Following floods across West TN, TEMA talks building in hazard areas

RIVES, Tenn. — After a levee failed along the Obion River last month, severe flooding in Rives forced many residents out of their homes. For those who will have to rebuild or those looking to build in flood plains, here’s what you need to know.

The Tennessee Emergency Management Association (TEMA) spoke to flood plain administrators and officials in Obion County Thursday about construction development in flood hazard areas and mitigating those hazards going forward.

“We started looking at some mitigation strategies for the town of Rives and then we had other communities reaching out wanting information and we thought it’d be best if we just tried to gather everybody in a room together,” said Jeremy Holley, state and national flood insurance program coordinator for TEMA.

Obion County is one of more than 400 communities in the state to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), meaning flood insurance is available to residents and businesses.

A permit is required for any construction or development in a flood zone per ordinance or resolution. Residential and commercial properties have to be permitted and have to meet the ordinance or resolution.

Even if you own the land you must still abide by the ordinance. Violation of the permit could result in a stop work order or citation. An additional citation is added per day if someone fails to get a permit.

According to TEMA, any structure built in a flood zone has to have an elevation certificate, completed by a licensed surveyor.

TEMA says the goal of this meeting is to talk about development in special flood hazard areas and reducing those hazards going forward, to make everyone better for the future.

You can search FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer website to find out if you live in a flood plain.

For more local news, click here.