Property owners and residents along mid-valley streams and rivers are encouraged to attend a meeting about a new flood insurance map.

The city of Albany will host the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4, in the council chambers at City Hall.

The purpose is to provide information about recent revisions to flood insurance maps for the unincorporated areas and incorporated cities of Linn County, and North Albany in Benton County.

Representatives of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and WEST Consultants will attend to discuss the revisions and their potential effect on development.

FEMA and WEST Consultants recently completed the flood insurance study revision. As a result, flood insurance rate maps have been updated to show areas that would be inundated by a flood of a size that might be expected once in 100 years.

Floodplain boundaries have been revised for the Calapooia, Willamette, Santiam, North Santiam and portions of the South Santiam rivers; Oak, Cox, Truax, North Lake and Ames creeks.

People who own property and/or live in the identified special flood hazard areas are those most affected by the study and the changes to the maps. They are encouraged to attend the meeting.

The new maps will be used by federally regulated lending institutions and insurance agents to determine who must purchase flood insurance and the cost of that insurance. The maps will also be used by city and county officials for floodplain management and permitting purposes.

Copies of the new maps and the flood insurance study are available for review at the Linn County Courthouse, Room 22, in the basement.

Democrat-Herald