By By MICHAEL C. GUILMETTE JR. / Niles Daily Star
NILES TOWNSHIP – Michigan is not normally associated with flooding, but this does not stop rivers in the state from overflowing their banks, as occasionally happens along the St. Joseph River.
Though rare, flood dangers are prompting mortgage companies and insurance companies to require homeowners in designated flood zones to carry greater coverage.
Jeff Dunlap, building inspector/floodplain administrator for Niles Charter Township, said many residents in the township might not be aware that their houses are in flood zones.
"There are 693 families in flood hazard areas," Dunlap said, adding that less than a dozen people have contacted him about their houses.
Dunlap said that flood zones are determined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), but he admitted the maps might be inaccurate.
"FEMA used the best available data to make the maps," he said, adding that topographical features may not have been taken into account.
As an example, Dunlap said one homeowner was able to demonstrate that his house sat 60 feet above the river and was in no danger of being flooded, even though it was within the flood hazard zone.
Flood hazard maps were developed based on the 100-year floodplain model – specifically, floods that have a one percent chance of occurring annually. The township's original flood hazard maps were first published in 1974, but Berrien County recently modernized their maps.
On Apr. 17, FEMA released new high-quality digital photography maps that show not only the flood hazard areas, but also the house in the zones.
On the map, Dunlap showed one stretch of Ferndale St. along Brandywine Creek that had at least 12 houses within the flood zone.
According to Dunlap, responsibility for determining amounts of coverage needed in flood zones lies with the mortgage companies – not with civil agencies or FEMA – since the mortgage companies bear the cost of investments made in home loans.
Dunlap explained that homeowners do have recourse if they feel their houses are not in danger. Usually, the procedure requires homeowners to contract a land surveyor to assess their property. If the surveyor finds the structure to be outside of the floodplain, the homeowner can apply for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) from FEMA.
However, Dunlap said lenders still might require homeowners to purchase flood insurance to protect their investment. He also recommended anyone seeking the services of a surveyor should get quotes from more than one, since, according to Dunlap, their fees can vary widely.
Dunlap urged anyone who has questions or concerns about floodplain maps should contact him at (269) 687-2741.