Updated floodplain maps and resident notification
Summary
Updated floodplain maps for Vensel Creek and a FEMA revision near 81st Street will move some properties into and out of the regulatory floodplain. The city will mail notification letters and encourage flood insurance either way.
At a glance
- Total mentions
- 10
- Last 30 days
- 1
Discussed at 3 meetings in the last 60 days; most recently Oct 14, 2026.
Impact analysis
Owners newly mapped into the floodplain could face mandatory flood insurance costs; notification letters go out next month.
Owners removed from the floodplain save on insurance; accurate maps help the whole city plan drainage.
Owners newly mapped into the floodplain may face new insurance requirements.
Mentions & discussions (10)
Council Public Works Committee - Oct 14, 2026
New official floodplain maps reflect drainage plan updates and FEMA revisions since 2021. Councilor Bellis pressed for easier ways for residents to find out if they're in the floodplain — staff pointed to 311 lookups and annual notification letters.
Council (Regular) - Sep 30, 2026
The council adopted the city's Floodplain Management Plan progress report and 2026 Repetitive Flood Loss Area Analysis, which guide how Tulsa manages flood risk and repeat-loss properties — important for flood insurance rates citywide.
Council Public Works Committee - Sep 23, 2026
Tulsa still has 45 repetitive loss areas; updated reports will prioritize stormwater projects and trigger letters to affected homeowners about flood insurance and resources.
Council Public Works Committee - Sep 2, 2026
Tulsa sends annual letters to floodplain and levee-area residents and offers free elevation certificates. Councilors also discussed private yard modifications changing drainage and flooding neighbors — a growing complaint source.
Council (Regular) - Aug 26, 2026
The council finalized changes to standards for shallow-flooding zones with an emergency clause, meaning new watershed development rules take effect immediately.
Council Public Works Committee - Aug 19, 2026
An audit found the city's floodplain rules wrongly allowed floodproofing for new homes in shallow-flood (AO/AH) zones. The fix aligns the ordinance with FEMA-reviewed standards — new homes in those few zones must be built one plate above base flood elevation.
Council (Regular) - Jul 22, 2026
The council adopted the 2024 Crow Creek, Swan Creek and Travis Park drainage plan and new regulatory floodplain maps. One Lewiston Gardens resident objected, saying higher-value homes at lower elevations were removed while lower-value homes were added, and asked for time to obtain his property's flood elevation data before the maps take effect.
Council Public Works Committee - Jul 15, 2026
The city is adopting new floodplain maps for Crow Creek, Swan Creek, and Travis Park. Travis Park gets the biggest change — lots of properties remapped out of the floodplain, which can mean cheaper flood insurance. The plan also adds $200 million in drainage projects to a backlog already around $2.5 billion.
Council Budget & Special Projects Committee - Apr 29, 2026
New postcards and text messages would warn property owners of unverified complaints before inspection, aiming for early voluntary compliance — which happens about 68% of the time when owners know. This could cut the whole abatement-and-lien process out of many cases.
Council Public Works Committee - Feb 11, 2026
Updated floodplain maps for Vensel Creek and a FEMA revision near 81st Street will move some properties into and out of the regulatory floodplain. The city will mail notification letters and encourage flood insurance either way.
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