Flood Information

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters, second only to fires. There is a 26% chance of experiencing a flood during the life of a 30-year mortgage (more than 6 times the likelihood of a fire). As little as one foot of (moving) water can move most cars off the road. Just six inches of fast-moving flood water can sweep a person off his or her feet.

Flooding in the Village can come from different sources: tidal surges from hurricanes and tropical storms, heavy rains, clogged or blocked drainage pipes and ditches. Flooding in Florida can come at any time with little warning so it is best to be informed.

We are particularly at risk during hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through November 30. Hurricanes and tropical storms can bring dangerous storm surges. These weather events pose a great risk to life and property for both coastal residents, though all inland inhabitants are also at risk due to the low elevation of many of the homes in the Village.

During extended periods of heavy rainfall, certain low‐lying neighborhoods within the Village are subject to considerable flood damage and isolation caused by inability of natural and mechanical drainage systems to effectively remove the water.

What areas are especially at risk for experiencing a flood?

  • Low lying areas
  • Coastal areas
  • Areas downstream from large bodies of water
  • Floodplains or low areas adjacent to a river (also known as Special Flood Hazard Areas or SPHA)

Everyone in Florida lives in a flood zone, it's just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high-risk area. 
Village of Tequesta's flood map.

Village  Flood  Information  

Please  call  the  Building Department  at  (561) 768-0450 to find out:

  • If a property is located in a flood zone;
  • About the mandatory purchase of flood insurance requirement;
  • If your property is vulnerable to storm water drainage problems;
  • If your property is in an area predicted to be flooded in the future because of sea level rise;
  • Anticipated depth of flooding over a building's first floor
  • About past flood problems in the area;
  • If you are in an area with natural floodplain functions that should be protected and;
  • If a FEMA elevation certificate that includes flood insurance rating data is on file for your property;
  • More information about flood maps and the community's floodplain management programs

Flood map and additional resources
Check your flood zone 

What is flood insurance?

Only a few inches of rising water can cause thousands of dollars in repair costs for damage to walls, floors, furniture and electrical appliances. This damage is typically not covered by homeowner's or renter's insurance policies.

Flood insurance, like earthquake insurance, is “single peril” insurance, sold separately from homeowners insurance. Flood insurance protects against losses to buildings and their contents, not the land surrounding them. The coverage applies whether the flooding results from heavy or prolonged rains, coastal storm surge, blocked storm drainage systems, or other causes. To be considered a flood, the waters must cover at least two acres or affect at least two properties. NFIP Flood insurance is available both within and outside of floodplains. Your property’s flood risk is shown on flood hazard maps. Different types of policies are available depending on your flood risk.

The Village of Tequesta Building Department recommends that all Village residents obtain flood insurance. Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage and flooding can occur anywhere due to a variety of causes, including heavy rainfall. Call your insurance agent for additional information.

Find out flood zone for your property

Renters should purchase flood insurance for the contents of their home. Do not wait for an impending storm to purchase flood insurance because there is a 30‐day waiting period after purchase. For more information about flood insurance, visit National Flood Insurance Program at https://www.floodsmart.gov/, speak with your insurance agent, or contact us at (561) 768-0450 for flood insurance advice.

Some property protection measures such as elevating appliances and installing flood vents may reduce insurance rates. Village staff are available to provide free property protection recommendations and can even perform a site visit if needed. Financial assistance may be available to help defer the cost of some flood protection measures. Ask your community floodplain manager about flood protection assistance or related financial assistance by calling the Building Department at (561) 768-0450.

Are there special permits required for work within the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA)?

The Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance of the Village of Tequesta provides the requirements for all development located within the Village; including work exempt from Florida Building Code requirements. Building Department personnel are prepared to provide information regarding your property and whether or not it lies within a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). Floodplain Development Permits are required prior to building permit issue if the project is located in an SFHA; Elevation Certificates and/or No-Rise/No-Impact Certifications may also be needed. Report unpermitted floodplain development to the building department at (561) 768-0450.

Be aware of the substantial improvement rules

In order to obtain permits, new and substantially damaged or significantly improved buildings located within the SFHA will need to be brought up to code under the current flood zone map standards. Ensuring your building is up‐to‐code can also help you to obtain competitive insurance rates. A building is considered substantially damaged or substantially improved if the cost of the repairs or improvements equals or exceeds 50 percent of the market value of the building or structure before the damage occurred or repairs are started. Contact the building department at (561) 768-0450 for guidance on permits and improvements.

Elevation Certificates 

Elevation Certificates are required for all permitted work in the SFHA and are used for flood insurance rating. To see if an Elevation Certificate is on file for your property call the Building Department at (561) 768-0450 or go to https://florida.withforerunner.com/, enter your address and choose “Files”. If there is an elevation certificate on file for your property, you can click on the file name to access and download it.

Local Mitigation Strategy

The Local Mitigation Strategy is a unified, coordinated effort among County and municipal governments to reduce the County’s vulnerability to the impacts of identified natural and man-made hazards, including flooding and its causes, and plans preventative and corrective measures to reduce the risk of current and future hazards.  Please click here for a copy of the latest Palm Beach County Local Mitigation Strategy publication.

Flood Mitigation Progress Report 2026

What resources are available for flood information and preparedness?

Hurricane, Storm & Tide Information

Visit our Hurricane Information page for storm safety and storm related property protection. 
For more information on King Tides visit our King Tide page.

Emergency Flood Warnings

The Village Fire Chief serves as the Emergency Management Director. The Fire Chief, Village Manager, and the Mayor will accomplish all coordination, direction, and implementation of all disaster management functions cooperatively to maintain continuity of government. When necessary, evacuation of certain areas of the Village will be initiated following a decision by the local governing body in accordance with the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Emergency Management Manual. The Village of Tequesta will support the County and the Red Cross by assigning security and emergency medical personnel, if needed, to shelters as they are opened by the County. The Village of Tequesta Emergency Operations Center will serve as the nerve center for the coordination and control of the Village’s response and recovery efforts.

  • Know the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning. A watch means flooding is possible. A warning means flooding is occurring or is imminent;
  • Monitor NOAA Weather Radio, local television and/or www.weather.gov to receive local watches and warnings;
  • Get flood warnings by registering with the Village of Tequesta's CodeRED Emergency Notification System online;
  • Tune into PBC TV20 for news briefings and information:  https://discover.pbcgov.org/publicaffairs/Pages/Channel_20.aspx
  • Know evacuation routes. Check your evacuation zone, route and shelter stations; 
  • Obey evacuation orders from officials. Learn the risks of storm surges. Evacuation orders are issued for imminent storm surge flooding, not wind.

View the Palm Beach County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)

Drainage System Maintenance

Water from rain is managed through a system of water drainage systems, pipes and drainage canals. Constant water flow through these systems, especially during heavy storms, is essential to flood damage protection in the Village. Keep yard debris and litter out of storm drains to prevent stormwater blockages and drainage obstructions that are prone to cause flooding. Also, keep debris out of driveway culverts and ditches and maintain your drainage swales. It is unlawful to dump or throw anything into these drainage systems. To report dumping and/or debris accumulation, call the Village of Tequesta's Public Works Department at (561) 768-0482.

Visit our Stormwater Page

Benefits of Natural Floodplains

It is important to appreciate natural floodplains. Please help keep these areas open and clean! Don't block natural flow-ways. Natural floodplains provide flood risk reduction benefits by slowing runoff and storing floodwater. They also provide other benefits of considerable economic, social, and environmental value that are often overlooked when local land-use decisions are made. Local floodplains contain wetlands and other important ecological areas which directly affect the quality of the local environment. Some of the benefits of floodplains to a functioning natural system include:

  • Natural flood and erosion control
  • Surface water quality maintenance
  • Groundwater recharge
  • Wildlife habitat protection
  • Higher quality recreational opportunities (fishing, bird watching, boating, etc.)

Floodplains provide numerous flood loss reduction benefits as a result of their unique natural functions. Floodplains allow floodwater to spread out and temporarily store excess water. This reduces flood peaks and velocities and the potential for erosion. One acre of floodplain flooded 1-foot-deep holds approximately 330,000 gallons of water. Flood storage is particularly important in urban areas such as South Florida where even small floods, for example from a 5- or 10-year storm, can cause severe damage.

The special building regulations that apply within the floodplain (Special Flood Hazard Area or SFHA) exist to protect these areas from the types of development that may hinder the many beneficial functions of the floodplains and to protect the people and buildings within the SFHA from damage that may result from the natural flooding of these areas.

The Village Parks & Recreation Department is dedicated to maintaining our natural floodplains as open spaces that serve the community. To learn more about our Parks Master Plan.

For more information about the federally managed Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area visit their website. 

Property Protection through Mitigation

There are retrofitting steps you can take to protect your property from flood damage. Some of these methods include:

  • Installing flood vents or flood openings
  • Elevating appliances and utilities
  • Elevating the building
  • Wet floodproofing (uninhabitable areas)
  • Dry floodproofing (non-residential)
  • Constructing levees berms or floodwalls
  • Demolition or relocation
  • Installing flood resistant landscaping

Note that these methods require a permit. Village staff are available to provide free property protection recommendations and can even perform a site visit if needed. Financial assistance may be available to help defer the cost of some flood protection measures. Ask your community floodplain manager about flood protection assistance or related financial assistance by calling the Building Department at (561) 768-0450.

Additional Property Protection Resources:

Financial Assistance Programs

The following programs are managed through the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) Mitigation Program:

  • Elevate Florida Residential Mitigation Program - Led by the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), this program is designed to protect homes and communities by reducing damage caused during natural disasters like hurricanes and floods.
  • Flood Mitigation Assistance Program (FMA) – A federal program that provides annual funding for projects to protect flooded structures that are insured by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Federal Emergency Management Agency contributes up to 75% of eligible mitigation costs. The remaining 25% must come from non-federal sources. The homeowner must contribute at least 12.5%. Although, at the present time, Palm Beach County requires the homeowner to contribute the full non-federal share.
  • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program – A federal, post-disaster program that funds projects to protect public or private property from future disasters.

The above reimbursement funding programs require the local government to “sponsor” the applicant from the application stage through the completion of the project. If you live in the Village of Tequesta, call (561) 768-0450 for more information.

  • Individuals and Households Assistance Program – FMA post-disaster program. Individuals and Households Assistance Program provides money or direct assistance to eligible individuals, families, and businesses if they live, own a business or work in any declared major disaster areas within Palm Beach county.  The property has to incur sufficient property damages or losses; and depending on the type of assistance, do not have the insurance or other resources to meet their needs.

Additional Financial Assistance Resources