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Ramsey County | Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan 52 The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program that provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and business located in communities with mapped floodplains that opt to participate in the program. Information on community participation in the NFIP can be found in Section 2.11. 3.8.3 EXTENT In hazard analysis, the 100-year and 500-year floodplains maps are utilized for understanding flood risk and informing land-use planning, emergency response, and infrastructure development. These designations represent areas that have a 1% (100-year) and 0.2% (500-year) chance of flooding in any given year. These maps help identify areas most at risk of flooding, which is vital for minimizing damage and ensuring public safety. 100-Year Floodplain: This area is commonly used as the baseline for regulatory and insurance purposes. It is the standard by which flood insurance requirements are determined, and it guides zoning regulations, construction codes, and infrastructure projects. Because these areas are more likely to experience flooding, they are most often prioritized for flood prevention and mitigation measures. 500-Year Floodplain: Although the likelihood of flooding in these areas is lower, the 500-year floodplain helps to identify areas that could be affected by more extreme events, including critical infrastructure, such as hospitals, emergency facilities, and power plants, where the consequences of flooding would be severe. 3.8.4 HISTORY The National Climatic Data Center Storm Events Database was consulted for records of historical floods and flash flooding. The earliest records occurred in 1997. Since 1997, Ramsey County has experienced six major flood events, causing $4.3 million in property damage and no injuries or fatalities. The county has also experienced fifteen major flash flood events causing over $700k in property damage, one fatality and one injury. Figure 7 shows flood and flash flood history in Ramsey County. Figure 7. Ramsey County Historical Floods, 1997 - August 2024 Location or County Date Type Deaths Injuries Property Damage Federally Declared Disaster Saint Paul 7/5/2020 Flash Flood 0 0 Unknown Ramsey County March – April 2019 Flood 0 0 unknown Yes Saint Paul 9/17/2015 Flash Flood 0 0 unknown Saint Paul 6/18/2014 Flood 0 0 $1,900,000 Yes Falcon Heights 6/21/2013 Flash Flood 0 0 unknown Saint Paul 6/21/2013 Flash Flood 0 0 unknown New Brighton 8/16/2011 Flash Flood 0 0 unknown