Are You Prepared for a Flood in Your Neighborhood?

The City of Fremont has a long history of flooding, dating back to the 1950s. There is no better time than the present to prepare. The City’s Street Maintenance Division, along with the collaboration of other City departments, has developed a storm response plan to be as prepared as possible. Below are some ways you can better prepare as well. View the Fremont Flood Preparedness Flyer for more information on what to do before, during, and after a flood. For more information about sandbag pickup locations, visit the Maintenance Division's webpage.

(NEW) Recovery from January 2023 Storms

If your family or personal property was impacted by the recent storms or by a natural disaster, here are some resources:

• “Where to Get Help after a Disaster” list of disaster recovery and relief efforts
• The Federal IRS has announced programs that allow for tax filing extensions and tax deductions for victims of California storm issues including residents of Alameda County
• FEMA Guidance on how to help recover your family treasures that were subjected to water damage (or other disasters)
• Information on Low-Interest Disaster Loans from the Small Business Administration 

Flood Map Updates

The Flood Insurance Study Report and Flood Insurance Rate Maps for the community have been revised with the following:

• Line B (Zone 5) LOMR - From San Francisco to Stivers Street (8 MB)

National Flood Insurance Program

Since 1983, the City of Fremont has been a participant in the National Flood Insurance Program, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA has delineated portions of the City as special flood hazard areas on flood insurance rate maps. Properties within these areas may be subject to special flood insurance requirements and construction standards.

Community Rating System

In March 2001, FEMA accepted the City into the Community Rating System (CRS) with a rating of Class 8. The rating provides owners of property in special flood hazard areas a 10% reduction in premiums for flood insurance required under the National Flood Insurance Program. Property owners should review their policy to make sure they are getting the discount.

Flood Maps, Elevation Certificates, and Other Documents

As a community participating in the National Flood Insurance Program, the City of Fremont is the repository for maps, letters of map revision, letters of map amendment, and elevation certificates. These documents are available at the Engineering Division at 39550 Liberty Street. Elevation Certificates are also available online (scroll down to last section of this page). For more flood information or questions, contact the Engineering Division at (510) 494-4718 or floodinfo@fremont.gov.

Other Information Sources

The FEMA website has been revised to include more tools for property owners, lenders, insurance professionals, and government agencies. Below are links to FEMA's website and outreach material:

• Flood Map Search - A link to FEMA's Flood Map Service Center where you can look up flood hazard information by address, place or longitude/latitude coordinates.
• National Flood Insurance Program - A link to FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program webpage which contains additional information including an overview of the program, information targeted to specific groups (including claims adjusters, property owners, insurance professionals, lenders, state & local officials and surveyors) and featured NFIP topics.
• Fremont Municipal Code - A link to the City of Fremont's Municipal code where you can find information regarding the City's adopted policies for development in special flood hazard areas.
• Outreach Material - A link to an informational flyer on flood preparedness which is mailed annually to residents within the City of Fremont who live in or near a special flood hazard area.
• California Nevada River Forecast Center- NOAA/NWS News and Local CNRFC Information
• National Weather Service - Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service
• Alameda County Clean Water Program
• BASMAAs Blueprint for a Clean Bay
• International Code Council - Flood Cleanup-Safety and Salvaging
• City of Fremont Local Hazard Mitigation Plan 2016-2021 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, Adopted by Fremont City Council December 20, 2016, Approved by FEMA January 9, 2017
• Implementing California Flood Legislation into Local Land Use Planning
  • A Handbook For Local Communities, October 2010
  • Addendum to: A Handbook For Local Communities, December 2014
• California's Flood Future, Recommendations for Managing the State's Flood Risk
  • Attachment C: History of Flood Management in California
  • Attachment C: Appendices A through F
• Fremont Dam Failure Inundation Map
• Anderson Dam Inundation Map
• Calaveras Dam Inundation Map 1
• Calaveras Dam Inundation Map 2
• Del Valle Inundation Map

Elevation Certificates 

Elevation Certificates are used to determine the proper flood insurance rate and to document elevation information necessary for a Letter of Map Change. The Engineering Division is the repository of Elevation Certificates for new buildings or substantial improvements within the Special Flood Hazard Areas. Copies of Elevation Certificates are listed below by FEMA panel numbers and property addresses. Copies are also available at the Public Works Department at 39550 Liberty Street or by accessing the City of Fremont GIS Public.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How does the NFIP benefit property owners? Taxpayers? Communities?
  By being a member of NFIP, property owners are provided an opportunity to purchase flood insurance to insure against flood losses. With the City's floodplain ordinance, monitoring of development and construction practices help reduce flood losses and high government costs associated with flood disasters.
• Is the purchase of flood insurance mandatory?
  The Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 requires the purchase of flood insurance as a condition of Federal or Federally related financial assistance for buildings within Special Flood Hazard Areas. For buildings located outside of the Special Flood Hazard Areas, purchase of flood insurance is not mandatory unless it is an established requirement of an institution's standard lending practices. However, purchase of flood insurance for buildings outside the Special Flood Hazard Areas is a prudent practice.
• Why is there a requirement to purchase flood insurance in communities that have not suffered flooding in many years or ever?
  FEMA determines flood risk through available information for a community. While historical flood data is an important element in identifying flood risk, other elements such as rainfall and river-flow data, topography, wind velocity, tidal surge, flood-control measures, development, etc. are also used to evaluate flood risk.
• Why is my lender requiring the purchase of flood insurance?
  Under the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994, lenders are obligated to review the current NFIP maps to determine a structure's location relative to the published Special Flood Hazard Area. If the lender determines that the structure is within the Special Flood Hazard Area, the borrower is notified to obtain flood insurance as a condition of the loan.
• What if I disagree with my lender's determination that I am in the flood zone?
  So long as the requirement to purchase flood insurance is not part of the institution's lending requirement, property owners can contest the lender's determination by requesting FEMA to review the lending institution's determination. A Letter of Determination Review (LODR) will be issued by FEMA indicating FEMA's finding. A fee for LODR is required and the LODR will not amend or revise the current NFIP maps.
• How can a property owner determine if the property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area?
  FEMA maps indicating flood hazard areas, letter of map changes, and elevation certificates are on file with the City. The current maps are effective as of August 3, 2009. Updates to the current maps will only be done electronically through FEMA's National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) online. The NFHL is a computer database that contains flood hazard map information including data from Digital Flood Insurance Rate Map and Letters of Map Changes. Access to historical maps and the National Flood Hazard Layer can be obtained through www.msc.fema.gov.
• Are discounts offered for flood insurance premiums?
  The City of Fremont entered into a Community Rating System in 2001 with a rating of Class 7. The rating provides property owners within Special Flood Hazard Areas a 15% reduction in premiums for flood insurance.