Floodplain & Drainage
Floodplain Management
Farmers Branch creeks are a unique feature of the City. Residents living along the creek and visitors to the City's creekside amenities, such as parks and trails, enjoy these waterways. There are three major drainageways that generally flow from east to west across the City: Farmers Branch Creek, Rawhide Creek and Cooks Creek.
Additionally, the Elm Fork of the Trinity River is located on the western boundary of Farmers Branch. The city has studied and improved each of the creeks throughout its history and continues to invest time and resources in managing these unique features. We regulate developments in and surrounding the creek to protect life and property, ensure public safety, minimize economic losses, and preserve the natural environment.
What Is a Floodplain?
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) defines a floodplain as any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source.
The Public Works Department can help you with the following floodplain-related information:
- Flood protection assistance
- Determining the flood zone and flood risk for your property
- Known historical flood occurrences in your neighborhood
- Availability of flood insurance and where to purchase a policy
- Lender requirements associated with the Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance guidelines
- Site visits to review flooding, drainage and stormwater problems and one-on-one suggestions to property owners
- Building requirements and copies of as-built Elevation Certificates, when available
- Guidance on flood mitigation techniques such as elevating, relocating or removing repetitive flood loss structures
- Information on retrofitting techniques such as barrier, levee and floodwall installation to reduce potential structure and basement flooding
For any questions regarding information above floodplain-related information, please email the City's Public Works Department or call us at 972-919-2597
Additional floodplain guidance is available on the FEMA website. The agency maintains extensive information about insurance, how to protect your home and ways to reduce damage.
Floodplain Development Requirements
Floodplain Development Permit
A Floodplain Development Permit includes authorization by the City for any work to be performed within any floodplain area of the City. Work that must be permitted includes but is not limited to grading, fill, creek bank stabilization or erosion protection and structure placement, including sheds, detached garages, etc. Variances will not be issued for proposed projects in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). You must submit an application for a Floodplain Development Permit to the City with a flood study that evaluates existing conditions and proposed project impacts.
A pre‐application conference must be held with representatives from the City's Engineering Department to begin the process. We will determine the information necessary for a complete evaluation at the pre‐application conference. You must submit a completed and signed Floodplain Development Permit application to the Engineering Department. After the permit is released, the original will be retained by the Engineering Department, and a copy must be available at the project site.
Procedures for Floodplain Alteration Fill and alteration of floodplains that are not unreasonably damaging to the environment and comply with the City's Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance and other applicable City flood protection policies and standards are permitted where they will not create other flood problems. You can find additional details about floodplain regulations in the City of Farmers Branch Storm Drainage Design Manual. Any development within creeks or floodplains without a permit is illegal and should be reported to the City's Public Works Department by email or phone at 972-919-2597.
Flood Insurance
The City of Farmers Branch is a member of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) administered by FEMA, which works closely with nearly 90 private insurance companies to offer flood insurance to property owners and renters. Floodsmart.gov provides information regarding purchasing a policy, renewing a policy, flood risks and costs and what to do before and after a flood.
Purchasing flood insurance through the NFIP is one of the best ways to protect your home and belongings. Standard homeowner policies do not cover damage from floods.
- There is normally a 30-day waiting period when purchasing a new policy. Private insurance companies and agents sell Flood insurance backed by the federal government.
- Under the Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance requirement, homeowners in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) must buy flood insurance if they have a mortgage from a federally regulated lender. The requirement applies to all forms of federal or federally-related financial assistance for buildings located in an SFHA. This affects loans and grants for the purchase, construction, repair or improvement of any publicly or privately owned buildings in the SFHA, including machinery, equipment, fixtures and furnishings contained in such buildings.
- Homes located outside the high-risk flood zone areas need flood insurance too. Nationally, over 25% of structures that flood yearly belong to policyholders whose properties are not in a high-risk flood zone.
- Flood insurance is available for all properties located in the City of Farmers Branch.
- If you're renting a home or apartment, contents coverage is available from the NFIP to protect your valuables and belongings.
You may view and print electronic maps of the FEMA effective floodplain online for free at the FEMA Flood Map Store.
Drainage Management
The City established a municipal drainage utility system in 2014 which provides a funding mechanism for the City to maintain public drainage infrastructure and the City's creeks. In 2021, the City developed a comprehensive drainage criteria manual (PDF), which provides specific direction regarding the design of drainage systems, detention requirements and floodplain development requirements for development and redevelopment within the City.
The City of Farmers Branch Public Works Department undertakes numerous drainage and floodplain-related projects each year. A few recent projects include:
- Cooks Creek channel expansion and improvements
- Culvert rehabilitation at Rawhide Creek and Valley View
- Denton Drive storm sewer improvements
- Erosion protection and hydraulic structure rehabilitation projects along Rawhide Creek and Farmers Branch Creek
Construction Regulations and Engineering Standards
For information regarding engineering and drainage plan requirements for new construction or reconstruction, please see the Engineering Department's Development Page. You can also find information in the City's Storm Drainage Design Manual (PDF), dated June 2021.
The Public Works Department can elect to waive the requirement for a lot grading plan prepared by an engineer for new infill residential construction, reconstruction and additions if the property owner or their authorized agent provides a Residential In-Fill Grading Waiver Affidavit.
Please Note
Completing the grading waiver does not remove the responsibility to ensure the lot is graded in accordance with City drainage requirements. Even with a waiver in place, the property owner or their authorized agent remains responsible for correcting any problems or adverse impacts on neighboring properties. Grading waivers will not be issued for properties located within floodplains.
NCTCOG Involvement
Since the mid-1980s, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has served as convenor and facilitator of cities, counties and other governmental entities pursuing the COMMON VISION. A Steering Committee of elected officials guides this inter-jurisdictional program, along with a Flood Management Task Force that provides technical expertise. The City of Farmers Branch participates in the COMMON VISION steering committee and the Corridor Development Certificate Program, which limits development in the Trinity River basin, including Elm Fork, to maintain manageable peak drainage flows.
Valwood Improvement Authority
The Valwood Improvement Authority (VIA) provides flood control infrastructure improvements for land development within Farmers Branch and Carrollton between I-35 and the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The district sold bonds and, in 1981, constructed a system of levees, channels and pump stations to remove the lands from the flood plain and allow the development of about 2200 acres. As a result of these bond sales, all property owners within the district boundaries have four layers of property tax: City, County, School and VIA.
Addressing Flooding
The Farmers Branch Creek Watershed is located primarily in the City of Farmers Branch with the upstream portions extending into Addison. Farmers Branch Creek flows from north to south and extends about seven miles downstream to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The creek is a treasured aspect of the community, and private properties near the stream are highly valued. However, many of these homes lie within the 100-year floodplain, and many areas along the creek have also experienced streambank erosion.
The City of Farmers Branch retained Freese & Nichols Inc. (FNI) to identify locations throughout the creek at risk for flooding and erosion and develop concept-level alternatives to address these problem areas.