitions

• Bullhead City has been leveraging Federal dollars through FEMA’s Cooperative Technical Partner (CTP) program since 2015 in cooperation with Mohave County. Project descriptions and benefits to the City are included below.

   

  • Bullhead City CTP Project Examples:

     

    • 2016 CTP Grant Project

      This project consisted of developing City-wide hydrologic and hydraulic software modeling. This was last performed by FEMA in 2004 using older techniques and methodologies. The hydrologic modeling estimates the amount of storm water or floodwater runoff that flows and is routed through the City’s watercourses. The estimates were conducted for various recurrence interval such as the 1% Annual Chance flood (aka the 100-year flood). The 2016 CTP project included the re-delineation of FEMA floodplains for Silver Creek, Secret Pass Wash, and Dump Wash from the Colorado River to a logical point upstream (e.g. Bullhead Parkway).

    • 2017 CTP Grant Project

      This project consisted of enhancing the City-wide hydraulic software model to a detailed Area Drainage Master Study (ADMS) model. This includes an inventory of significant drainage structures such as culverts, storm drains, levees, and channels. The ADMS model was used to identify flooding problem areas and evaluate flood mitigation infrastructure concepts. The model was also used to revise FEMA floodplains for Boat Ramp Wash, Big Montana Wash, Havasupai Wash and Tributary 1.

      FEMA Floodplain 2017 Draft FIRM

    • 2018 CTP Grant Project

      The 2018 project consists of developing additional flood mitigation infrastructure concepts, public outreach, and revising FEMA floodplains for a tributary to Davis Wash, Desert Canyon Wash, and Montana Wash.

    • 2019 CTP Grant Project

      This project will involve revising FEMA floodplains for an area north of the Bullhead Parkway Extension near the Target Center.  This area is a complex confluence of Richardo Wash, Fort Mohave Wash, Fox Wash, Soto Wash, and Bojorquez Wash.

• You can read more information for the FEMA CTP program in this document: CTP Overview.
• There are many catalysts for revising floodplains, including but not limited to: outdated engineering methodologies, physical changes to the topography or surrounding area, newly exposed flooding problems, etc. FEMA has compiled a comprehensive webpage, thoroughly explaining the flood map revision process.

More information about FEMA Map changes and what property owners need to know can be found in the documents below:

English Version - Map Changes and Flood Insurance 

Spanish Version - Map Changes and Flood Insurance

• Flood warning systems play a crucial role in flood safety by monitoring precipitation and the resultant storm water flows. Mohave County has a comprehensive Flood Warning System with several rain and stream flow gages within Bullhead City. For more information about flood warning and its role in flood risk management, please navigate to Mohave County’s Flood Warning System Page.

• Bullhead City has undertaken several hydrologic and hydraulic studies leveraging FEMA grant funding. This has resulted in a City-wide hydrologic assessment of flood hazards to identify the risk to people and property. The City has used this information to develop flood mitigation infrastructure concepts to be constructed to reduce the risk to its citizens. An exhibit showing the results of the City-Wide flood hazard can be viewed in the document below. 

Exhibit City-Wide Flood Hazards

Flood control infrastructure is present in Bullhead City in the form of: culverts, bridges, flood control channels, ditches, storm drains, curb and grate inlets, storage basins, erosion protection, levees etc. More information about flood control infrastructure in Mohave County can be found on the County Flood Control Infrastructure page.

• If you have experienced flooding on your property, would like to file a flooding complaint, or have questions pertaining to flood hazards and risks, please contact the Bullhead City Engineering Division at 928.763.0128.
• Mohave County has constructed a thorough resource for Flood Safety and Planning.
• Having the appropriate flood insurance coverage in the case of a flooding event is crucial. Standard home insurance does NOT cover flood related damages. For more information on Flood Insurance visit the Mohave County website or browse the document below. 
• In the event your property has been flooded, direction pertaining to filing a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Flood Insurance claim can be found below.

FEMA Flood Insurance

Flood Claims Handbook - English

Flood Claims Handbook - Spanish