New Polk County flood maps out; meetings planned

Interactive flood zone map »

BARTOW — The fact that Polk County is crisscrossed by streams that are part of seven river systems and dotted with more than 500 lakes means that some parts of the county contain substantial flood plains.

These low areas are depicted on the latest digital flood insurance rate maps for the portion of Polk within the Southwest Florida Water Management District, which includes all of Polk County except the eastern areas of Polk within the Kissimmee River Basin. The maps were developed in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Polk County.

The maps are important because they are used to determine flood insurance rates and to determine whether building at a certain location is advisable.