FEMA letter of map revision for nearby Gulpha tributary

The City of Hot Springs has recently received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Letter of Map Revision (LOMR) for the recently-named Gulpha Tributary No. 3, effective June 27, 2011. This tributary consists of a watershed east of Malvern Avenue, continuing eastward and converging with Ridgeway Road at Guy Street. It also encompasses the drainage area south of Ridgeway and north of Parkridge and Alysonview Steets.

Area property owners affected by this LOMR include those whose properties are located on or near the following streets: Dino Lane, Bellaire Drive, Millbranch Street, Stonehenge Court, Richwood Street, Riviera Street, Markwood Street, Ruby Street and Scottwood Street.

Gulpha Tributary No. 3 is a Zone “A” tributary, meaning that these properties are located within a special flood hazard area (SFHA) and that there are no base flood elevations (BFE) determined. Some of the properties located in the affected area were removed from the SFHA map, while some properties now fall within the SFHA boundaries. This current notification follows the release and publication of a preliminary amended floodplain map several months ago.

Those properties removed from the SFHA are no longer required to pay flood insurance and should be eligible for a premium refund. This LOMR, including mapping of the affected area, can be viewed and printed from the city’s Web site, www.cityhs.net, by clicking on “Departments,” “Public Works Operations,” and “Gulpha Tributary No. 3 LOMR.”

Property owners in the affected area are advised to retain a copy of the LOMR along with other important home documents for future reference during times of refinancing or selling a home. For reference, copies of all city and county LOMR’s are maintained by local city and county floodplain administrators. However, 25% of the homes flooded in the United States during any given year are located outside the SFHA.

The city and county both participate in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and any city or county resident may purchase flood insurance even if their property is not located within a SFHA. Residents owning property in this affected area, property owners paying flood insurance, or insurance agents or mortgage company covering properties in these listed areas can contact their respective floodplain administrators for additional questions. The City of Hot Springs’ floodplain administrator is Public Works Operations Director Denny McPhate, CFM, 501-321-6866; for Garland County residents, the floodplain administrator is Janice Naven, 501-622-3730.