MARCH 21, 2025|
Photo – Rawlins’ flood map created by FEMA – Bigfoot99 file photo
In Rawlins, many residents have expressed frustration over increased costs to their home insurance rates after the city adopted the new FEMA flood maps. City officials said they have no control over the premiums.
In 2016, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, began the process of updating flood plain maps across the country. The maps allege to show properties that are vulnerable to a once-in-a-century flood. Landowners in the newly established flood plains must purchase flood insurance or be barred from receiving certain types of federal disaster assistance.
In 2022, FEMA began rolling out its new flood plain insurance maps. Here in Carbon County, both Rawlins and Saratoga officials doubted the accuracy of the maps, citing the fact that the federal agency didn’t conduct physical studies of the area, but instead relied entirely on computer simulations.
In Saratoga, former Councilman Jon Nelson convinced the town to hire an outside consultant to review FEMA’s proposed flood map.
Following an analysis of the river and the adjacent low-laying areas in the town, the consultant concluded the flaws in the maps were insufficient for Saratoga to justify requesting a revision.
Rawlins officials had considered challenging FEMA’s flood maps as well. However, lacking the resources to dispute the federal agency’s findings and pressed for time, the Rawlins city council ultimately voted to adopt the maps last November.
The controversy isn’t over yet. During the March 18th Rawlins city council meeting, Councilman Derek Elliott said Ward One residents, living on the south side of the city, are complaining about the increased cost of flood insurance. Councilman Elliott asked his fellow council members to investigate the matter.
Councilman Elliot said a resident asked when the city will install appropriate drainage on the south side to mitigate the flood risk. Councilman Steve Sanger responded with, “Such a sewer project would cost approximately $45 million, money the city does not have.”
According to FEMA, Hogback Reservoir, located over three miles west of Rawlins, is at risk of flooding during a once in a century event. The federal agency claims the water from the reservoir could flow into Sugar Creek and then flood the south side of the city.
At the March 18th Rawlins city council meeting, Councilwoman Tonya Lewman asked if any progress has been made to refute FEMA’s flood maps. City Manager Tom Sarvey explained the city needs to take heavy equipment onto private property at Hogback Reservoir to test the retaining wall. However, talks with the property owner have come to a halt, and the city is unable to access the wall to carry out the necessary testing.
To dispute FEMA’s flood maps, the city needs to test the retaining wall at Hogback Reservoir to ensure it is strong enough to prevent flood waters from reaching Sugar Creek and the south side of the city.
Councilwoman Lewman suggested holding a meeting to discuss the possibility of removing the ordinance that requires the city to abide by FEMA’s findings.
The councilwoman said residents with property on the south side have reported their flood insurance premiums have increased by $700 to $1,200 since the city adopted the FEMA maps.
City Manager Sarvey said the only way to persuade the federal agency to change its maps is to issue a letter of map revision, or LOMAR.
Sarvey noted other communities have found it very difficult to persuade FEMA to revise its finalized maps.
Vice Mayor Darril Garner said local realtors are finding it difficult to sell homes within the flood zone. Potential buyers are discovering flood insurance will add hundreds of dollars to their monthly mortgage payments and are choosing not to buy a home in that area.
Vice Mayor Garner also said homeowners already living in the flood zone are finding a similar increase to their monthly mortgage payments.
City Manager Sarvey said the council did not cause the insurance rates to increase when they adopted the FEMA flood maps. The federal agency is entirely responsible for determining the cost of flood insurance.
Sarvey said the council adopted the FEMA flood maps to ensure continued access to federal grant opportunities.
The city manager said FEMA is entirely to blame for the insurance premiums. The only recourse the city has against the federal agency is to file a letter of map revision.
For the letter of map revision to have a chance of swaying the federal agency, Sarvey said the city would need to address the retaining wall at Hogback Reservoir and increase drainage on the south side.
Rawlins City Attorney Pinita Maberry-Nave explained FEMA and the insurance carriers work together to set the flood insurance rates.
If the city chooses to fight the premiums, they would be unlikely to win.
Councilman Terry Patterson asked if FEMA sent representatives to Rawlins to ground proof the flood plain maps. City Manager Sarvey said federal employees may have visited the city during the map creation process, but he can’t be sure. However, Sarvey said FEMA relied entirely on computer simulations to create the new flood maps.
Councilman Patterson said, despite having lived in the city for many years, he has never witnessed flooding on the scale predicted by FEMA.
