

Floodplain Zoning
Floodplain is the land which has been or may be covered by floodwater during a regional flood – which is a flood that has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. The Rusk County Floodplain Zoning Ordinance is designed to protect life, health and property. Other purposes of the ordinance include the need to minimize rescue and relief efforts, business interruptions, damage to public facilities and expenditures of public moneys for costly flood control projects. It also discourages the victimization of unwary land and home buyers and prevents increases in regional flood heights that could increase flood damage on other properties. Permits are required for all development in floodplain. Landowners who wish to develop in these areas may be required to complete surveying and/or engineering in order to determine site specific elevations and/or base flood elevations in areas that do not have detailed studies.
- For information on doing a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) for removal from a floodplain for insurance requirements go to LOMA information from FEMA
- If a structure is not in the mapped floodplain, but you have received a letter from your lender, you may be able to do a LOMA (OAS or Out As Shown)
- Floodplain maps are available at FEMA Floodplain Maps Online
- Floodplain and wetland maps can also be viewed on DNR Surface Water Viewer
- Hard copies of the floodplain maps can also be viewed at the Rusk County Zoning Office.