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Flood Information

This page is designed to provide you with updated information related to flooding and flood-related issues within Manheim Borough.  If your property is in a flood-prone area, or if you have had damage to your property in the past due to flooding or other surface water runoff, we strongly recommend that you bookmark this page.  We will provide as much real-time information as we can, and we will also add other information and resources that may become available from time to time. 



Flood Ordinance

Ordinance 685 Flood Ordinance

The current Flood Ordinance was adopted at the 12/12/23 Borough Council Meeting. This ordinance is required in all municipalities to assure compliance with FEMA requirements. This is also necessary to allow property owners to obtain flood insurance, and ensure that the Borough will be eligible for Federal and State assistance should a severe flooding event occurs.

Note that this ordinance includes a map prepared by the Army Corps of Engineers which shows updated areas subject to 1% annual flood risk (commonly called the 100 year flood plain). Therefore, properties currently shown as being within the 100 year flood plain on the official FEMA Map, as well as the areas shown on the Army Corps map contained within the ordinance, are subject to the provisions of the ordinance.

Additionally, those storing materials within these regulated areas are required to obtain a permit and comply with the “Emergency Plan for Storage” provisions of the ordinance. Permit fees will not be required if permits are obtained by the end of 2024.

Letter to Commercial Properties in the Floodplain

Floodplain Application Form can be found here – Note that most work, improvements, and storage of materials within the flood plain requires a permit. Please contact the borough codes officer before doing any work or storing any materials.

FEMA Flood Map

 After clicking on above link, enter the address you are interested in and click “search”.  The property will be identified by a red “pin”.  You can zoom in and move the map location to view any location in more detail.  If you click on the “Go To NHFL Viewer” button, a satellite view of the area will appear.  Generally speaking, if your property is located in a blue shaded area or a red/blue striped area, your property is located within a regulated flood area.  To obtain specific flood elevations for your property you will need to contact a PA Registered Professional Surveyor.



STREAM CAMS AND STREAM GAGE  

The Susquehanna River Basin Commission has installed LIVE STREAM CAMS (cam 1 looking north toward the old dam), and (cam 2 looking east along Elizabethtown Road) at the Chiques Creek, upstream from the Borough at the old White Oak Dam.  As these are located upstream from the Borough, they can be helpful in giving an indication of the potential for flooding in the Borough in the near-term.

Lancaster County Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA) has a STREAM GAGE (Chiques Creek Stream Gage)  located at Hamaker Road.  The Borough is currently working with LCEMA to enhance this in order to provide usable and actionable information to the residents and businesses of Manheim.  In the meantime, this provides real-time information on the water elevation of Chiques Creek at Hamaker Road and can be helpful in giving an indication of the potential for flooding in the Borough in the near-term.


Chiques Creek Flood Mitigation Project

Click here for Chiques Creek Flood Resiliency Study

Phase I of the selected alternatives from the above study has been awarded HMPG funding. Additional details can be found below and this post will be updated as future information becomes available.

It is important to note that the above study completed by the Army Corps of Engineers reviewed, analyzed, and modelled numerous potential types and locations of improvements, both within the borough as well as in areas outside the borough, with the intent of identifying projects that would reduce the areas subject to 100 year flood events. Unfortunately, no possible improvements were identified that would reduce the areas subject to a 100 year flood event. However, the project that was selected and approved by PEMA and FEMA for funding will provide substantial reductions in the areas subject to the 10 year and more frequent flood events.

The map in the following link shows the areas in the borough that would be affected by this project. The dark purple areas represent the project areas. The light blue areas represent the areas that would no longer be impacted by a 10 year storm event.

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 Flood Insurance Myths – Please click HERE for important information regarding flood insurance (you don’t need to live in a floodplain in order to get – or need – flood insurance!).

Click on links below for more information:

FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (contains links to multiple resources and fact sheets)

Floodsmart

Collection: Flood Insurance Whiteboard Explainer Videos

For information specifically related to stormwater runoff, please visit the following page:

Stormwater Management

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