Flood Maps & Stormwater Information

The City’s Stormwater staff serves the citizens of Oviedo by effectively managing, maintaining, protecting, and improving the public stormwater drainage system to prevent damage to life and property from storms, floods, and hurricanes. We also work to protect the water quality and safeguard our natural resources for all generations.

Flooding

The City of Oviedo can provide flood proofing advice for older homes built prior to current building code standards, or homes that have a higher flooding risk due to the proximity of special flood hazard areas. To inquire if a property is in a special flood hazard area or if an elevation certificate is available, please email Amanda Kortus, Stormwater Coordinator. 

The City of Oviedo is pro-active in local watershed monitoring, such as monthly lake levels and water quality. For more information, please visit the Seminole County Wateratlas website.

FLOOD INSURANCE INFORMATION

All properties, regardless of location, can flood. Where is rains, it can flood. Most basic homeowners insurance policies do not cover flooding, even from roof damage. Check your policy to ensure you are covered, even if your lender does not require flood insurance coverage.  Most preferred risk policies (outside of a special flood hazard area) have affordable premiums.

ILLICIT DUMPING

Introducing anything other than water into the City’s storm system, ponds, or ditches is considered illicit dumping and subject to punitive action by law. Please report any illicit dumping to Public Works at 407-971-5681.  Provide pictures, if possible. You may remain anonymous if you so desire.  

Flood Hazard: Check Before You Buy Flood Insurance

Most everyone knows that coastal properties are subject to flooding and wind damage from hurricanes. There are maps that show areas predicted to flood. To find out more about flood-prone area maps, check with The City of Oviedo, Public Works — Engineering Department at 407-971-5681

However, flooding and other surface drainage problems can occur well away from the coast. If you're looking at a property, it's a good idea to check out the possible flood hazard before you buy. Here's why:

  • The force of moving water or waves can destroy a building.
  • Slow-moving floodwaters can knock people off their feet or float a car.
  • Even standing water can float a building, collapse basement walls, or buckle a concrete floor.
  • Water-soaked contents, such as carpeting, clothing, upholstered furniture, and mattresses, may have to be thrown away after a flood.
  • Some items, such as photographs and heirlooms, may never be restored to their original condition.
  • Floodwaters are not clean: floods carry mud, farm chemicals, road oil, and other noxious substances that cause health hazards.
  • Flooded buildings breed mold and other problems if they are not repaired quickly and properly.
  • The impact of a flood—cleaning up, making repairs, and the personal losses—can cause great stress to you, your family, and your finances.

Floodplain Regulations: The City of Oviedo regulates construction and development in the floodplain to ensure that buildings will be protected from flood damage. Filling and similar projects are prohibited in certain areas. Houses substantially damaged by fire, flood, or any other cause must be elevated to or above the regulatory flood level when they are repaired. More information can be obtained from Amanda Kortus,

CFM and Stormwater Coordinator, she can be reached at 407-971-5682

Check for a Flood Hazard: Before you commit yourself to buying property, do the following:

  • Ask the City of Oviedo if the property is in a floodplain; if it has ever been flooded; what the flood depth, velocity, and warning time are; if it is subject to any other hazards; and what building or zoning regulations are in effect.
  • Ask the real estate agent if the property is in a floodplain, if it has ever been flooded, and if it is subject to any other hazards, such as sewer backup or subsidence.
  • Ask the seller and the neighbors if the property is in a floodplain, how long they have lived there, if the property has ever been flooded, and if it is subject to any other hazards.

Flood Protection: A building can be protected from most flood hazards, sometimes at a relatively low cost. New buildings and additions can be elevated above flood levels. Existing buildings can be protected from shallow floodwaters by regrading, berms, or floodwalls. There are other retrofitting techniques that can protect a building from surface or subsurface water.

Flood Insurance: Homeowners insurance usually does not include coverage for a flood. One of the best protection measures for a building with a flood problem is a flood insurance policy under the National Flood Insurance Program, which can be purchased through any licensed property insurance agent. If the building is located in a floodplain, flood insurance will be required by most federally backed mortgage lenders. Ask an insurance agent how much a flood insurance policy would cost.