Floodplain Administration

Burleigh County Floodplain District Regulations

Article 21 Floodplain District Regulations

Special Flood Hazard Area

You will find a wealth of information about the County's Flood Insurance Rate Map, flood depths at your property, natural conservation areas and wetlands, flood insurance, special rules for building in the floodplain, and ideas for protecting your property from flood damage. Contact the Building Department with your floodplain questions: 701.221.3727

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Risk Rating
Homeowners Flood Insurance Affordability Act

Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM)

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) website

Flood Insurance Rate Map Process
(The formal 90-day appeal period for Burleigh County is February 17 - May 18, 2023.)

On May 13, 2022, The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) released preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) and an accompanying Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report showing updated flood hazard determinations for portions of Burleigh County, including the City of Bismarck.

Whenever FEMA issues preliminary FIRMs that involve changes to flood hazard information, a statutory 90-day appeal period is required. The 90-day appeal period for Burleigh County began after the second posting of the appeal period notification in the Bismarck Tribune, on February 17, 2023. The formal 90-day appeal period will run from February 17th - May 18th, 2023.

During the 90-day appeal period, any property owner or lessee of property located within the mapped area who would like to appeal or comment on the preliminary FIRMs and FIS report may submit appeals and comments to the Floodplain Administrator of the jurisdiction where the property is located.

The basis of an appeal must be knowledge or information indicating that the proposed flood hazard determinations represented in the preliminary products are scientifically or technically incorrect. Only appeals of the proposed flood hazard determinations supported by scientific or technical data can be considered before FEMA makes its final flood hazard determination at the end of the 90-day appeal period.

FEMA will also consider comments and inquiries regarding data other than the proposed flood hazard determinations (e.g., incorrect street names, typographical errors, omissions, etc.) that are submitted during the appeal period and will incorporate any appropriate changes to the revised FIRM and FIS report before they become effective.

Access to the preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), Flood Insurance Study (FIS) report, and instructions on how to review are viewable under the Preliminary FEMA Map Products section at: https://www.bismarcknd.gov/2099/Burleigh-County-Flood-Insurance-Rate-Map

Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) 90-Day Appeal Period
Letter to Property Owners
Summary of Map Actions

Flood Annex

Burleigh County Emergency Management maintains a Flood Annex to address potential flood events. The Flood Annex provides information and guidance to minimize flooding, identify mitigation measures, coordinate departments and resources, and provide public education and information. 

Flood-Related Mapping Sites

• Burleigh County Flood And Elevation Tool - View modeled flood inundation areas by flood depth for the Missouri River and Apple Creek. View floodways and floodplains shown on FEMA FIRM maps. View elevation contours derived from LiDAR data and get the elevation of a specific spot clicked on from the LiDAR data. Historical flooding of the Missouri River in 2011 is available. Water gages are shown on the map and by clicking on them you can then click on a link to get gage data. By clicking on the map, tax parcels are identified as being in or outside the floodway and floodplains. In addition, locations of landslide activity are shown. 
• Burleigh County Parcel Viewer - View floodways and floodplains shown on FEMA FIRM maps by selecting the "Elevations & Floodplains" basemap. This basemap also allows viewing of elevation contours derived from LiDAR data and are able to get the elevation of a specific spot clicked on from LiDAR data.  The National Wetlands Inventory layer can also be viewed by selecting it on the "Map Layers" window under "Hydrologic Related Layers" section. 
• Burleigh County Road Closures Interactive Map - View current road closures in Burleigh County. ·          
• Burleigh County Zoning Map - On this webpage there is a PDF map of zoning in Burleigh County that includes Special Flood Hazard Areas (i.e. Floodways and Floodplains) overlaid on it. ·          
• National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer - The NFHL Viewer is a compilation of effective Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) databases and Letters of Map Revision (LOMRs). This website allows downloading digital images of flood hazard map panels. The FIRM Panel Images are TIF or PNG image files.
• National Wetlands Inventory - Wetlands Mapper - A mapping application showing wetlands inventoried by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 
• National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) - A map and GIS data showing existing conservation areas that are classified as National Wildlife Refuges (NWRs) in North Dakota. NWRs are public lands and waters set aside for wildlife habitat that are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
• ND Hydrologic Units Interactive Map - A mapping application showing watersheds in North Dakota.
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Critical Habitat - An ArcGIS Online web service showing areas of critical habitat mapped by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service. For more information about this map see the USFWS Threatened & Endangered Species Active Critical Habitat Report webpage.
• Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) - A map and GIS data showing existing conservation areas that are classified as Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) in North Dakota. WMAs are lands owned and/or administered by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department for public use.
• Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) - A map and GIS data showing existing conservation areas that are classified as Waterfowl Production Areas (WPAs) in North Dakota. WPAs are public lands or perpetual easements on private lands managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for wildlife habitat.

Stormwater Management - MS4

Burleigh County has developed a Stormwater Management MS4 Plan.