floodplains

A drainage ditch in Fort Wayne, Ind., taken May 23, 2008.

Drainage task force fumbles on final report

The interim drainage committee came away with only an informal report Wednesday.

Multiple lawmakers on the Indiana Drainage Task Force expressed concerns on Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, about the accuracy of the state’s floodplain maps and said they now support a more robust system that ensures property owners know if they are in a flood zone.

Indiana task force debates floodplain mapping — and how it’s affecting Hoosier property owners

The Drainage Task Force is seeking to improve how landowners are notified and involved in mapping changes.

The survey used factors such as families below poverty level, households with broadband and the presence of a head of planning or zoning to create its index.

Rural Midwest communities have lowest capacity for addressing climate change

Ethan Sandweiss

Indiana ranks in the middle of the Rural Capacity Index with 56 percent of communities below the national median. Plains states such as the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas sit in the bottom 10. 

Bill would change which flood maps counties use for building permits

Rebecca Thiele

FEMA hasn't yet approved maps on Indiana's floodplain portal, but the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said it can be used for "general planning, construction and development purposes."

A floodplain map of the area where two Amish brothers built their homes in Wayne County.

Bill that would let some homes stay in the floodway passes House

Rebecca Thiele

But the Indiana Department of Natural Resources warns, if it becomes law, the bill could jeopardize flood insurance in the county and possibly the state.