Towns throughout Middlesex County, including Arlington and Cambridge, are receiving updated flood hazard maps as part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s nationwide Map Modernization Program. The Arlington and Cambridge maps, currently in draft form, are scheduled to become effective on June 4, 2010.

There will be public informational meetings for interested Arlington and Cambridge residents and property owners on

Monday, April 26th at 6:30
Matignon High School (cafeteria)
1 Matignon Road, Cambridge.

The meetings will allow attendees to view the new maps, understand how their properties may be affected and learn more about financial steps that they may need to take to protect their investment. Residents and property owners will have an opportunity to discuss recent flooding evenets.

Flood hazard maps, also known as Digital Flood Insurance Rate Maps (DFIRMs), indicate whether properties are in areas of high, moderate or low flood risk. In reviewing the new Arlington and Cambridge maps, many property owners may find that their risk is higher or lower than they thought. If the risk level for a property changes, so may the requirement to carry flood insurance.

Those who have a federally backed mortgage, or plan to refinance with a federally backed lender, will be required to purchase flood insurance if they find that their home is newly shown in a high-risk flood area known as a Special Flood Hazard Area on the updated maps. Purchasing flood insurance before the flood maps become effective will lock in the lower-risk zone and could lead to significant savings. Residents are urged to contact their insurance agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov to learn more about how and where to get a policy.

Residents should look at the new preliminary flood maps to both become familiar with the flood risks in their community and to see whether their flood zone has changed. The maps for Cambridge can be viewed at Cambridge DPW, 147 Hampshire Street and Cambridge Public Library branches or online at http://www.cambridgema.gov/TheWorks/stormwater/fema.html.

The maps for Arlington can be viewed at the Planning Office at Town Hall, 730 Massachusetts Avenue or online at
http://www.arlingtonma.gov/Public_Documents/ArlingtonMA_Planning/floodmaps/index .

Each town received both a paper copy and a digital copy of the new maps to share with their residents for review before they become finalized.

For more information contact:
• Catherine Daly Woodbury, Cambridge DPW at 617-349-4818 or cwoodbury@cambridgema.gov
• Michael Rademacher, P.E., Arlington DPW at 781-316-3320 or mrademacher@town.arlington.ma.us

If you purchase flood insurance before the effective date, you may benefit from the lower-cost “grandfathering” insurance option. Please note that in order for your insurance to be active by the effective date of the new maps, the insurance should be purchased at least 30-days in advance of the effective date. You should check with your insurance agent for details. Please continue to refer back to this page for any updates and schedule changes.

What You Should Know

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has recently completed a study which re-examined Middlesex County flood zones and has developed preliminary revised detailed, digital flood hazard maps for the Alewife area in the City of Cambridge. The proposed new maps -- also known as Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) -- reflect current flood risks, replacing maps that are over 25 years old. The reason these maps are produced is to provide home owners, mortgage companies, insurance companies and agents and other interested parties information specific to flood risk in areas adjacent to or impacted by local rivers which are subject to flooding. Maps can be viewed on-line, see the links below under Additional Information or at local branch libraries and the following municipal offices: City Clerk, Conservation Commission, Community Development, Inspectional Services and Public Works.

How will these changes affect you?

If you feel there has been an error, you can file a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA)

If you were unable to file an appeal or protest and believe that your property has been included in the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) in error, then FEMA has established administrative procedures to change the designation for these properties on the effective FIRM. These processes are referred to as the Letter of Map Amendment, or LOMA, process and the Letter of Map Revision Based on Fill, or LOMR-F, process. Through these processes, an individual who owns, rents, or leases property may submit certain mapping and survey information to FEMA and request that FEMA issue a document that officially removes a property and/or structure from the SFHA. In most cases, the applicant will need to hire a Licensed Land Surveyor or Registered Professional Engineer to prepare an Elevation Certificate for the property. Upon receiving a complete application forms package, FEMA will normally complete its review and issue its determination in 4 to 6 weeks. Guidance information and determination requirements can be found at: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/fhm/fmc_loma.shtm or you can call the FEMA Map Assistance Center at 1-877-336-2627.

Here’s where to go for more information.

* Note: The tool entitled “One-Step Flood Risk Profile” on www.floodsmart.gov is based upon current 1982 flood maps and does not reflect changes proposed in the Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Review the maps provided on the Cambridge DPW web site for proposed map information.

For more information see the links below. Please note that all the documents below are in pdf format. Some of the files are large and may take a while to download. If you have difficulties come into the DPW office at 147 Hampshire Street for assistance.

Additional Information

Flood Insurance Information
Information Meeting Power Point Presentation, 02-24-2009 (PDF)

Federal Register Notice
Proposed Flood Elevation Determination – Federal Register/Vol. 73, No. 98/Friday, May 16, 2008/Proposed Rule

City's Comment Letter
City's Comment Letter to FEMA on the Preliminary FIRMS

FEMA Preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Map information

Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (abridged – Cambridge information only)
REVISED Flood Profiles - Wellington Brook

Flood Insurance Study (FIS) (Middlesex County, all jurisdictions)

Volume 1 – Flood Insurance Study
Volume 2 – Exhibit 1 - Flood Profiles – Aberjona River – Greens Brook
Volume 3 – Exhibit 1 - Flood Profiles – Guggins Brook – River Meadow Brook
Volume 4 – Exhibit 1 - Flood Profiles – Run Brook – Witch Brook
REVISED Floodway Data Tables
REVISED Flood Profiles

Maps – Exhibit 2 Flood Insurance Rate Maps (Cambridge maps only)


REVISED Map 1 - (25017C0418E) Includes a small area in Cambridge bordering with the Town of Belmont and includes portions of the following neighborhoods: Cambridge Highlands and Strawberry Hill.

REVISED Map 2 - (25017C0419E) Includes an area bordering with the Town of Arlington and City of Somerville and includes portions of the following neighborhoods: North Cambridge, Cambridge Highlands, Strawberry Hill, Neighborhood 9 and Neighborhood 10.

Map 3 - (25017C0438E) Includes an area bordering with the City of Somerville and includes portions of the following neighborhoods: North Cambridge, Neighborhood 9, Agassiz and Mid Cambridge.

Map 4 - (25017C0557E) Includes an area bordering with the Town of Watertown and the Charles River and includes portions of Neighborhood 10.

Map 5 - (25017C0576E) Includes an area bordering with the Charles River and includes portions of the following neighborhoods: Neighborhood 10, Mid-Cambridge, Cambridgeport, Area IV, Wellington Harrington and MIT/Area 2.

Map 6 - (25017C0577E) Includes an area bordering with the Charles River and Cities of Somerville and Boston and includes portions of the following neighborhoods: MIT/Area 2, East Cambridge, Area IV and Wellington Harrington.

If you have difficulty locating your property on one of these maps, you can contact Cambridge DPW at 617. 349.4800.

Flood Insurance Information (FEMA)

The National Flood Insurance Program
Flood Insurance and Flood Map Fact Sheet
Answers to Tough Questions
Personal Property Coverage Fact Sheet
Saving of Flood Insurance - Information on Grandfathering Rule
Your Homeowners Insurance Doesn’t Cover Floods….

Mapping Information

FEMA Map Assistance Center – 1-877-336-2627 (toll free)
Vertical Datum - New Mapping Procedures
GIS in Flood Map Modernization
Preliminary Flood Plain Map with Parcel Information

Technical Details (REVISED)

FEMA Technical Notebook for Mystic River Study - Middlesex County Technical Data Notebook (TSDN) prepared by ENSR and Dewberry for use in developing preliminary flood insurance rate maps for Middlesex County. Contains flood profiles, data tables, FIS data checklist, floodway data table, Mystic River FIS text, and workmaps.