Midway City is updating its flood plain maps through the Federal Emergency Management Agency that outline new areas where flooding may occur in the Heber Valley.
Midway City Planning Director Michael Henke walked the City Council through new maps last week. He explained that the city participates in the FEMA flood insurance rate map program and has adopted code that the federal government requires.
The city last updated its flood plain maps in 2010. One path through Midway is identified as an area where Snake Creek could possibly overflow in what Henke identified as a “100-year event” of extreme flooding. Those areas require a 50-foot setback from the flood plain for any new subdivisions and developments.
For the past three years, the city has been in a process with the state and federal government to update those flood plain maps. New technology has increased the accuracy of mapping, Henke said.
“LiDAR (light detection and ranging) has been used to get very accurate topography throughout Midway and throughout the entire area,” Henke said. “The new proposed flood plain through Midway, in some areas — it’s reduced. In some areas, it has actually expanded.”
That’s based off of the updated maps.
Henke said he did not find any new homes in the updated maps that would require flood insurance or increased payments.
But in Heber City there are “quite a few” homes that would be included in the 100-year event flood plain, according to the new maps. That would increase what homeowners would pay for flood insurance if they have a mortgage. Homes in that flood plain area include residences near Center Street and Center Creek in southern Heber City.
There are also worst-case scenarios if the Jordanelle Dam should fail, causing extreme flooding. But Henke said Midway would not see the brunt of that catastrophe.
“The North Fields is so wide that it really absorbs a lot of that water,” Henke said. “It’s wide enough that it really doesn’t get into Midway very far.”
There are some homes on the edge of the east side of Midway that would see some impact.
Henke said Midway and FEMA are still reviewing the updated maps.
“We’re in a comment period right now. If we have any comment to make, we want to relay that to the state flood plain management department,” Henke said.
Those comments could be made over the next year.
“When they’re ready, then we’ll bring them to the City Council for adoption,” Henke said.