Flood Zone Basics for Gilbert Residents

New Gilbert residents are often surprised to learn that certain areas within the Town are susceptible to flooding. Gilbert slopes from east to west - and in the event of heavy rainfall, flood waters can accumulate in areas adjacent to the east side of railroad and canal embankments. Residents should exercise caution around washes and low-lying areas, which can quickly fill with water during a severe storm.

In partnership with the Flood Control District of Maricopa County, the Town has taken many measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the community. For example, Freestone and Crossroads Parks serve a dual purpose as retention facilities to collect and hold flood waters. Also, the Eastern Maricopa Floodway helps to intercept flood water flows from the north before they even reach Gilbert, while also intercepting flows from the Sonoqui and Queen Creek Washes. The Town’s Floodplain Management Ordinance - originally adopted in January 1980 and most recently updated in August 2023 - establishes minimum development requirements for areas identified as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs). These requirements minimize flooding and erosion hazards and protect the natural resources within flood prone areas.

Flood Insurance for Gilbert Residents

The Town of Gilbert participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), meaning that all property owners in Gilbert can purchase flood insurance. For communities in the NFIP, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a voluntary program called the Community Rating System (CRS) in which participating communities receive discounts on flood insurance premiums based on community activities such as open space preservation, establishment of a storm water management program, drainage system maintenance, and flood warning and response. The Town of Gilbert has participated in the CRS program for many years.

Once every 5 years, the Insurance Services Office verifies Gilbert’s floodplain management program. In April 2019, FEMA informed the Town of an improvement in our CRS program rating, resulting in an additional 5% reduction in flood insurance rates for Town of Gilbert residents in the SFHA. The discount for Gilbert policy holders goes up from 15% to 20% for policies issued or renewed on or after October 1, 2024. There are currently a total of 218 flood insurance policies in Gilbert’s SFHA, each with an average annual premium of $775. This CRS improvement will result in a 5% reduction ($41 average annual savings) for each of these 218 flood insurance policies in the special flood hazard area.

Flood Zone Resources

The Town of Gilbert has an interactive mapping tool that allows anyone to look up flood zone information for a particular property, find Elevation Certificates and Letters of Map Revision affecting parcels in Gilbert, and request a Flood Zone Determination from the Town. Use the following links for those resources:

• Interactive Map
• FEMA Firm Maps for Gilbert, AZ
• Request Flood Zone Information
• Real Time Gauge Information
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
• Elevation Certificates
  • Instructions:
    1. Select search type from drop down menu.
    2. Enter search criteria by using asterisk (*) before and/or after. Asterisk (*) is a wild card.
    3. To retrieve all records enter only an asterisk (*) in the search field.
    4. Click on search button.
    5. Double click on the document in select list you wish to view.

For more information on floodplain management, call (480) 503-6815 and/or visit the Southeast Regional Library (SEC Guadalupe & Greenfield Rd) for additional floodplain information, policies, guidelines and maps.